O3297: Hurricane Ian - "How Many Babies Are There to Evacuate?" florida Neonatal Pediatric Transport Network Association Disaster Plan Put to the Test

Background: Since the start of the 21st century to 2022, Florida has been impacted by 79 tropical and subtropical cyclones. On September 28, 2022, Southwest Florida sustained a direct hit from Hurricane Ian, a category 4 storm. Hurricane Ian was to date, the most deadly hurricane to impact Florida in this time frame. Due to the loss of water pressure government agencies mandated the evacuation of three local hospitals.

One of the hospitals, Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, was included in the evacuation. Evacuating critically ill neonates provide added vulnerabilities due to their complexity and can be difficult to safely and efficiently evacuate in a disaster. The Florida Neonatal and Pediatric Transport Network Association, being experts in the state for the safe transport of neonates, developed a disaster response plan.

Methods: No one imagined using the disaster response plan to the magnitude we did on September 29, 2022. The disaster response plan was developed with the main purpose of supporting the neonates and critically ill children to safety. Florida Critical Care

Results: In a 36-hour period, Golisano Children’s Hospital of SWFL evacuated a total of 81 patients to 15 out-of-county healthcare facilities throughout the state, with the longest distance being 160 miles away. The neonatal intensive care unit(NICU) census on September 29 was 68, which decreased to zero. Seven babies were discharged to their parents and 61 babies were evacuated, and one neonate was delivered in the middle of evacuation, stabilized, and evacuated. Of the 62 evacuated babies, 21 were categorized as level 3/ critical care and the others were intensive care level 2 patients. The other patients included eight from the pediatric intensive care unit, six from the pediatric medical unit, three from the pediatric oncology unit, and two from the pediatric emergency department.

Conclusion: With the collaboration between the State of Florida Emergency Operations Center, Florida Critical Care Association representative sitting in the EOC, and FNPTNA; flight and ground responses were coordinated and successfully implemented. There were no reported adverse events.