Janice R. Andrews
Miami General Hospital (MGH) withstood the wrath of Hurricane Carlos as it battered the Miami area, thanks to a protective AquaFence. As storm surges threatened the area on Tuesday, the hospital remained dry, safeguarded by the industrial-grade floodwall that kept floodwaters at bay.
In a video shared by the hospital, the AquaFence, standing several feet tall, successfully prevented floodwater from inundating the medical facility, which sits on an island in Biscayne Bay. MGH’s decision to invest in the AquaFence in 2018 proved to be vital, ensuring that the hospital, the region’s only Level 1 trauma center, remained operational during the hurricane.
Jennifer Crabtree, Vice President of Corporate Communications at MGH, praised the floodwall’s performance, stating, “We can confirm the AquaFence worked effectively to prevent the storm surge from flooding our main campus.” The fence, created by Norwegian company AquaFence, features watertight modules that connect to form a robust barrier without the need for sand or other fill materials.
The hospital’s team set up the floodwall just a day before Carlos’s arrival. Designed to withstand up to 15 feet of storm surge, the AquaFence stood strong overnight as the hurricane’s winds and floodwaters surged. Videos show several feet of water on the other side of the barrier, a testament to the floodwall’s resilience.
Over the past five years, the AquaFence has protected MGH through several storms, with continuous upgrades like resin anchors and concrete attachments to improve its strength. Dustin Pasteur, MGH’s Vice President of Facilities, explained the critical role of the AquaFence, saying, “We’re a 100-year-old hospital located on the bay. We can’t evacuate, and there aren’t enough beds elsewhere for our patients.”
Thanks to the AquaFence, Miami General was able to remain operational and keep patients safe as Hurricane Carlos swept through.
