Saint Clare’s Celebrates Hurricane Sandy Heroes

Saint Clare’s Health System celebrated the extraordinary efforts made by Saint Clare’s physicians, employees and volunteers, as well as government departments and other agencies in the community, who ensured the safety and care of patients.  Events were held at Saint Clare’s locations at Franciscan Oaks, Denville, Dover, Boonton and Sussex to celebrate the “Hurricane Heroes” during the storm and beyond.

“The dedication and extraordinary ser¬vice that I witnessed from so many Saint Clare’s employees, physicians and volunteers was nothing short of magnificent,” said Leslie D. Hirsch, Saint Clare’s Health System president and chief executive officer.  “As we came together to celebrate the service of all those involved, Saint Clare’s stands ‘at the ready’ to do whatever it takes to care for our patients and others irrespective of the situation.”

During Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath, all but one of the Saint Clare’s hospital and health center locations lost power and were on generator power.  A variety of organizations were essential in providing leadership, assistance and concern regarding Saint Clare’s Health System patients, employees and facilities.

Saint Clare’s Hospitals in Boonton Township, Denville and Dover recognized the mayors and town departments, including police and fire, for their hard work and dedication to their residents and Saint Clare’s.  Through the careful coordination of resources, essential personnel and ambulances were granted access to fuel, allowing physicians and nurses to travel and provide relief for staff that had stayed at the hospital through the duration of the storm. 

Saint Clare’s worked closely with First Energy Corporation in working to restore full power to the hospital and health center locations, which provided critical medical care to the community.  The Morris County Office of Emergency Management coordinated consistent care for community members located at a various shelters in ensuring their medical care if necessary at local hospitals.
Saint Clare’s received the assistance of Denville Police, Denville Fire Department, and Emergency Physicians of Saint Clare’s after Franciscan Oaks residents were forced to evacuate due to a generator failure in the early morning on November 1.  Morris Catholic High School in Denville offered shelter for the day to residents while a second generator was located and installed, and the evacuees were brought home that later that night.

A Command Center was manned at Saint Clare’s Health System throughout the storm and its aftermath, which coordinated the care of not only the patients, but worked closely with Saint Clare’s employees and physicians for staffing around the clock as travel became difficult.  Many employees and physicians came in before their shifts, and slept at the hospital, and offer relief to nurses and others in patient care areas.

Saint Clare’s, which has a proud heritage of volunteers who serve the health system, recognized the efforts of more than 50 volunteers at campus locations in Denville, Dover and Sussex, who offered their help during Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath.  Despite closing Volunteer Services for their safety, the volunteers came on their own accord to help serve food, cook and bring a smile to staff and patients.

Saint Clare’s recognized the leadership of employees, physicians, volunteers for their dedication with a variety of awards, including recognition based on our core values of Reverence, Integrity, Compassion and Excellence.  Additionally, some employees were recognized for their skill in turning a bad situation around (“Turning Our Frown Upside Down”) or performing tasks and services not related to one’s job description (“Fish Out of Water”).  Saint Clare’s also recognized departments such as Food and Nutrition, Facilities and Case Management and Social Work, as well as recognizing the staff at each campus for their dedication to caring for patients and the community.