Evacuating a Region How a Healthcare Coalition Helped Evacuate 1504 Patients from 45 Facilities after Hurricane Harvey

Floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey inundated 23 out of 25 southeast Texas counties covered by the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council’s (SETRAC) Regional Healthcare Preparedness Coalition (RHPC). Many hospitals and nursing homes were evacuated while others closed their submarine doors, sheltered in place, and received critical supplies via helicopter and high-water vehicles. ASPR TRACIE interviewed Lori Upton (RN, BSN, MS, CEM), Director of Regional Preparedness and Operations for SETRAC, to learn more about healthcare facility evacuation from a regional perspective.