On Tuesday, August 22, 2023, personnel from the Los Angeles Fire Department stood by outside the White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles as a series of power outages caused chaos and forced the evacuation of patients. A total of 28 critically ill patients were moved to other hospitals, while 213 other patients were relocated within the medical center. In the midst of this crisis, a baby was delivered using flashlights for illumination.
According to Fire Chief Kristin M. Crowley, the power failure affected the main building of Adventist Health White Memorial, leaving elevators disabled. This building housed departments such as OB-GYN and neonatal intensive care. However, all patients were safely evacuated, as confirmed by hospital president John Raffoul during a press conference.
Firefighters and ambulances quickly arrived at the scene to assist with the evacuation and ensure the safety of the patients. Fortunately, power was finally restored later in the day, and most patients were able to return to their rooms.
The power outage originally occurred at 3 a.m. on Monday following a heavy rainfall caused by Tropical Storm Hilary. Backup generators were supposed to provide power for three days but either ran out or failed, resulting in a second blackout at 11:45 p.m. on Monday.
Despite the challenging circumstances, hospital staff showed incredible resourcefulness in dealing with the emergency. When the emergency power failed, they improvised by using flashlights to provide light for medical procedures. The father of the baby boy born during this time praised the supervising nurses and physicians for their composure and forward-thinking.
Authorities suspect that water damage caused a short-circuit in an electrical panel or system, disconnecting it from the city’s power supply. The exact cause is still under investigation, but officials attributed the failures to the impact of the major storm on the hospital’s main systems.
Mayor Karen Bass expressed concern about the potential risks associated with power outages in hospitals, particularly for vulnerable patients who rely on life-sustaining equipment. She called for a thorough investigation to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
The hospital had purchased generators in 2008 when it was built, and they had been regularly tested since then, according to Raffoul.
In conclusion, the power outages at the White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles prompted the evacuation of critically ill patients and led to the heroic delivery of a baby by flashlight. Despite the challenges, the hospital staff remained calm and resourceful throughout the ordeal. The cause of the outages is still being investigated, and measures are being taken to ensure the safety of patients in the future.
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