Caring, Cooperation Ease Flood Effects
Officials this week have released the financial toll of the floods that ravaged Iowa a month ago.
The University of Iowa in Iowa City incurred more than $230 million in damages. In Cedar Rapids, the price tag is likely to exceed $1 billion.
Despite the destruction, the residents of the state continue to band together in their recovery. Health care workers are pitching in as well.
University of Iowa Hospital was not forced to evacuate, but did struggle with getting staff to the facility amidst road closures on June 12 and 13. But people from varying departments worked as a team to make sure the patients were cared for.
"A lot of our outpatient staff, because there weren't any clinics and all of our appointments were canceled, were able to do inpatient care, and we were able to meet the needs of the patients for those two days," said Ken Leo, PT, director of rehab therapies at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. "But we had to be kind of creative in how we did that."
Before flood waters forced Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids to evacuate, staff members stood side by side sandbagging to keep them out. When the natural disaster left only a single awkward entrance available, workers cooperated with ambulance drivers to usher out patients. And when staff members themselves lost their homes, coworkers ventured out to help demolish the structures, pump out water and pull off dry wall.
"It was kind of a bonding experience," said Lou Ann Weber, OTR-L, director of inpatient rehab at Mercy. "I met people. I was in the water helping sandbag next to physicians and housekeepers and there was lots of camaraderie to save our hospital."
Anyone who is interested in donating to the affected communities and individuals should visit SaveIowa.org