Greenwich Health Facilities Have Emergency Power

GREENWICH, Conn. – Greenwich Hospital and the town’s nursing center say they will be prepared for any emergency situations Hurricane Irene may present.

“We’ve basically done a check of our facility to make sure everything is water tight,” said George Pawlush, spokesman for Greenwich Hospital. “We’re a hospital. We operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and we have a full emergency plan in place to deal with any type of emergency and we practice this over the course of the year so we’re prepared for just about every eventuality.”

Pawlush said the hospital’s generator will enable it to operate for six days.

Allen Brown, executive director of Nathaniel Witherell Nursing Home, said extra supplies, water and food have been ordered and that the home will have access to fuel deliveries in case power goes out. “We have a generator, but when it kicks in, we don’t have full power, so we have our usual distribution of flashlights, extension cords and things like that,” said Brown. “We’re too off the water to worry about flooding, though with the rain they’re predicting we know we’re not entirely exempt.”

Pawlush said that over the past few days hospital administrators have been trying to ensure the facility will have adequate staffing. “Members of our senior team will be here over the weekend to manage any issue that does come about,” he said.

At Nathaniel Witherell, however, staffing is the biggest concern. “Right now we’re just trying to make calls in advance to rally up people to come in on Sunday,” said Brown.

Pawlush and Brown said both facilities are in constant communication with the town of Greenwich and planned to meet with officials throughout the weekend in preparation for Sunday’s storm.

How are you preparing for Hurricane Irene? Comment below or email ahelhoski@thedailygreenwich.com.

 

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