Shortly after midnight on August 27, the leaders of the veterans Affairs Salt Lake City Health Care System received an unexpected call, which informed them about a considerable water leak in the facility. Within a few hours, the installers and engineers from the medical center found that a hot water tube broke.
This pipe spit out about 4,000 gallons of water before it could be switched off, which led to considerable water damage in six floors in the medical center and the effects on patient care.
The top floor of the medical center in which the water tube had broken was completely destroyed. In the floors below, examination rooms and inpatient rooms were damaged and closed, medical devices were immediately moved to dry areas, which forced the medical staff to redirect hundreds of veterans dates to the community. At that time, the medical center knew and the employees knew that it would take a long time for veteran care to be normal again.
“It was crazy how much water there was,” said Jana Pace, a nurse manager in the medical center. “I didn't think it would be possible for us to manage it.”
According to the pace, more than 350,000 visits will be obtained in the outpatient surgical and medical special clinics every year that were severely affected by the floods, and a quick reaction was required to prevent long -term adverse effects on the veterans.
The time of the flood was not ideal. The National Veterans Golden Games in Salt Lake City started just a few hours before the leak. More than 800 veteran athletes from all over the country converged in Salt Lake City. As the host, VA Salt Lake City had planned dozens of competitive events all over the city with some on campus.
With an OEM team (VHA Office of Emergency Management), which already took part in the place for the Golden Age Games, the team of the Medical Center turned to the OEM team in front of the ground in order to become part of the following solution.
“We needed examination rooms,” said Frank Chaidez, strategic planner of the Medical Center. “The unit Mobile Medical Surge seemed to be the best [asset] To meet our needs. “
OEMS Mobile Medical Surge Unit (MMSU) arrived in less than two weeks and was quickly put together and ready for operation. Matthew Critchfield, Associate Director of the Medical Center, was withdrawn from the MMSU Turnaround time. He described the topicality of maintaining the unit and unloading it, setting up and being ready to see patients with electricity and water and to be ready to be so impressive.
“When we went to the mobile unit, we didn't have to reduce our patient volume at all,” said Pace. “Every patient who was planned for the clinic came and we were able to take care of all his needs. It was great.”
Pace said that more than 125 patients were observed every week in the MMSU.
“It was really incredible,” she said. “The veterans who came to the clinic were so surprised when they arrived there that we could provide them with the care that they expected and expected when they arrived.”
The MMSU is a national OEM resource that can provide more than 10 beds or examination rooms that are installed with medical electrical, oxygen, drinking water generators as well as HLK and lighting systems. It is based on the design of a hard -held, rigid tactical shelter that is heated and cooled and can withstand most weather conditions and environments.
From September 2024 to March 2025, more than 3,000 patients in the MMSU were observed in the MMSU and recently left Salt Lake City for another mission in Grand Junction, Colorado, where it receives patients while the medical center is being renovated.
“If you have an event that has a significant impact on your facility, I would think very seriously that this unit is available. If you have this available for every event, this is a weather disaster or a flood as we occur, it is really a great resource for medical centers, and overall there was a positive impact on our veterans,” said Critchfield. “, Said Critchfield.” If you have an event that significantly influences your facility, I would think very seriously that this unit is available. ”