Hurricane coming: evacuate or stay and work?

shelly304 · Sep 1, 2008

This will be my first post ..I am a fourth gen. Florida native. I have been through dozens of 'hurricuns' including Donna as a child, and then
Andrew (where we were sent down to help out) and then a few years ago, three 'eyes' passed right over our house.
For Andrew, we were initially asked to bring two gallons of water to the hospital where I worked (for the commode..not for drinking) and told that we may not be able to leave, once we started our shift.
It turns out that Andrew spared us, so we went down to help out.
Charles, Frances and Jeanne were more rainstorms than anything, although downed trees and power outages were common..
Really my opinion about these storms is to stay put, until you are asked to evacuate- or assist in recovery efforts by officials.
Katrina was NOT a serious storm..nothing like Andrew or Donna or the big ones that come along from time to time, but since the infamous ninth ward and many other areas in New Orleans were and are STILL below sea level, it seems it is inviting destruction, being built on the Gulf coast.
The entire area was built during the many storms that occurred before they even named them. The state of Louisiana should seriously consider enlisting the Feds help to change the levy structure or we will spend billions over and over to repair a situation that isn't going to change otherwise.
My point is that Hurricanes..or as they say in the South, 'hurricuns', are normal for this area, so we have to live with them, just like the spring floods along the Mississippi river.
I really hope that Gustav, or the one behind him..isn't a Donna, or an Andrew, because flooding and looting will not be the nightly news, it will be much worse.
The reason I have learned to stay put is, a friend of mine ran to Alabama when a storm was approaching Florida back in the seventies.
When the storm, Camille, missed Florida entirely, the friend had no idea he was headed directly into Camille's path. They lost everything they had taken with them...to their point of 'safety'.
Regards,

We lost our home to Hurricane Francis-Utterly numbing to the mind and soul. Six weeks later we were living in a different state. It took six months for our homeowners ins. make payment. Living for weeks with no electricty, no phone, no cell phone, no fresh foods, no water and flaring tempers, rotting trash because their was no pick-up, ANYWHERE....

Never, never would I want anyone to go through this.

Hurricane Francis was more than just a "rainstorm".

stilltrying · Sep 1, 2008

Where I live you don't have a choice. You are on A team or B team, and some time C. A team is preparing for the storm sometime staying during the storm. B is relief after the storm is over. C might be to help get the patients back settled in and clean up. I always choose B team.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Sep 1, 2008

i am in administration.........and yes, if the collective excretory material collides with the oscillating ventilation system, i'm going to be in it up to my eyeballs, just like everyone else.
not all "suits" are lazy, nor are we all afraid. in fact, my executive director and i would be the last ones on the last helicopter out if disaster were to strike.
have a nice day.

and i'm sure that your staff is staying to work, just as expected. when the manager sets a good example, the staff is more likely to follow suit.

CritterLover, BSN, RN · Sep 1, 2008

hard to say, but i think i'd stay.

i'm single/no kids, but i do have animals to worry about. if provisions were made for them, i'm pretty sure i'd stay.

i work in one of the cities that they are evacuating people to, and live south of said city. on my way home from work this weekend, i drove south with several national guard caravans. i felt really drawn to what they are doing, and feel that if i could (financially), i would volunteer down there now. that level of "helping people" is what drew me to nursing in the first place -- as opposed to filling out "safety rounds" and "fall precautions" checklists.

looking at the news right now, i'm hopeful that things are going to turn out ok and people will be able to return to their homes soon. (there are still people in my city that were displaced from katrina.)

i really hope that when (because i don't htink its an "if") this happens again, i'll be in a place in my life where i can do more.

we talked about this over the weekend at work (we admitted a handful of the refugees). my coworkers all think i'm nuts. maybe, but they all have kids. to me, it is different when you are single and childless. i know that other single/childless people feel differently, and that is fine for them; but i feel an intense urge to help.

of course, it is easy for me to say that when i also say that i'm staying put because i don't have the financial resources to leave my job for a few weeks so i can help out.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Sep 1, 2008

you are brave. but why not all just evacuate?

because patient care is a 24/7/365 job. and someone has to be there to take care of those who are ill. after all, they're someone's loved ones, too.

MB37 · Sep 1, 2008

How do hospitals typically determine who is on what team - looks like it can vary, but is there a usual method? It seems like some people volunteer - is that usually enough to cover shifts, or do they mandate some people as well? I'm talking about hurricane country only - I've lived through blizzards and tornadoes as well, and they cause a completely different type of devastation. I just graduated and accepted a job, haven't signed anything or met with HR yet to go over any fine print in my contract. Is there any monetary incentive to stay? It sounds like not everyone gets paid hazard pay, and most of you don't get paid except for your actual shifts worked. If you earn OT while there, do you at least get that? If they do mandate people to stay, what system do they use to determine who has to against their will? Do they make all the single/childless stay on? Do they use seniority? Is it random? I assume this is all decided way in advance of June 1 each year. I'm not sure which I would choose if I had a choice. I know it might be part of my job, and I'm OK with that, as long as the hospital will make smart decisions (not always a good assumption to make, I know). I accepted a position at a hospital that does not make plans to evacuate, per policy, and I'll be in critical care so I know my patients won't be hopping onto a bus to safety. Hopefully I'll work a few minor storms and get to test out the hospital's procedures/planning before I have to make a decision on a cat 5 projected to come straight up the bay...

