Sinai Hospital Successfully Weathers 2011’s “Mini Snowmageddon”

During last night’s winter storm, once again Sinai Hospital employees pulled together to provide patients with seamless care. A Snow Command Center was enacted to ensure that all patient needs would continue to be met. To help essential staff members who were stuck at home because of the treacherous road conditions, gracious volunteers with AWD vehicles provided transportation to the hospital.

Here’s how Incident Commander Sharon Rossi, RNC, MS (also director of Women's and Children’s Services) summed up last night’s and this morning’s efforts:





Sinai ended its Code Yellow snow emergency at 10:15 this morning, but if you must venture out on the roads today, please be careful and take extra time. There are still plenty of ice, snow and disabled vehicles to watch out for.

As the Sinai staff was busy keeping patients safe, Neil Meltzer, Sinai president and COO, had an incident of his own. While he making his way home from work last night, Meltzer was one of the many unlucky drivers who were stuck on Interstate 83 (JFX) because of the snowy conditions and a jackknifed tractor trailer. For over eight hours, Meltzer was stranded in his car, at times trying to make his way through an obstacle course of abandoned cars. During long periods of idling, he passed the time by talking to family and friends and checking Facebook.

“Since I’m from Massachusetts, I always have an emergency kit in my car,” said Meltzer. “I was prepared but I did not anticipate an eight hour commute home.” Since Meltzer was stranded during the typical dinner hour, he made due by subsisting on two tins of sugar-free mints.

Meltzer stayed in touch with Sinai’s Snow Command Center while he was stranded to ensure that the weather was not causing any problems for the staff or patients. “I felt very confident that Sharon and the entire clinical management team were prepared and managing the situation appropriately.”




Have any snow stories from yesterday’s/this morning’s storm? Share them in the comments section.

-- Betsy Haley and Holly Hosler