A once-in-a-decade blizzard has brought much of the Northeast to a standstill, shutting down businesses and making travel dangerous across the country. However, even as the north east region has declared states of emergency, hospital and health system workers continue to operate, ensuring vital services remain open and providing 24/7 access to care for those who need it most.
In Rhode Island, staff at Women and Infants Hospital took extraordinary measures to maintain labor and delivery services at the height of the storm. As roads became undrivable and visibility dropped, some clinicians took to skiing to reach the hospital, determined to ensure that expectant mothers would not face any disruptions in their care. Others remained onsite between shifts rather than attempting the hazardous commute home, creating a continuous presence that allowed the hospital to safely welcome newborns, including twin “blizzard babies” even while snow continued to pile up outside.
In New Jersey, hospital workers demonstrated similar acts of heroism. At Holy Name Medical Center, leaders noted that the hospital’s emergency department has not closed once in its 101-year history, and the blizzard would be no exception. Staff members stayed overnight to preserve staffing levels, while others were transported in a hospital-provided van to ensure uninterrupted emergency services.
Across the state, a health system mobilized extensive preparations days in advance of the storm, even amid uncertainty about its final forecast. More than 460 team members slept over at its seven hospitals. “This was a maybe 30-year-storm, so there are going to be unforeseen challenges, and there were… But we ultimately had the resources and the dedicated staff to pivot when those challenges arose,” said Dave Ferguson, executive director of Protection & Security for Atlantic Health System.
We join the over 41 million Americans impacted by this winter storm in thanking hospital and health system workers for their dedication. By keeping their doors open and ensuring emergency care teams are ready around the clock, they provide stability, safety, and reassurance to communities even in the face of dangerous weather conditions. This dedication proves that, even when the weather shuts much of the Northeast down, hospitals remain open for those who need them most.