• Home
  • Archives
  • Contact Us
    • About
  • Reporters
  • Affiliates
  • Affiliate Support
  • Sports

Nebraska Radio Network

Nebraska News and Sports

  • Legislature & Government
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Agriculture
  • Husker Sports
  • All Topics
  • PostsComments
You are here: Home / News / Hospitals in ‘path of totality’ beef up staff prior to eclipse

Hospitals in ‘path of totality’ beef up staff prior to eclipse

August 18, 2017 By Nebraska Radio Network Contributor

Beatrice Community Hospital

Thousands of tourists are already arriving in Nebraska for this weekend’s events leading up to Monday’s total solar eclipse.

Beatrice is in the 70-mile-wide “path of totality” and emergency services like police, fire and rescue there are being beefed up.

Michael Ament is director of emergency services at Beatrice Community Hospital which is adding extra staff, starting today.

“Staffing and being able to take care of increased volume is our major concern because we don’t know what that volume is,” Ament says. “When you think of 1% of 30,000 people, that could be substantial. We’ve increased our nursing coverage, we’ve increased our provider coverage and feel like we’ll be able to handle that volume.”

Ament says the hospital staff is preparing for the worst and hoping for the best for the three days ahead.

“Because people are outside and exposed to the sun and maybe not drinking enough water, dehydration and those kinds of things, which would also cause a medical emergency which may mean they’ll have to be transported to the hospital,” Ament says, “so our EMS system may also be very, very busy.”

Ament says parking lots at the hospital will be only be open for patients and their families. While the parking lots would provide a great viewing area for the eclipse, Ament says the hospital’s priority is to take care of people who are in need of medical care.

Thanks to Dave Niedfeldt, KWBE, Beatrice


Print pagePDF pageEmail page

Share this:

  • Google
  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Filed Under: News, Recreation & Entertainment

Featured Stories

Gov. Ricketts denies he interfered with legislative process this session (AUDIO)

Gov. Ricketts says budget is sound, despite legislators backing off his recommended budget cuts (AUDIO)

Speaker Scheer had hoped last minute agreement could be reached on property taxes (AUDIO)

Speaker Scheer regrets direction budget talks took (AUDIO)

Horse massage bill brings attention and breaks tension during Nebraska legislative session (AUDIO)

TwitterFacebook

Huskers rally, but unable to overcome early deficit against Bluejays

Huskers bowling team to be featured on HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel”

Gebbia, Lindsey and McQuitty came in together, ready for new beginning in 2018

Martinez shines with four touchdowns, Red squad rolls in Spring Game

Everything fans need to know for this Saturday’s Spring Game

More Big Red News

Husker Sports

Huskers rally, but unable to overcome early deficit against Bluejays

Huskers bowling team to be featured on HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel”

Gebbia, Lindsey and McQuitty came in together, ready for new beginning in 2018

Martinez shines with four touchdowns, Red squad rolls in Spring Game

Everything fans need to know for this Saturday’s Spring Game

Get our news delivered to your inbox:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Copyright © 2018 · Learfield News & Ag. LLC