Prepping Florida Hospitals for Hurricane Milton

As Hurricane Milton heads towards Florida, hospitals are gearing up. Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota, an hour south of Tampa, is in the storm's path but won't evacuate. It's the largest and safest hospital in the area, with over 4,000 people—patients and staff—expected during the hurricane. David Verinder, the hospital's CEO, says they're stocking up on food, water, and supplies for at least seven days, as deliveries might not be possible. The hospital staff will work in shifts. The A team, including hundreds of doctors, will stay throughout the storm. They'll sleep and rotate shifts for three days. The B team will relieve them after the storm. Verinder hopes the B team can get through flooded roads and power lines. The hospital offers child care and a pet shelter for staff.

Dr. Alex Waldman, 35, an emergency doctor at AdventHealth Tampa, is part of the B team. He's ready to step in after the storm. He knows the challenges, remembering Hurricane Helene. The hospital has backup providers ready. In Fort Myers, Lee Health hospitals are staying open. About 100 patients have been evacuated from a low-lying facility. Monica Collins, a respiratory therapy director, sent her family to Miami. She's worried about her house, like many others. Waldman is preparing his house for the storm. He's not a native Floridian but has seen the toll of back-to-back storms. The rapid succession of storms is concerning.

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