Mission Critical Leading a Healthcare System Through Concurrent Disasters

In late September 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida (FL), then moved inland and north, bringing with it record-breaking rainfall and damage to areas of North Carolina (NC), many of them rural and mountainous. Just two weeks later, Hurricane Milton also made landfall in FL, accompanied by tornadoes that contributed to significant power outages in FL and other states and compounding damage caused by Helene. To better understand how the system managed these concurrent disasters, ASPR TRACIE hosted the webinar Mission Critical-How One Hospital Maintained Operations and Protected Patients and Staff After Hurricane Helene featuring Melissa Cole Harvey (RN, BSN, MSPH), the Assistant Vice President for HCA Healthcare’s Enterprise Emergency Operations, and Wyatt Chocklett (MS, MA), who was the Chief Operating Officer for Mission Hospital, in Asheville, NC when Hurricane Helene struck. This article captures their experiences from their perspectives.