Hurricane Helene destroyed a Tennessee hospital. Officials knew it was at risk.
In Erwin, Tennessee, on September 27, 2024, a catastrophic flash flood caused by Hurricane Helene ravaged Unicoi County, trapping dozens of people on the rooftop of the county hospital. Among them was April Boyd, a flight nurse for Ballad Health, who texted her husband before boarding a helicopter for a daring rescue mission. Despite expressing her fears about the risky endeavor, Boyd and her team successfully evacuated 70 people, including 11 patients, from the hospital without any casualties.
The evacuation highlighted the importance of strategic infrastructure design and location selection in the face of severe weather events, especially in landlocked areas unaccustomed to hurricane warnings. The Biden administration recently implemented a rule to enhance the resilience of federally funded projects to flooding, but a review revealed that around 20 hospitals in Tennessee are located in or near flood plains.
Unicoi County Hospital, which was destroyed in the flood, had been built in a known flood plain, despite flood maps and reports warning of the risks. The hospital’s relocation to a vulnerable area next to the Nolichucky River raised concerns even during the planning stages. Other hospitals in Tennessee also face similar risks, with some built in high-risk flood zones.
The outdated FEMA flood maps and lack of adequate warning systems were cited as contributing factors to the surprise impact of the flood in Erwin. Calls for more river gauges and weather stations to monitor water levels and precipitation data were made in light of the disaster. The need for better preparedness and infrastructure planning to mitigate the impact of future disasters was emphasized.
As the community grapples with the aftermath of the flood, Ballad Health has opened a temporary urgent care center and plans to establish an emergency department at the site of the former Unicoi County Memorial Hospital. The eventual rebuilding of a full-service hospital is estimated to cost $50 million, with a commitment to avoid building in flood plains in the future.
The harrowing rescue mission at Unicoi County Hospital serves as a cautionary tale, underscoring the importance of proactive measures in disaster preparedness and the critical role of strategic infrastructure planning in safeguarding communities against the increasing threats posed by climate change-induced severe weather events.