Ruby Vee, BSN · Sep 1, 2008

i don't live in a hurricane region, but i have family in new orleans. my sister-in-law was in the hospital, in icu, intubated when we first heard about gustav. i've heard that her hospital has been evacuated of critically ill patients, but i don't know where she is now. i'm sure that her daughters know -- at least i hope so -- but my husband and i have no idea. i'm very grateful for those healthcare workers who stayed to care for their patients, including those who evacuated with them.

i've never dealt with a hurricane. but i've worked during tornadoes (including the one that leveled the town of barnveld in wisconsin), blizzards (i've cross countried skiied, snowmobiled and once ridden in with the national guard when i couldn't drive to work), earthquakes and a volcano eruption. when you work in a hosptial, that's part of the job. those of you who feel that you cannot do that (or shouldn't have to) perhaps ought to reconsider working in a hospital.

as long as your pets and children are provided for -- and that means sending them out of the area with a friend or relative or bringing them to work with you -- you owe it to your patients and to your facility to show up. if you truly believe that your facility is unsafe in a hurricane and their policies don't include evacuation, perhaps you need to be finding another facility.

never having lived in a hurricane region, i'm not sure what i'd do to prepare. but i know that when winter rolls around, i might face staying at work during a winter storm. i have an overnight bag packed all winter for just that eventuality. and since i live in an area that has winter, you can bet i know how to drive in snow and ice.

lpnflorida · Sep 1, 2008

How do hospitals typically determine who is on what team - looks like it can vary, but is there a usual method? It seems like some people volunteer - is that usually enough to cover shifts, or do they mandate some people as well? I'm talking about hurricane country only - I've lived through blizzards and tornadoes as well, and they cause a completely different type of devastation. I just graduated and accepted a job, haven't signed anything or met with HR yet to go over any fine print in my contract. Is there any monetary incentive to stay? It sounds like not everyone gets paid hazard pay, and most of you don't get paid except for your actual shifts worked. If you earn OT while there, do you at least get that? If they do mandate people to stay, what system do they use to determine who has to against their will? Do they make all the single/childless stay on? Do they use seniority? Is it random? I assume this is all decided way in advance of June 1 each year. I'm not sure which I would choose if I had a choice. I know it might be part of my job, and I'm OK with that, as long as the hospital will make smart decisions (not always a good assumption to make, I know). I accepted a position at a hospital that does not make plans to evacuate, per policy, and I'll be in critical care so I know my patients won't be hopping onto a bus to safety. Hopefully I'll work a few minor storms and get to test out the hospital's procedures/planning before I have to make a decision on a cat 5 projected to come straight up the bay...

MB prior posts have addressed what their institutions do as far as having hurricane teams. I can only speak for where I work. We do not get time and half unless it would put us over 40 hours in a week. No hazard pay.They do pay a nominal amount for sleep time while you are on premises. They do feed the people who are expected to work along with the patients. You are expected to bring in water, food, clothing, blankets,pillows for yourself and loved ones. As far as I know our facility has never lost beyond temporary power,nor lost water. None the less the people are expected to be prepared just in case worst case happens. I think all your questions would need to be asked of any potential employer, as I do not think there is a customary way . I know our teams are not based on seniority, nor if you do or don't have children. They do once a year ask if anyone wants to switch to the opposite team. good luck. Heck cat 5, I doubt you have to worry about working, none of our hospitals in this area are rated to withstand a cat 5 , nor is my house for that matter.

texasnurse46 · Sep 1, 2008

9/1/08

I live S. of Houston & W. of Galveston, Thankfully, we didn't have to transfer pt's to other facilities, discharge them or such this time. We had been on alert since Fri. We have a shelter in place policy for a Cat 3 or lower, anything more and the hospital closes. Which means all the industrial plants in our area, have to close also, no E.R., no industrial plants can run. We have an alternating system, esential v. non-esential, plus which Hurricane rotation one is placed. Since Rita was supposed to be a 5 and head directly towards us, the hospital closed and employees were discharged to evacuate (it didn't do any good, some spent 24 hr+ in cars trying to get 100mi). Then others were placed on 1st return duty. During Alllison, I worked in the Houston med. ctr and scheduled for 7a-7p. I live 50 miles away, roads flooded, etc. I was told I had to make it in, Somehow, someway, I made it in @ 1p.m., stayed until I was released. My children are grown, I make sure my children, grandchildren are sent North 2-3 days prior to a storm coming in, it's always better to be safe than sorry. They take my 2 dogs with them.

