VALDOSTA — South Georgia Medical Center has geared up with emergency plans for Hurricane Irma, expected to reach the area early next week.

What started as a plan a week ago for SGMC to accept an influx of patients from other facilities directly impacted by the hurricane has morphed into plans for the hospital to continue vital services once the storm reaches Lowndes, said Ross Berry, the hospital’s CEO.

“We’re dealing with two main focus points: taking care of our community and dealing with other hospitals wishing to transfer patients,” he said.

In the next few days, SGMC will concentrate on its three emergency rooms — in Valdosta, Berrien County and Lanier County — and its Urgent Care facility on North Valdosta Road, Berry said.

All three ERs and Urgent Care will be staffed around the clock from noon Sunday for as long as is necessary, he said.

“These facilities are already set up to handle these events,” Berry said.

Urgent Care will be open 24 hours a day starting noon Sunday through at least noon Tuesday to treat minor injuries. SGMC’s Youth Care Center on the main Valdosta campus will be open for its regular hours 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sunday and 5:30-8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

All elective surgeries have been cancelled for Monday so staff and facilities can be made available for emergency care, said Dr. Alex Culbreth, chief of staff at SGMC.

The hospital is preparing places for staff to stay in the event the weather is too bad for them to leave, Berry said. 

“We’ve laid in supplies of food and pharmaceuticals,” he said.

A hotline has been set up for staff members needing help with non-emergency situations, Berry said.

Child care for staff members will be provided at the main hospital campus, said Denida Cox, nursing administrator.

An incident command center to monitor and direct activities will open noon Sunday, said Bill Forbes, the hospital’s chief development officer.

SGMC has backup power generators that can run for six days and its own water source on the main campus as a backup to other sources, he said.

Ambulance services will continue to operate and will have additional personnel, Forbes said.

The hospital is not a public shelter; those needing shelter from the storm should check with their county’s emergency management agency.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.