Health Clinic operations detailed
BY MARK DRISCOLL, CEO
The Boca Grande Health Clinic is operational with a small team onsite and physicians on call for urgent care. As you can imagine, our doctors have been busy over the last few days mending broken bones, and attending to falls, bites and scrapes. All those injuries we typically see after major storms.
We are grateful that the Clinic building did not take on any water from the storm surge. Work will begin this week to clean up our grounds and replace landscaping. Unfortunately, the Annex received 14 inches of storm surge water, with extensive damage to the facility and to the equipment. That building is closed for now.
I am happy to report that all staff of the Clinic and Foundation are safe, and with the exception of Dr. James, all homes are in good shape. Remediation work is already underway to repair the first floor of Dr. James’ home.
While Helene’s storm surge was the worst in history, she didn’t bring the destructive winds of Ian, so the destruction is limited to what’s between the ground and the first floors of buildings. In theory, that should make restoration efforts simpler for some, but certainly not easy. Many homes and businesses are one-story dwellings. Some islanders have lost everything again and face a daunting task ahead.
Devastation from Helene goes well beyond Boca Grande and our thoughts go out to our patients in hometowns along the Eastern Coast and the Carolinas as they deal with the aftermath of historical flooding.
On behalf of everyone at the Clinic and Foundation, we truly appreciate your patience and the outpouring of support during this time.
