Ballad Health: Everyone rescued from Unicoi County Hospital

UNICOI COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — All patients and personnel who were stranded at Unicoi County Hospital amid historic flooding have been rescued, according to Ballad Health.

Ballad announced that as of 4:40 p.m., everyone had been successfully evacuated from the hospital. Patients who were affected have been transferred to the Johnson City Medical Center, and there is no one still at Unicoi County Hospital.

The hospital will stay closed until further notice, and Ballad Health will assess the damage after the waters recede.

More than 50 people had previously been moved to the roof of the hospital to await rescue after floodwaters from the Nolichucky River rose rapidly to consume the nearby area.

A News Channel 11 crew at Unicoi County Hospital observed rescues beginning at around 2:50 p.m.

Ballad told members of the media it used its own Highlands Emergency Air Rescue & Transport (HEART) helicopter and worked with VSP, the Tennessee National Guard and MedTrans to evacuate the people at the hospital.

Ballad Health CEO Alan Levine told News Channel 11 in a live interview at 4 p.m. that the last round of rescues was underway at that time.

“I think this is about the last one,” Levine said over the sound of helicopter wings at Unicoi County High School as patients and hospital employees were brought to safety.

Levine doubted the Unicoi County Hospital would be salvageable after the flooding.

“I think it’s a complete write-off,” Levine said. “There’s no way the building’s gonna survive this. We’ll take a look at it once the water goes down, but it’s a shame; it’s a brand-new hospital. But you know what? It’s just a building. We can figure that out. I’m just thankful to God and everybody that our people are safe.”

Ballad previously announced at 10:45 a.m. that the hospital had closed and suspended operations due to the threat of flooding.

Ballad stated in a news release that it had been contacted by the Unicoi County Emergency Management Agency at 9:38 a.m. The EMA told Ballad leadership the hospital needed to be evacuated at that time due to the “unusually high and rising water from the Nolichucky River.”

There were 11 patients at the hospital that Ballad planned to transfer. However, the hospital system stated that the ambulances sent to evacuate the patients could not safely arrive due to the quick flooding.

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“The hospital has been engulfed by extremely dangerous and rapidly moving water,” Ballad stated in a news release.

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Levine said that initially, boats had been deployed to rescue the patients and personnel. However, conditions became too rough and forced helicopters to be used once weather permitted.

“Unfortunately, the water around the hospital, which had also begun intruding inside the hospital, became extremely dangerous and impassable and prevented the boats from safely being able to evacuate the hospital,” Ballad stated in the release. “Due to high winds, no helicopters could safely fly in an effort to help evacuate the hospital.”

The National Guard sent resources to work with TEMA to assist in what Ballad leaders described as “a dangerous rescue operation.”

News Channel 11 made attempts to get close to the hospital. Drone 11 was able to capture video of the people stranded on the roof which also shows the extent of the flooding in the area.

Roads to the hospital such as Carolina Avenue were also impassable.

Elective surgeries at Ballad facilities have been postponed, and several of the hospital system’s clinics and urgent care offices have closed.

Sycamore Shoals Hospital in Elizabethton had begun evacuations, as well, on Friday.

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