Evacuation of Psychiatric Inpatients from Bellevue Hospital Post Hurricane Sandy

By Elizabeth Ford, MD | January 7, 2013

Four hospitals in New York City were evacuated in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan was one of those hospitals; 61 incarcerated psychiatric patients had to be evacuated from the 19th floor. Because the hospital was flooded and without power, those inpatients had to be moved without the help of elevators, electronic or phone communication, or even running water. As you will hear here from Elizabeth Ford, MD, the evacuation was an amazing experience of multiple systems, often at odds, pulling together in a crisis amidst some panic.

Dr Ford is Director of the Division of Forensic Psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine and Bellevue Hospital Center. She is also Training Director, Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship at NYU School of Medicine/Bellevue Hospital Center.

Evacuation from Bellevue Hospital
Evacuation from Bellevue Hospital
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by Manuel Mota-Castillo | January 24, 2013 12:40 PM EST

Thank you to PT for bringing this amazing story and to Dr. Ford for her well-threaded description of a very chaotic situation. I think that there is a lot to learn about the psychological explanations for the patient's positive reaction to the critical situation they were facing along with the staff. As per Dr. Ford she states that she has not been in a war but it looks as if she is more than ready to face the challenges of a combat situation. It is a nice coincidence that I writing this comment on the Day the Department of Defense officially allowed women to be in the battle ground.

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Evacuation of Psychiatric Inpatients from Bellevue Hospital Post Hurricane Sandy

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