Dealing with water outages

Planning can help ensure an outage does not cause a hospital shut-down


Healthcare facilities management industry leaders have conducted planning exercises to help facilities managers create emergency water supply plans (EWSPs), according to an article on the Health Facilities Management website.

The 2012 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “Emergency Water Supply Planning Guide for Hospitals and Health Care Facilities” recommends that a EWSP team consist of representatives from facilities management; administration or management; environmental compliance, health and safety; infection control and prevention; risk management; nursing; medical services; emergency management; and security. 

External partners should include local public water departments, state drinking water agencies, local public health departments, local fire departments and the local department responsible for water reclamation and purification.

Thorough EWSP preparation should include analyzing emergency supply alternatives, developing the facility’s plan and then regularly exercising the plan.

It also should include lists of EWSP alternatives, operational protocols such as water treatment and testing, implementation timelines and a plan for recovery.

Read the article.

 

 



February 18, 2015


Topic Area: Maintenance and Operations


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