For hospital staff in Charleston, S.C., contenting with flood waters from multiple hurricanes and tropical storms, as well as rising oceans, is all in a day's work, The Washington Post reported Aug. 8.
Charleston is known for flooding even on sunny days due to its street layout and rising water tides. The city has made changes to allow for better draining, but some hospital staff take boats to work after a bad storm.
Charleston-based Medical University of South Carolina is the only Level 1 trauma center in the region. It treats around 400,000 each year and employs around 25,000 people.
At MUSC, new residents are taught how to handle flooding during their training, including parking their car on the second floor, leaving work when tides are low, and knowing where the worst flooding has occurred. Flood preparation is part of yearly training for all employees.
During Tropical Storm Debby, more than 1,000 physicians, nurses and technicians spent two nights in the hospital, sleeping on cots and air mattresses.
The hospital postponed elective surgeries and discharges, holding many appointments virtually and moving all operations off the first floor due to flood risk — which didn't happen during this year's storm.
MUSC isn't alone. Roper Hospital, a few blocks away, followed similar precautions and had about 450 staff members sleep stay onsite from Monday to Wednesday.