Baylor College of Medicine Resumes Normal Operations

Research, education and patient care are back to normal at Baylor College of Medicine in the wake of Tropical Storm Allison, which hit the campus June 8 and 9.

"Tropical Storm Allison was a tremendous disaster for Baylor, the Texas Medical Center and all of Houston," said Dr. James Patrick, vice president and dean of research. "It was a true test, but slowing down our research efforts was never considered. We're up and running and ready to move forward at an advanced pace."

All buildings on the Baylor campus are operating under regular power. The research enterprise is now fully functional. Researchers whose laboratories were damaged by the storm have been relocated to other buildings and studies are resuming.

The animal facilities are functioning normally. Jackson Labs is providing mice to assist the college in expanding the colonies lost in the storm.

Educational facilities had minimal damage, so classes for both medical and graduate students were not interrupted. All first-year students will begin their studies as scheduled the first week of August.

All Baylor outpatient clinics continue to see patients under a normal schedule, as has been the case since just after the storm. Of the college's seven affiliated hospitals, only one - Methodist - suffered extensive damage and it is now open to provide all services.

Baylor officials continue to work with representatives of the National Institutes of Health and the Federal Emergency Management Administration on storm damage assessment and recovery. Each laboratory is being surveyed for physical damages, as well as loss of research materials. In many areas of research, the extent of loss will not be known until additional testing of samples is completed. A total monetary damage figure has not yet been determined.

Administrators also are working on a remediation plan to determine what changes are needed to prevent damages in the future.

"This disaster highlighted a unique sense of collaboration and collegiality," Dr. Patrick said. "The college was tried in ways never before imagined and a `Whatever it takes, I'll do it' attitude prevailed. Scientists, physicians, students and staff all rallied to overcome the challenges at hand and focus on the future."

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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