A survey by the Texas Hospital Association analyzes Texas hospitals' disaster response before, during and after Hurricane Harvey, focusing on security issues, according to an article on the Occupation Health & Safety website.
The report says there were an insufficient number of emergency shelters ready to take in evacuees, and the ones that were open lacked the ability to care for people with some medical conditions, particularly those with quadriplegia and those needing dialysis or who were ventilator-dependent.
There was an over-reliance on hospitals as shelters and evacuation sites, and the availability of security was a major concern.
A Beaumont hospital that had been closed prior to the storm reported that armed individuals broke into its facility, seeking shelter. It took police eight hours to respond.
The Growing Crisis in Rural Healthcare Facilities
A Cleaning Alternative: The Benefits of Steam Technology
Novant Health Gets Approval for New Hospital and Freestanding Emergency Department
Preparing Healthcare Facilities for Severe Thunderstorms
NLCS Strengthens Safety and Compliance with Comprehensive Electrical Program