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As of June 1, hurricane
season has officially arrived. That means all of us in Southwest
Florida need to be alert and prepared to face any possible
hurricanes or tropical storms that may occur until the end of
the season Nov. 30.
Lee Memorial Health System’s hospitals operate 24 hours a day,
365 days a year, no matter what kind of weather. We also work
closely with the Lee County Emergency Operations Center and
other agencies and organizations during hurricanes and topical
storms to safeguard the citizens of our community. Should a
hurricane occur, we have the necessary backup electricity
sources and staff in place to continue to provide care for our
patients.
Although our hospitals do not function as
hurricane shelters, we can provide shelter for “special needs”
patients who may have specific medical needs that could be
affected by a hurricane. I encourage you to visit the Storm
Watch section our Web site by
clicking here to find out
more information about how Lee Memorial Health System operates
in the event of a hurricane.
The vast majority of us in Southwest Florida have experienced a
hurricane or two, so we know that it’s best to have supplies on
hand, such as water, food, flashlights, batteries, a generator,
etc. However, I’d also like to remind you of a few preparations
you may need to make to protect your health if a hurricane
should occur:
• Make sure all of your
prescriptions are filled prior to a storm. Many pharmacies could
be closed for several days after a hurricane if severe power
outages occur, preventing you from having necessary medications.
• Make arrangements to ensure that any of your medication
requiring refrigeration can be kept at the proper temperatures,
such as purchasing a generator to operate your refrigerator, or
that you will be able to use any necessary medical equipment
that requires electricity to operate.
• Check with your health care provider about any other health
issues that you have that could be affected by a hurricane.
Our health system will
continue to provide regular updates on our Storm Watch Web site,
so check back often if a hurricane or tropical storm is brewing
to get the latest information about how Lee Memorial Health
System is responding.
Although we always hope for a quiet hurricane season, that is
not always the case. So, please, be prepared and vigilant to
keep yourself and your loved ones safe!
Peace,
Jim Nathan
President, Lee Memorial Health System
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