Hospitals Prepare for Hurricane Sandy

The North Shore-LIJ Health System is preparing for Hurricane Sandy, activating its emergency command center Friday and discharging non-acute patients in case its hospitals and long-term care centers need to accommodate patients from other facilities.

Health system senior leaders and emergency preparedness staff at North Shore-LIJ’s Center for Emergency Medical Services in Syosset are working to line up staffing and resources at the system's 16 hospitals and other facilities needed to weather the storm.

North Shore-LIJ is not planning to evacuate any hospitals at this point, but that could change. When Hurricane Irene struck Long Island last August,  North Shore-LIJ evacuated nearly 1,000 patients from Staten Island University Hospital and Southside Hospital in Bay Shore to the health system’s other hospitals across the region.

With Hurricane Sandy expected to arrive Monday, North Shore-LIJ is making sure all facilities have back-up power generators, pumps, and other emergency equipment and supplies needed if the power fails.

Employees who are scheduled to staff its patient care facilities from Sunday through Wednesday have been told to be prepared to work beyond their regular work shifts.

As of Friday, North Shore-LIJ  said it is not canceling elective surgeries or other patient appointments scheduled for Monday.

The North Shore-LIJ web site or the health system’s Facebook page will update with more information.