58flyer · Sep 1, 2008

This will be my first post ..I am a fourth gen. Florida native. I have been through dozens of 'hurricuns' including Donna as a child, and then
Andrew (where we were sent down to help out) and then a few years ago, three 'eyes' passed right over our house.
For Andrew, we were initially asked to bring two gallons of water to the hospital where I worked (for the commode..not for drinking) and told that we may not be able to leave, once we started our shift.
It turns out that Andrew spared us, so we went down to help out.
Charles, Frances and Jeanne were more rainstorms than anything, although downed trees and power outages were common..
Really my opinion about these storms is to stay put, until you are asked to evacuate- or assist in recovery efforts by officials.
Katrina was NOT a serious storm..nothing like Andrew or Donna or the big ones that come along from time to time, but since the infamous ninth ward and many other areas in New Orleans were and are STILL below sea level, it seems it is inviting destruction, being built on the Gulf coast.
The entire area was built during the many storms that occurred before they even named them. The state of Louisiana should seriously consider enlisting the Feds help to change the levy structure or we will spend billions over and over to repair a situation that isn't going to change otherwise.
My point is that Hurricanes..or as they say in the South, 'hurricuns', are normal for this area, so we have to live with them, just like the spring floods along the Mississippi river.
I really hope that Gustav, or the one behind him..isn't a Donna, or an Andrew, because flooding and looting will not be the nightly news, it will be much worse.
The reason I have learned to stay put is, a friend of mine ran to Alabama when a storm was approaching Florida back in the seventies.
When the storm, Camille, missed Florida entirely, the friend had no idea he was headed directly into Camille's path. They lost everything they had taken with them...to their point of 'safety'.
Regards,

I'd have to say I would stay too, but I live in the center of Florida. We don't get storm surge here. Frances and Jeanne came practically over my house. With Frances we were without power for a week but we had a generator. Jeanne was just as bad but the weaker trees were already blown over so we didn't get the power outages as bad. Charley missed me by 50 miles.

With my job I had to deploy to the damaged areas and assist with law enforcement duties. I worked Charley and to me it looked like a 10 mile wide tornado went through. From the air it was easy to follow the path as you had a 10 mile swath of destruction, very much like a tornado path but much bigger.

I worked Ivan in Pensacola and the damage was impressive. The highway out to Ft Pickens was marked only by a power line; the poles were gone and the road covered up by sand or washed away.

I was sent to work Katrina. Went to N.O. first but with all the assets there we were redeployed to Gulfport. I have to disagree with you about the power of the storm. It was the most widespread destruction I have ever seen. All along the shoreline homes, businesses, apartments were gone. Nothing but slabs for long stretches of waterfront. 80 ft shrimp boats washed miles inland. I remember a McDonalds, it was just a slab and a sign. A Walmart appeared intact until I landed my helicopter in the parking lot and you could see clear through the building. All the contents of the store were washed out behind. Miles of railroad were washed aside. I took lots of photos which still don't match seeing it in person. The casino ships were washed up on land. Railroad containers and boxcars from the port were washed into nearby neighborhoods. I felt like crying at the sight of Beauvoir, Jefferson Davis' last home. I landed my helicopter on US 90 out front and looked at it up close. A security guard escorted me around. It was unknown then if could be repaired. I had seen it before in all it's splendor and was a sickening sight to see that way. It has since been restored but many irreplaceable artifacts were forever lost. The whole MS coast was impassable, to get to our hotel in Pascagoula we had to fly the helicopter there and land in the parking lot. To get breakfast we had to land on a patch of grass next to the Waffle House. Even if you could drive, there were no rental cars to get. Our staging area was the Harrison County jail complex in Gulfport, it was a long way from Pascagoula. At peak we had about 6 helicopters operating out of there.

Our duties in N.O. consisted of personnel rescue at first, but it was decided that the military helicopters were better suited for that. We shifted to Gulfport where we flew food, water, ice, generators, gasoline, tents, sleeping bags, propane, medical kits, and many other types of survival supplies out to the damaged areas. Occasionally we flew the big shots, polititians and agency heads, around for a look see. We flew some news videographers too. Some of the video I now see on the weather channel was shot from my helicopter. These were typically 18 hour days.

I may get deployed to Gustav, depending on how bad it is. I don't wish a hurricane on anybody. Those things are really nasty. :no:

stilltrying · Sep 2, 2008

My facility is the same way. You and I are in the same area lpnflorida.

Katie82, RN · Sep 2, 2008

I am sitting in Coastal Carolina watching Hanna, and the two behind her. I grew up in Virginia Beach, so have weathered a lot of hurricanes, but I worry about my patients, most of whom live in trailers and shacks. I do case management for Medicaid, so if this storm turns north, I will spend a couple of days trying to talk my folks into moving out of harm's way, and another week making sure they are all right.