Medical Facilities in Milton’s Path Are Preparing With Closures and Barricades

October 9, 2024

Palm trees blowing in the wind

(New York Times) – Hospitals and nursing homes in Florida have plenty of experience with hurricanes, but officials are aware that Milton may bring more damage than past storms.

Healthcare facilities across the west coast of Florida, from clinics to nursing homes, are temporarily shutting their doors and evacuating patients in preparation for Hurricane Milton’s potentially devastating landfall.

Mandatory evacuation orders in Pinellas County, which includes Clearwater and St. Petersburg, affect about 6,600 patients at six hospitals, 25 nursing homes and 44 assisted living facilities, according to the order. Scores of medical clinics and dialysis centers across the region have also closed, including dozens of outpatient facilities operated by the BayCare, a health care network. (Read More)