Woodhull Hospital evacuates patients due to flooding and needed repairs

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) –  A Brooklyn hospital was forced to evacuate patients and staff after a severe coastal storm caused a power outage, NYC Health + Hospitals said on Saturday. 

On Friday, after New York City was hit with record-breaking rain, Woodhull Hospital had to switch to backup emergency power to ensure patient and staff safety.

The power company, Con Edison, informed hospital officials that in order to make the necessary repairs, they would have to temporarily shut down the backup power to the entire facility, Health + Hospitals said. 

“We are prepared to activate a full evacuation plan and transfer all patients to other hospitals or post-acute facilities in our health system,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull CEO Gregory J. Calliste. “We are confident that our expert team of emergency managers, patient care professionals, and city government partners will be able to safely transfer and protect our patients.”

More than 130 patients in various conditions were transferred to other hospitals within the New York City region, Mayor Eric Adams said.

“Currently we have about 50 patients still being transferred,” Mayor Adams said. “This team should be commended in their efforts because they were extremely sensitive when reaching out to families and transferring patients to other facilities.”

Patients were transferred on Saturday morning via ambulances and FDNY transport vehicles. The most critical patients and women within the labor and delivery section of the hospitals were transferred first, the hospital said. Out of 17 patients designated to be evacuated first, five individuals were from the ICU.

As Woodhull Hospital worked throughout the morning to work on transferring patients, by 5 p.m. the majority of their patients were transferred to other Health + Hospital facilities such as Bellvue, Metropolitan, and Jacobi Hospital, one staff member stated.

There were no injuries or loss of life due to the evacuation.

Officials at Woodhull Hospital said that most of the electrical work from Con Edison had been completed, and internally the hospital was assessing the damage to continue operating when repairs are made.