Johnson Memorial Hospital Evacuates Patients After Losing Power

Power Restored at JMH, Awaiting Word on Re-Opening

Operations went smoothly yesterday afternoon and into the evening, as dozens of patients were evacuated from Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford Springs after the hospital’s back-up generator failed.

Once all the critical care patients were safely transferred to other facilities earlier in the day, the rest of the 43 were moved, as lines of ambulances from surrounding towns waiting their turn to pull up and transport the next patient. Forty-three patients were moved overall from the 92-bed hospital, in a scene that appeared well organized and calm.

According to Community Relations Director Amy Krysiewski, power was restored last night, and a back-up generator was located and installed. As of 8 a.m. today, senior management was discussing opening the hospital and becoming fully functional again, although a decision has not yet been formally announced.

The hospital lost power late Saturday as Hurricane Irene began to affect the area. The hospital's staff immediately switched to its backup generators, and Connecticut Light & Power officials were contacted and responded immediately, Krysiewski said.

However, the efforts could not restore primary power to JMH. The hospital ran on its main generator until about 3:30 p.m. Sunday when it failed, leaving only the secondary generator, which was insufficient to maintain operations at the hospital.

A press release will be issued later today with the latest developments, said Krysiewski.

Original Story

With no power and a failed generator backup, Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford is relocating 43 patients from the Route 190 facility to nearby hospitals.

Patients needing critical care have already been transferred to other facilities, according to hospital spokeswoman Amy Krysiewski, who added that other patients are currently being transferred from the 92-bed hospital.

Family members of each patient either have been or will be notified of where their loved one is transferred, Krysiewski said Sunday night. She could not say to which area hospitals the patients were taken, but said that JMH staff is coordinating with several.

Nearly all the staff is at the hospital tonight ensuring the safety and care of the patients, she said. A Suffield ambulance was among the group of responders moving patients.

The hospital lost power late Saturday as then Hurricane Irene began to affect the area. Hospital staff immediately switched to its backup generators and Connecticut Light & Power officials were contacted and responded immediately, Krysiewski said. But the efforts could not restore primary power to JMH were not successful.

The hospital ran on its main generator until about 3:30 p.m. Sunday when it failed leaving only the secondary generator, which was insufficient to maintain operations at the hospital.

“As a result of these catastrophic and unpredictable events, and with patient safety being the singular concern, senior leadership made the decision to evacuate all 43 patients from the hospital and immediately divert any incoming ambulances,” according to a news release from the hospital.

The Emergency Department, Operating Rooms and Obstetrics will remain open in case patients arrive, unaware of these events, but JMH staff ask that people use other hospitals for the time being.

According to the CL&P outage report Web site, 40 percent of customers in Stafford remain without power. Earlier in the evening, CL&P estimated that it could take more than one week to restore power to the state’s more than 600,000 customers without it.