Kula Hospital on Maui prepares for the Worst but expects the best!

Hurricane Lane,

Category 4 storm biggest weather threat to Hawaii in decades.

Kula Hospital on Maui prepares for the Worst

but expects the best!

Days of worry and preparation!

When disasters occur, communities expect public health agencies and medical practitioners to provide services and leadership.

Despite nursing facilities’ potential role in disaster response and the significant stresses that they experience serving vulnerable populations during an emergency , the early disaster assistance they receive is usually limited - so they plan and prepare!

Dr. Nicole Apoliona the Medical Director, Brian Hall the Director of Nursing and Dr. Kenneth Scott the Full-Time Physician help Aaron Vista, Maintenance Supervisor in teaching the staff how to evacuate patients should that need arise.

The Evac Sled enables HealthCare staff to rapidly and safely evacuate people with mobility problems in an emergency.

Aaron Vista, Maintenance Supervisor and crew giving the staff safety training

Safely down the stairs he goes.

How do you prepare a Long-Term Care Facility

for an Emergency -

let alone a Hurricane on an Island?

That was the question facing Kula Hospital this

August 22-24, 2018!

Each day started with emails to inform and reassure the staff, residents and families.

The Administration worked closely, with local and national emergency management agencies to stay informed on the weather and the possible effects of the storm system.

The Leadership Team met frequently each day to evaluate conditions and decide when they needed to activate their Hospital Incident Command (HIC) centers at MMMC, Kula Hospital, and Lanai Community Hospital.

Catherine Redmond states, "The most important things we can all be doing right now is preparing and planning."

The Leadership Team sent out links to important emergency preparedness resources.

· Ready.gov (FEMA) offers disaster preparedness information for any/all natural disasters

· Ready.gov hurricane information

· Downloadable FEMA Emergency Supply Kit checklist (PDF attached)

· How to Stay Safe When a Hurricane Threatens (PDF)

· MHS Employee Hotline: 808-442-5555 (click for flyer)

· Hurricane Tracking and Updates from Pacific Hurricane Center

(Click the link under “Top News of the Day” for latest weather statement.)

· Maui Shelter Information

· Maui Road Closure Information

Fema prepares for Hurricane Lane

Rachel Corah reminded family and friends to use these tools and make note of nearby shelters. Kula kept their Emergency Departments operating normally for people who needed medical attention.

Kula Hospital's Amazing Leadership Team!

Watching the news and getting reports like the ones below only made for a stressful situation as the storm slowed down and the days stretched out with anticipation.

Staff, Administrators and Doctors stayed over night in the Hospital to care for the vulnerable residents asleep in their beds, not knowing what tomorrow would bring.

Kula Hospital was ready!

Edwina Smith (Staffer),Brian Hall (Director of Nursing),Jane Dellaport (Nursing Supervisor), Paul Harper-O'Connor (Acting Administrator), Rosalyn Anecito (RAI Coordinator), Catherine Redmond (Management Assistant), Rachel Corah (Acting ER manager)

For days in the news you heard....

"I think it's reflective of what you see all over east Hawaii, Four feet of water in three days overwhelmed even the best infrastructure and the best storm drains and plans."

*https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/reports-hurricane-lane-batters-hawaii-with-life-threatening-flooding-dozens-of-landslides/70005881

"Feet of rain and gusty winds have created catastrophic flooding and left thousands without power across Hawaii as Lane tracked dangerously close to the islands."

* http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/08/23/fema-prepared-with-food-supplies-for-hawaii-ahead-hurricane-lane.html

At a Glance

"Hurricane Lane brought more than four feet of rain and days of flooding to the Big Island.On Kauai, one person was found dead in a flooded stream.More than 20 homes were destroyed in brush fires on Maui Island."

https://weather.com/safety/hurricane/news/2018-08-23-hurricane-lane-impacts-hawaii-honolulu-maui-hilo

Kula Hospital

Located on the majestic southwest slopes of Haleakala, Kula Hospital is a critical access hospital offering urgent and limited rural emergency care for Maui’s growing, up-country population. In addition to serving long-term care patients from all over the island, the hospital also offers a range of outpatient services, including a family medicine clinic.

Kula Hospital is located at:

100 Keokea Place

Kula, HI 96790.

Phone: 808-878-1221

https://www.mauihealthsystem.org/kula-hospital

For additional information on joining or supporting the Kula Hospital Auxiliary

please call 808-876-4400.

'Hurricane Lane will be remembered most for

flooding rainfall,

gusty winds also caused problems.

Lane's winds fanned three fires on the Island of Maui.'

Kula Hospital endured!

The Survivors!

Thank you all for your commitment to the safety of our

residents and each other.

Miki cheerfully accepted the challenge!

"If you are not able to secure child care and are scheduled to work, we will make arrangements to provide the service."

Staff brought their families with them so they could give all their attention to the residents.

Thank you Food Services for all the wonderful meals.

Always smiling and taking good care of the employees!

Cheers for the ER Team giving

24 hour coverage!

My thanks go out to the Kula Hospital Staff. They were very accommodating and I was able to witness them practicing Aloha!

Especially the Nursing Office who gave of their time and shared their space with me.

Thank you Pacific Permanente Group for allowing me to share your Company's kindness in action.

I was blessed to be able to accompany my husband Dr. Kenneth Scott and stay at Kula Hospital with him during the storm. While there, I was fortunate to see everyone pull together and show great support and sacrifice as they volunteered and prepared and gave of themselves. You inspired me to honor you with this article.

Mahalo!

Sharon Scott RN,

VP of Business Development SilverSage Physician Services

[email protected]