By Kirk Johannesen, The Republic
johannesen@therepublic.com
Bartholomew County residents should brace themselves for a prolonged period before Columbus Regional Hospital returns to pre-flood operation levels, based on the experiences of two Indiana hospitals with flooding.
Floods affected St. Joseph Hospital in Kokomo in 2003 and Saint Margaret Mercy Hospital in Dyer in 2007.
St. Joseph returned to pre-flood operation levels within four to six months, and Saint Margaret Mercy in about 90 days. However, neither suffered the amount of damage CRH did on June 7.
"I expect it will be 12 months, from what I've seen on the news," said Steve Laudenschlager, director of facilities services at St. Joseph Hospital in Kokomo.
St. Joseph
Four inches of rain in an hour, and 10 in 24 hours, caused city storm water to surcharge and sewers to back up.
That water dumped into a creek near St. Joseph. Floodwaters entered the receiving dock, and 27 minutes later up to 8 feet of water got into the basement.
The basement was evacuated, but the hospital never lost power and no patients had to be evacuated. The basement contained mechanical and support systems, information technology, the kitchen, physical therapy and medical records.
Fortunately for patients, they could be treated at another hospital in the county, at Howard Regional Hospital. Some services were moved to higher levels in the hospital, and outpatient services were temporarily held at other locations.
Restoring the food services took nine months, though, because a lot of custom-made equipment had to be built and installed. Perseverance and helping employees are top priorities, Laudenschlager said.
Saint Margaret Mercy
Lots of rain over a week's time, and 13 inches in an hour caused a creek to flood the basement of Saint Margaret Mercy, said Ed Shultz, vice president of engineering and construction.
Fortunately, a concrete barrier along the creek gave the hospital about four hours to move mobile equipment upstairs from the basement. Water filled 100,000 square feet in the basement, and about 70 patients were evacuated.
The time to move equipment allowed many services to keep going, and a free-standing emergency room was created by taking over another space at the hospital. That allowed patients to be treated and stabilized before being transferred, if needed.
The basement housed medical equipment, records, mechanical, phone and data systems. However, Saint Margaret Mercy could operate its computer systems through its sister campus in Hammond. Keeping people working together is important, he said. "It's a lot of hard work to get back," Shultz said.
Bigger challenge
CRH faces a greater challenge than these hospitals did.
Approximately 300,000 of the hospital's 650,000 square feet were touched by water, according to Dave Lenart, director of facilities and materials management at CRH.
The basement was entirely under water, the first floor got 6 to 8 inches and the entire hospital lost power.
The hospital had to evacuate 157 patients, and it is shut down and without an emergency department.
Patients are being treated at other offices within the city, or else have to go to hospitals in other counties.