TIRR "Weathers" Tropical Storm Allison

It is during times of trauma and adversity that the true character of an organization and its personnel are tested.

Like most Houstonians, Texas Medical Center institutions endured a tropical storm that will take its place in the history books. Considering the magnitude of the storm, The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research fared well.

TIRR, like other area hospitals, cares for people who have been catastrophically injured or have certain debilitating diseases. Some of these patients are on ventilators, while others have brain injuries.

Due to electrical power outages and basements full of water, some hospitals were forced to transfer or discharge patients. TIRR only moved one patient, and he returned to TIRR several days later.

To assist St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, which lost power, TIRR accepted 16 of their patients, virtually the entire rehabilitation unit. In addition, several patients were accepted from Memorial Hermann, and space was available for others, if necessary.

Damage at TIRR was manageable. There were 1 to 5 inches of water and parts of the basement's ceiling was crumbled from water damage, as well as 1 to 5 inches of water standing on the first floor of the Moursund Street building. Electricity was out for about 12 hours, but generators provided backup support during that time. As for the TIRR Rehabilitation Centers facilities, the east Houston clinic sustained quite a bit of damage and was briefly closed for cleanup and assessment.

"The employees and physicians at TIRR are to be applauded for their outstanding teamwork," said E. Ashley Smith, president and CEO of TIRR Systems. "Even some of their family and friends, along with some of TIRR's volunteers, showed up to help, unsolicited, when they heard of the damage in the Texas Medical Center area. Through their efforts, thousands of gallons of water were extracted from the facility, thereby getting full power back in a matter of hours."

Program administrators, nursing directors and the maintenance supervisor helped direct staff coverage and coordinate cleanup efforts, respectively. Managers who could not make it communicated via phone whenever possible.

As for material losses, one radiology processor was damaged and has been replaced, there was some carpet damage, and various pharmaceutical supplies that were stored in the basement were destroyed.

"We can say without reservation that we have an outstanding TIRR team. Their collective and individual efforts are evidence of that, considering the challenging conditions they faced," Smith said. "In the wake of this unprecedented storm, TIRR was standing ready to help its sister hospitals in any way possible, and would do the same if the need were ever to arise again."

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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