As we enter the height of hurricane season, it's more important than ever for healthcare facilities to be prepared for potential disruptions. Historically, the most active period for hurricanes in the Atlantic basin is from mid-August to late October, with the peak occurring around September 10. When the tropics heat up, here's how you can ensure your facility is ready to face any storm and how Crown Health Care Laundry Services is prepared to support you.

How You Can Prepare Your Facility

• Pull Linen from Non-Essential Areas: Temporarily close areas such as outpatient surgery, rehab centers, X-ray, and elective surgery. Use the linen from these areas to supplement critical area inventories.
• Secure Scrubs: Remove all scrubs from locker rooms and lock them up. Avoid issuing scrubs for sleeping or as a change of clothes. Staff and patients should bring their own clothes from home if they are staying in the hospital.
• Treat Linen as a Valuable Resource: With unpredictable delivery schedules, it's important to issue linen on an as-needed basis only. Do not use valuable patient linen for cleanups; instead, arrange for delivery of ragged linen for leaks and other cleanup needs.
• Adopt Emergency Bed Change Protocols: Implement emergency bed change status, where beds are only changed if absolutely necessary. Communicate this protocol clearly to all directors and their staff.
• Collaborate on Linen Orders: Work closely with your Crown representative on your linen orders as early as possible. This collaboration, along with existing clean cart inventories, will help prepare your facility for potential delivery delays.

 

How Crown Supports You

At Crown Health Care Laundry Services, we have comprehensive emergency contingency plans to ensure your facility experiences minimal interruptions:

• Utilize Multiple Processing Facilities: With 10 processing facilities across the Southeast, we have the unique ability to be our own backup. If one facility is compromised, we can shift operations to alternate locations, ensuring continued service to impacted areas.
• Pre-Stage Linen Supplies: In anticipation of hurricane impacts, we stage linen in areas outside the projected impact zone. This proactive approach allows our drivers to resume deliveries as soon as it is safe to do so.
• Monitor and Adapt Logistics: Our logistic professionals continuously monitor road conditions and closures, mapping out the most up-to-date alternate routes to ensure timely deliveries.
• Power Continuity: Many of our processing plants are equipped with standby generators. For those without, we have an 800 KW mobile generator ready to be dispatched to maintain operations during long-term power outages.
• Proactive Communication: We keep our healthcare partners informed with timely updates and guidance. By maintaining open lines of communication, we ensure you are always aware of the latest developments and can plan accordingly.

 

Stay Prepared with Crown

In the face of hurricane season, preparation is key. By following these guidelines and partnering with Crown Health Care Laundry Services, your facility can ensure it remains resilient and responsive, providing uninterrupted care to your community when it is needed most.

For more information and support, contact your service representative or email contactus@crowlaundry.com.

Stay safe, stay prepared, and trust in Crown to be your reliable disaster response partner.