How Novant Health prepares for hurricanes on the N.C. and S.C. coasts

When a hurricane threatens the Carolinas, Novant Health maintains its mission through a focus on the four Cs: communication, cooperation, coordination, and collaboration.

Working hand in hand with team members throughout the organization to practice and improve well-tested hurricane plans is the bread and butter of the emergency management team said Matt Merritt, emergency preparedness manager for Novant Health.

And in early 2024 when Novant Health acquired three South Carolina hospitals and ambulatory care system – East Cooper Medical Center in Mount Pleasant, Coastal Carolina Hospital in Hardeeville and Hilton Head Hospital in Hilton Head – the two teams shook hands and began working to connect their all-hazards preparedness programs with an eye on the upcoming hurricane season.

And to be clear, team members in the Lowcountry “are impressively well prepared,” Merritt said. “Our South Carolina team live and breathe emergency management and hurricane preparedness. Integration has been smooth. We’ve learned that we succeed when we respect local expertise, the autonomy of each incident management team, and maintain constant connection.”

The process includes collaborating with emergency management teams, reviewing and aligning plans, conducting exercises, and prepositioning necessary supplies like water and generators. This collaborative effort is bolstered by Novant Health’s larger support network, which aids with incident management, situational awareness, patient transport, and resource distribution during emergencies.

In addition to the South Carolina hospitals, Novant Health has New Hanover Regional Medical Center, New Brunswick Medical Center and Pender Medical Center on the North Carolina coast.

Before a hurricane hits

Merritt said incident management teams begin work before the storm even reaches the Caribbean. Teams across the system are heavily involved in the planning. They’ll position medical supplies, where they might be needed and make sure building drains are cleared and any outdoor equipment is secured.

Medical center emergency services team also works with outside organizations, including the National Weather Service, NOAA hurricane center, state emergency preparedness coalitions, and Accuweather to be as up to date as possible on the storm’s path.

One example: Hurricane Florence in 2018 was a catastrophic, long-lasting storm that changed from a Category 4 to a tropical storm and back to a Category 1 during the course of several days, causing devastating floods. In the wake of that, emergency response team members created a “144 hours (six days) to landfall” timeline, which outlines the different decisions the organization must make as the hurricane gets closer to land. This helps the team determine when to “harden” facilities and when to close facilities if necessary. At this point, New Hanover Regional Medical Center's AirLink helicopters and VitaLink ground transport crews step in to move patients inland.

“Our pre-planning helps our communities,” Merritt said. “Our readiness reduces the need for regional, state and federal support, leaving those agencies more able to concentrate on the communities we serve.”

During the storm

All Novant Health hospitals make sure team members are safe, whether that means they’ve relocated inland or have prepared to stay and help the community.

In New Hanover County, the county government sets up a care coordination unit that allows special-needs residents to stay at the hospital because they may need more specialized care than they could receive at a shelter.

During a particularly long storm, Merritt said the teams meet regularly to review how the plan is working so far and whether anything needs to change.

After it’s over

The work isn’t done when the storm subsides. In the immediate aftermath, the teams must begin clearing debris and determining whether floodwaters will prevent staff from coming back to work. Merritt said the teams also work to thoroughly document all their expenses to ensure the community can qualify for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement if necessary.

The teams also hold debriefing conversations to determine what went well and what can be improved before the next storm.

“Remarkable emergency preparedness requires that we leverage our inclusive culture to improve for the next response,” Merritt said.