Momentum - Business to Business Online Magazine September 2017 | Page 47
Nurses Nationwide Lend a Helping
Hand at Bay Area Regional in the
Aftermath of Hurricane Harvey
Abbey Lee, MBA
Director, Marketing & Business Development
[email protected]
BARMC.us
Nurses from New Jersey, New York, California and
Massachusetts made their way to Bay Area Regional
Medical Center in the days after impact to relieve staff to
get much needed rest and to begin the process of cleanup
and rebuilding.
Bay Area Regional employees weathered the storm at the
hospital for many days. Most slept in the hospital because
of massive, widespread flooding. “Some essential staff was
rescued by boat and by large vehicles when the flooding
first began,” said Stephen K. Jones, Jr., CEO of Bay Area
Regional Medical Center. “Thanks to many folks, we were
able to rescue and transp ort many staff to the hospital.
Many of whom had significant water damage to their
homes and vehicles.”
Nurses from New Jersey landed at Ellington Field August
31 and have spent time helping at the hospital and
volunteering to demo nurses flooded homes along with
volunteering at shelters.
“I am humbled and in awe at the generosity and positive
attitudes the wonderful community and staff of Bay Area
Regional Medical Center have expressed toward us in light
of the hardship they have endured,” said Brenda Lima-
Mattessich, RN from AtlantiCare in New Jersey. “I worked
18-20 hours a day during Hurricane Sandy, so I know what
the nurses here are going through. Everyone has
embraced us with humbleness and grace.”
Vanessa Jones, RN from Capital Health in New Jersey
commented, “We came here to help and we are leaving
with a sense of family and relationships that we will have
for years to come.”
Bay Area Regional was “designed to withstand a category
five hurricane with 225 mph winds and designed with the
future mind in strength, quality and state-of-the-art
equipment,” said Monzer Hourani, CEO of Medistar Corp.
“While other hospitals had to evacuate or stop accepting
patients, Bay Area Regional remained open and was
unaffected structurally by the storm. In fact, the National
Guard delivered patients to our hospital.”
Relief efforts are still underway as the hospital welcomed
nurses from Massachusetts on September 6 in the
afternoon. “I am honored to have so many nurses from
across the country ready to assist our staff in the recovery
efforts after Hurricane Harvey,” said Jones, Jr. “We are truly
blessed by each person who got on an airplane to come to
the Houston Bay Area and lend a helping hand to our
wonderful community.”
MOMENTUM / August 2017
46