Gulf Coast Health Facilities Brace for Impact as Milton Approaches \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Hospitals and long-term care facilities on Florida’s Gulf Coast are making urgent preparations for Hurricane Milton, expected to hit near Tampa late Wednesday. With mandatory evacuations underway, more than 300 healthcare facilities have already evacuated patients. Health officials call it the state’s largest evacuation ever, as hospitals brace for a storm predicted to bring catastrophic storm surges, high winds, and widespread flooding.
Health Care Facilities Bracing for Hurricane Milton: Quick Looks
- More than 300 health care facilities have evacuated, with 63 nursing homes and 169 assisted living facilities moving patients.
- Tampa General Hospital has deployed its aquafence to withstand storm surges up to 15 feet.
- The Florida Department of Health is managing the largest evacuation in state history, using 600 vehicles to transport patients.
- HCA Florida Healthcare and AdventHealth North Pinellas have moved patients to safer hospitals.
- Concerns for at-home patients, including oxygen users, as power outages and equipment failures pose risks.
Deep Look:
As Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, hospitals, nursing homes, and healthcare facilities in the region are scrambling to prepare. With memories of Hurricane Helene’s devastation just two weeks earlier, healthcare providers are confronting the threat of yet another powerful storm. Milton, now shaping up to be one of the strongest storms in years, is predicted to make landfall late Wednesday near the Tampa area, prompting unprecedented evacuations and intense preparation efforts.
On Tuesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ office reported that ten hospitals had begun evacuations, while over 300 health care facilities across the state had relocated their patients. This includes 63 nursing homes and 169 assisted living facilities. Kim Smoak, deputy secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, noted that the scale of evacuations is the largest that most healthcare workers can remember.
According to Steve McCoy, chief of the Florida Department of Health’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Oversight, this is the state’s “largest evacuation ever.” More than 600 vehicles are being used to evacuate patients, who are being tracked with blue wristbands indicating their evacuation origins and destinations. These operations are expected to continue through the night, with plans to halt only when sustained winds reach 40 mph, rendering conditions unsafe for travel.
Hospitals Gear Up for the Storm
Hospitals along the Gulf Coast are taking no chances. Tampa General Hospital, one of the largest medical facilities in the region, has stocked up on more than five days’ worth of supplies, including food, linens, and 5,000 gallons of water. The hospital is also prepared for power disruptions, with an energy plant featuring generators and boilers located 33 feet above sea level. Jennifer Crabtree, chief of staff at Tampa General, said that while they deployed their aquafence to block storm surges during Hurricane Helene, Milton’s stronger surges — expected to reach 10 to 15 feet — present new challenges.
The hospital’s aquafence, which proved effective against Helene, will once again be deployed as a protective measure. However, Crabtree emphasized that this is just one layer of defense in their comprehensive storm plan. “AquaFence is our first line of defense, but we have many mitigation strategies in place to ensure patient safety,” she said.
Many nearby urgent care and outpatient centers have closed ahead of the storm, but Tampa General Hospital plans to keep its main campuses open. Other facilities, such as HCA Florida Healthcare, have taken more drastic measures, evacuating patients from five hospitals to safer locations within the network. The evacuated hospitals include Pasadena Hospital in St. Petersburg, Largo West Hospital, Florida Englewood Hospital, West Tampa Hospital, and Fawcett Hospital in Port Charlotte, which suffered significant damage during Hurricane Ian in 2022.
Preemptive Evacuations Across the State
In total, 300 healthcare facilities have relocated patients. Among them, AdventHealth North Pinellas moved its 40 patients to other hospitals within its system, though the emergency department remains open. Randy Haffner, CEO of AdventHealth Florida, expressed confidence in their preparations, noting they have stocked up on essential resources, including water, generators, sandbags, and satellite phones. Hospitals in Sarasota Memorial Health Care System are also preparing to shelter in place, with more than 2,500 staff members bracing for multiple nights of on-site care. CEO David Verinder noted that the system, already near capacity, expects to house more than 4,000 people during the storm, including patients evacuated from other hospitals.
While these facilities have prepared for worst-case scenarios, the potential for power outages, flooding, and clogged drains has added uncertainty. Mary Mayhew, president and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association, highlighted how consecutive hurricane seasons have hardened Florida’s healthcare facilities, but the back-to-back nature of storms like Helene and Milton heightens vulnerabilities.
Long-Term Care Facilities at Risk
Florida’s long-term care facilities are also under immense pressure as they navigate patient evacuations and prepare for extended power outages. In counties under a state of emergency, nursing homes and assisted living centers are required to have enough emergency generator fuel to power life-saving equipment and maintain safe indoor temperatures for 96 hours. Despite these precautions, concerns remain over the mental health of residents, many of whom have been forced to relocate for the second time in just a few weeks.
Deborah Franklin, part of the Florida Health Care Association’s emergency response team, urged care centers to print essential resident documents, including medical records and dietary restrictions, to ensure continuity of care. Franklin also stressed the need to address trauma-informed care, as many residents are experiencing anxiety over their safety and the potential loss of their homes.
In the heavily impacted Pinellas, Manatee, and Hillsborough counties, which have the highest concentration of nursing homes, Kristen Knapp, a spokesperson for the Florida Health Care Association, estimated that between 5,000 and 6,000 residents had been evacuated from nursing homes.
Home Care Patients at Risk
While hospitals and care facilities have the infrastructure to evacuate patients, those who rely on home health care are particularly vulnerable. Dr. Matt Shannon, director of community emergency medicine at the University of Florida Health, voiced concerns about elderly and rural residents who may be left without adequate resources during the storm. Shannon noted that while many patients who rely on oxygen have backup tanks or devices with batteries, they often end up in emergency rooms when these backups fail.
Dialysis and Other Medical Services
Dialysis centers across the state have been rushing to provide treatments to as many patients as possible before closing. Helen Rose, of the Health Services Advisory Group, noted that centers had managed to recover quickly after Hurricane Helene, but Milton’s strength could present new challenges. The group has set up a helpline and is maintaining a list of open dialysis centers to ensure patients can continue receiving critical care throughout the storm.
Facing the Unknown
For many health care workers and patients in Florida, the arrival of Hurricane Milton brings anxiety and uncertainty. With evacuations underway and healthcare facilities preparing for the worst, the storm will undoubtedly test the state’s capacity to respond to natural disasters.
Lillie Whiting, a 67-year-old resident of an assisted living facility in Clearwater, captured the uncertainty that many Floridians feel. “We might have to evacuate, but they doubt it,” she said, referring to her facility’s plan. As she waits to see what the storm brings, Whiting, like many others, is relying on her faith. “Kinda scared,” she said, “but I be praying all the time.”
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