Premier Health’s Quick, Multi-Front Response Helps Neighbors Recover After Tornadoes
In the aftermath of the Memorial Day tornado outbreak, colleagues, family members, friends, and neighbors of Premier Health employees continue to face major challenges at their homes and places of business.
Yet health emergencies don’t stop during natural disasters. In fact, hundreds of people injured by the tornadoes and during the subsequent clean-up showed up at Premier Health’s hospitals and urgent-care locations. Many vulnerable patients – including those on oxygen who rely on electricity – needed to be checked on.
Associates with Premier Health’s home health care arm, Fidelity Health Care, called more than 1,000 clients in hard-hit areas to check on them within hours of the storms. Supplies were delivered to hard-hit areas with a Premier Health mobile intensive care unit. Athletic trainers cared for fatigued first responders. The 19th annual African-American Wellness Walk, a Premier Health event, doubled as a drop-off site for toiletries and other supplies. The collection at that event alone weighed in at more than 500 pounds, and was taken to the Wesley Community Center.
Even pets weren’t overlooked. Premier Health donated 20 dog and cat disaster kits to the Montgomery County Animal Shelter.
At least 350 Premier Health employees were affected personally by the storms. Their colleagues rallied, contributing more than $100,000 toward employee catastrophic relief fund to support one another. Premier Health also provided a time off accommodation, through which employees whose primary residence was significantly impacted received up to two weeks of pay without having to use their time-off bank.
“As an active and engaged community partner for nearly 130 years, Premier Health remains committed to our employees and community members in this time of great need,” said Mary Boosalis, president and CEO of Premier Health. “It’s our privilege to serve them both during the cleanup and rebuilding efforts, and well into the future.”
“Our Care Lives Here is more than four words – it is the fabric of who we are.”
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