ASHEVILLE - Mission Health announced that Mission Hospital and its other care facilities within the City of Asheville are now back on municipal water. After the City lifted the boil water advisory, the Mission team began the process of transitioning back from utilizing water brought in via tanker trucks and the wells drilled by HCA Healthcare in the storm's aftermath. The health system conducted independent testing of the water, and the test results concur with the City of Asheville that the water is potable. 

As the tankers that have been supplying water for the past two months moved off campus, so did the last visual reminders of the recovery efforts of Hurricane Helene. The Mission team now reflects back on the storm and is grateful for the tireless work done in our region and acknowledges that more is still to come.

“Because of the support from HCA Healthcare, Mission Hospital and our five acute care community hospitals were able to remain open to care for our neighbors throughout the storm and its devastating aftermath,” says Greg Lowe, chief executive officer of Mission Health. “Thinking about how we have been able to consistently serve our communities through the last 10 weeks makes me incredibly grateful to be part of this team. Without HCA Healthcare’s scale and ability to deliver under immense pressure, Mission Health facilities would have been otherwise forced to close.”

HCA Healthcare showed up for its colleagues and their loved ones in crisis. Mobilizing hundreds of extra clinicians from all over the country, these relief staff supported Western North Carolina workers who were, themselves, victims of the storm. The organization also transported crucial resources including water, food, medical supplies, mobile showers, laundry units, groceries, pet food and more – all made available free to colleagues for weeks following the devastating event. As WNC’s largest employer, HCA Healthcare’s support extended beyond the hospitals and into thousands of households in the community.

Below are just a few of the things HCA Healthcare and Mission were able to do to deliver help and hope to those in need:

• Pumped and pressurized more than 200,000 gallons of water each day for the hospital to remain open for care;

• Drilled two wells to extract water supplied to the chillers in the ORs, so colleagues could continue to perform lifesaving surgeries;

• Treated more than 500 emergency care patients at Mission Hospital in the first hours after the storm;

• Deployed a special care site for oxygen-dependent patients to get new tanks or power their medical devices; and

• Provided more than 37,000 gallons of gas to employees in addition to fuel for the generators.

This continues to be a difficult time for the people of Asheville and surrounding areas. HCA Healthcare is privileged to have the ability to quickly activate in ways that support communities in need. As Western North Carolina continues its recovery, HCA Healthcare will continue to support its colleagues, contribute to charitable organizations furthering these efforts and provide the resources needed to best serve WNC communities. 

About Mission Hospital
Mission Hospital, located in Asheville, North Carolina, serves as the regional tertiary and quaternary care center in Western North Carolina and the adjoining region. Mission Hospital is licensed for 853 beds and is the region’s only Level II trauma center, comprehensive stroke center, Level III neonatal intensive care unit, and includes the only children’s hospital in Western North Carolina. Mission Hospital is also a Magnet® designated hospital for nursing excellence. For more information, please visit MissionHealth.org or @MissionHealthNC.

Source: Mission Hospital