Milton storm surge could be too much for Tampa General’s AquaFence

TAMPA — As a vote of confidence in its flood barrier, a video sent out by Tampa General Hospital during Hurricane Helene was hard to top.

On one side, Dustin Pasteur, vice president of Facilities and Construction, can be seen inspecting a 10-foot high section of the AquaFence. On the other, floodwaters from Hillsborough Bay lapped against the barrier. The surge from the storm reached seven feet.

But two weeks on, the hospital’s flood defenses will almost certainly face a tougher test. The barrier can protect against storm surge of up to 15 feet. That equals the high-end estimates for storm surge from Hurricane Milton, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Tampa General sits on the northern tip of Davis Islands, one of the city’s lowest-lying neighborhoods and one that is particularly vulnerable to flooding during storms. As the region’s only Level I trauma center, it is expected to remain operational throughout the storm and its aftermath.

Officials said Tuesday that the flood barrier is just one protective measure in place for the coming storm.

“While AquaFence has proven effective in the past, it is just the first line of defense and one of many mitigation efforts we’ve implemented this week to safely continue care for our patients,” Jennifer Crabtree, chief of staff at Tampa General, said in an email.

No patients or hospital employees will be on the first floor of the hospital’s main campus, Crabtree said. A 16,000-square-foot energy plant located 33 feet above sea level should provide a protected power supply in the event of power outages.

The hospital campus also has a well to supply water if the city supply fails. More than 5,000 gallons of water are stored at the hospital along with five days of supplies, including food and linens.

“We have a proactive and comprehensive plan in place to protect our locations against severe weather so we can continue to provide the exceptional care for which our patients turn to Tampa General,” Erinn Skiba, assistant director of public safety, said in a statement.

Meanwhile, several Florida hospitals have already been evacuated ahead of the storm.

About 40 patients were evacuated from AdventHealth North Pinellas hospital in Tarpon Springs.

“Given Milton’s projected impact, we are evacuating out of an abundance of caution,” hospital president and CEO Ryan Quattlebaum said in an email.

Hospital chain HCA Healthcare has evacuated five Florida hospitals, including HCA Florida Pasadena Hospital in St. Petersburg, HCA Florida Largo West Hospital and HCA Florida West Tampa Hospital.

Morton Plant North Bay Hospital has also been evacuated and is not accepting new patients, BayCare Health System officials said. They discharged 57 patients and transferred 91 to other BayCare hospitals.

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