Interruption of water supply during natural
disasters or other emergencies can
severely compromise operation of healthcare
facilities, as demonstrated by hospitals' experiences
in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina. Although accredited and equipped
with emergency plans, many hospitals are
ill-prepared to meet their water supply needs
during a crisis.
A first step in effective planning for emergency
water supplies is an audit of the healthcare
facility to quantify water use and classify
individual uses as essential for critical functions
versus those needed for normal operation.
The hospital will then have a better
understanding of its core water requirements
during an emergency.
This work, part of a larger study to
develop implementable operational plans
should the public water distribution network
fail, underscores the key role played
by water utilities in these efforts. Water
professionals can best serve their communities
by reaching out to their local emergency
management agencies and hospital
associations and work with them to
create successful and cost-effective
emergency plans. Includes 22 references, table, figures.
| Edition : | Vol. 102 - No. 1 |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 1.1 MB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 11 |
| Published : | 01/01/2010 |
