Norwood Hospital Temporarily Closed
NORWOOD — Town of Norwood officials would like to provide an update on the status of Norwood Hospital and remind area residents that if they are in medical distress they must call 911 or visit an Emergency Room at an alternate hospital in the region due to the temporary closure of the Norwood Hospital Emergency Room.
Individuals in need of emergency medical attention, who do not need an ambulance, can go to nearby Sturdy Memorial Hospital, located at 211 Park St. in Attleboro, or Beth Israel Deaconess Needham, located at 148 Chestnut St. in Needham. In addition, Norwood Urgent Care, located at 120 Boston Providence Highway in Norwood, is open to walk-ins.
A hotline has been set up for individuals who may be looking for a loved one who is a patient at Norwood Hospital and has been evacuated. The hotline number is: 781-769-4000.
The remaining patients at Norwood Hospital are being evacuated today and moved to area hospitals. Officials are assessing the damage caused by the flooding and Norwood Hospital will be temporarily closed until further notice.
“Fire Departments and private ambulance companies from across the region responded and assisted in moving upwards of 100 patients out of Norwood Hospital last night and into today,” said Norwood Fire Chief George Morrice. “The evacuation process was an excellent example of the mutual aid partnerships we have with agencies across the region. Thanks to everyone’s quick response we were able to move patients swiftly and safely and no injuries have been reported.”
“The Town of Norwood saw four inches of rain in less than 90 minutes yesterday evening,” said Norwood General Manager Tony Mazzucco. “As of noon today, residents across town have power and all of the roads are open. We’re expecting additional rainfall, but don’t anticipate additional flash flooding.”
“Our area is forecast to receive additional rainfall throughout the week, and although we do not expect to see a rain event like we experienced Sunday, we would like to remind everyone of the dangers of flooded roadways,” said Norwood Police Chief William Brooks. “During heavy rainfall and flash flooding, if you come across a large body of standing water in the road, avoid it. There is very little in the way of assistance that we can provide to vehicles that get stuck in flooded intersections except to wait for the water to recede.”
Around 6:30 p.m. Sunday evening, heavy storms and immense amounts of rain passed through Norwood overwhelming storm drains and resulting in flooding in the basement of Norwood Hospital. This caused damage to the building’s mechanical room and the subsequent loss of power. Approximately 20 people were evacuated from the ICU around 7:30 p.m. Sunday evening, and an additional 60-70 were evacuated around 10 p.m. while the power outage remained unresolved.
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