As Hurricane Milton bears down on Florida , the staff at Sarasota Memorial Hospital are getting ready. The facility, located in Sarasota, about an hour south of Tampa, is in the path of the hurricane but isn’t evacuating because it’s both the largest and the safest hospital in the area. “We’re probably on the highest ground in Sarasota and we’re the largest hospital,” said David Verinder, the president and CEO of the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System.
“We just have way too many patients to take care of.” Verinder estimates that there could be 4,000 to 5,000 people — patients and staff — on site at their three locations when the hurricane hits. The main hospital, Sarasota Memorial, is the largest.
To prepare, the hospital system has ordered enough food and water for at least seven days. “We have linens, you know, everything that you’ll need,” he said. “We can’t guarantee that we’ll have anybody be able to make any deliveries through the weekend.
So we’re at least planning for seven days.” Follow along for live coverage Hospital staff will work in two main shifts. The A team, which includes a couple hundred physicians, will stay at the hospital through the duration of the storm, Verinder said.
“They’re going to be prepared to sleep and rotate shifts for three days.” Once the storm has passed, the B team will come in. That’s what makes Verinder nervous.
“We hope they’re safe,” he said. “We hope they’re safe and that they c.