Providers proactive in wake of hurricane

WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 31, 2012—According to the American Association for Homecare, dozens of home medical equipment providers on the Eastern Seaboard are in full emergency response mode as power outages, downed trees and wires and flooding complicate their ability to get medical oxygen and other home medical equipment and services to seniors and people with disabilities.

Ben Allison, president of Care One Home Medical in Manhattan, N.Y., said his firm was prepared for the storm, having dealt with blizzards and blackouts before. He knew in advance from his experience with Hurricane Irene which of his patients’ homes would be at risk for flooding and loss of power. “Preparation is a big advantage, and we have an outstanding staff that has gone above and beyond the call of duty.” He said getting vans to apartment buildings has been very difficult but not the only obstacle, especially in buildings where power was lost and elevators aren’t working. Some deliveries of back-up oxygen have required  his employees to haul E tanks up as many as 41 flights of dark stairs to bed-bound patients who have lost telephone service as well as electricity.

Tom Ryan, owner of Homecare Concepts in Farmingdale, N.Y., said, “The hurricane has been horrific. My staff is working with spotty cell service from their homes and my office, which has no phone service—just our cell phones. We have seven trucks dispatched and driving on treacherous roads with no traffic signal lights and downed wires and trees. We are actively calling all our oxygen patients and are in complete emergency back-up plan. I have cases where drivers literally cannot get to the homes with downed trees.”

Ryan noted that hospitals are filling up with patients unable to get back-up oxygen. “This will go on for days and maybe weeks. The challenge is keeping up with getting as many gas tanks filled and hoping the gas and liquid oxygen manufacturers can keep pace. But this is what we do. We care for our patients. I know my employees and I know others will rise to the occasion and get the job done.”

Learn more at www.care1homemedical.com, www.homecareconcepts.com, and www.aahomecare.org.