Kaleida Health sets up tents outside Emergency Departments at Buffalo General & Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospitals to prepare for possible surge

Kaleida Health officials are taking every precaution right now – in anticipation of what could be a potential surge of COVID-19 patients.

To ensure hospitals are as prepared as possible for the potential of a future surge of COVID-19 patients, tents have been set up outside the Emergency Departments (ED) at Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute and Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital.

Oishei Children’s Hospital also has a tent ready to be set up if and when the need arises. There are not any patients at Oishei Children’s Hospital confirmed to have COVID-19 right now. There are 6 under investigation.

In the event of Emergency Room volume surges, tents will be used to triage patients at the ED entrance. At Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute, the current ED waiting area would be turned into a treatment space. The tents will be fully functional, with electricity, heat and workstations on wheels, and will be fully staffed, as needed.

We are all praying they do not even need these tents but better it is certainly better to be proactive right now.