A wildfire tearing through Northern California has prompted multiple patient evacuations throughout the region.
The Kincade Fire began Oct. 23 in Geyserville, Calif., northwest of San Francisco, tearing through Northern California's wine country, and burning more than 54,000 acres as of the night of Oct. 27, according to The Washington Post, which cites information from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. As of Oct. 28, at least 94 structures had been destroyed, including Soda Rock Winery in Healdsburg, Calif., the Post reported. Additionally, millions of Californians were without electricity Oct. 27 as Pacific Gas and Electric Co. implemented a large blackout to prevent wildfires fueled by winds, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Here are three updates on the Kincade Fire's effect on hospitals:
1. Patients evacuated from Sutter Santa Rosa (Calif.) Regional Hospital. Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital, part of Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health, evacuated patients over the weekend amid the wildfire threat, according to The Press Democrat. A Sutter spokesperson told Becker's Hospital Review the evacuation process to area hospitals began about 5:30 p.m. local time Oct. 26. As of 5 a.m. Oct. 27, the hospital had safely evacuated about 100 patients.
2. Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa (Calif.) evacuates patients. Kaiser Permanente's hospital in Santa Rosa evacuated patients this weekend,Tom Hanenburg, COO of Kaiser Permanente Northern California confirmed to Becker's Hospital Review. Mr. Hanenburg said the transfer process started Oct. 26, and 110 patients have been safely transferred to other Kaiser facilities.
3. Firefighter airlifted. A seriously injured firefighter was airlifted to UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento for treatment, according to ABC7, which cites information from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. There had not been a condition update for the firefighter as of the morning of Oct. 28, the TV station reported.
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