Patients evacuated from Calvary Rehabilitation Hospital after losing power in storm
A REHABILITATION hospital that was not equipped with a back-up generator had to evacuate dozens of patients after it lost power in the storm.
A REHABILITATION hospital that was not equipped with a back-up generator had to evacuate dozens of patients after it lost power in the storm.
Calvary Rehabilitation Hospital invoked its “emergency evacuation response procedures” on Wednesday after seven hours without power, resulting in the transfer of 33 patients to Calvary’s Wakefield and North Adelaide hospitals.
A hospital spokesman said the facility didn’t have a generator because it “was not required in a sub acute rehabilitation hospital”.
In a statement provided to The Advertiser, Calvary management wrote: “The hospital experienced an extended power failure for almost 24 hours. All patients were transferred safely and without incident. All (transfers) have been paid for at commercial rates by Calvary (and) no ambulances were diverted from more urgent requirements. Calvary apologises for any inconvenience to its patients and their families.”
The transfer of 14 patients was facilitated by the South Australian Ambulance Service and the others were moved using IMS Ambulance Service and Access Cabs.
SAAS acting chief executive officer Steve Cameron said the transfers formed part of the normal workload of its non-emergency patient transfer service, which was “completely separate to our emergency ambulances serving the metropolitan area”. He added: “No emergency crews were required for the transfer.”
Four types of ambulances were used, including the “Ambus” — an ambulance bus — that has the capacity to carry five stretcher-bound patients and three sitting patients.
The hospital, in Walkerville, is a purpose-built 65-bed facility. Patients were transferred back to the hospital after power was restored.