PWB3 - Lessons in the Eye of the Storm: Hurricane Helene’s Impact on Health Centers and Practices for the Future

Session Description: Natural disasters such as hurricanes pose significant operational and financial threats to community health centers, often resulting in prolonged power outages, service disruptions, and unplanned expenditures. Recent data shows that a power outage of one day may result in $50,000 in losses for health centers. This session will explore the critical lessons learned from Hurricane Helene and examine how data, partnerships, and infrastructure improvements can better position health centers for future emergencies. Drawing from a recent disaster recovery survey conducted by Direct Relief, we will highlight key data points that quantify the operational and financial impacts of disasters on health centers, with a specific focus on the consequences of power loss and implications for local, state and federal policy.

We will spotlight the firsthand experiences of health centers affected by Hurricane Helene, including a case study from High Country Community Health, which navigated extensive operational challenges during the storm. Their experience will provide practical insights into the importance of preparedness and partnership, while highlighting lessons learned.

Finally, this session will introduce ready-to-implement solutions such as reliable back-up power systems that have been proven to reduce losses from power outages and have positive financial implications on non-disaster days. Attendees will leave with guidance on how to assess their own vulnerabilities, build partnerships to support resilient infrastructure, and information needed to improve communication with local, state, and national policy makers.