On June 23, 2011, Tropical Storm Howard swept disastrous levels of water into Nyack Hospital.

The water rushed halfway up the hospital’s first-floor entrance into its kitchen facilities. Eventually, pressure mounted to a point that the water burst through the kitchen door as the staff watched helplessly. Thousands of gallons of water flooded the hospital’s kitchen. Several other adjacent areas were also affected.

The kitchen infrastructure was highly contaminated and much of the equipment was damaged beyond repair. Nyack Hospital was left without a way to feed its patients.

The Recovery Process

Pronto Repairs teamed up with other local businesses to address the immediate issues caused by the damage. While local restaurants stepped up to feed the patients in the short-term, this wasn’t a long-term solution. We developed a plan to get the kitchen staff back on its feet and immediately put it into motion.

Our experience with active recovery initiatives and extensive partnerships with local businesses helped us act quickly to respond to the needs of the hospital and its patients.

Within 24 hours, we were able to procure a large mobile refrigerator and freezer to temporarily serve the food storage needs of the hospital’s kitchen staff. Along with a mobile kitchen trailer, we were able to set up a temporary kitchen that could meet the cleanliness standards necessary to prepare food for hospital patients.

Pronto Repairs took the initiative to hire All-State Party Rental, a local supplier of tents and other outdoor enclosures. All-State built our team a custom tent for use between the kitchen site and the hospital. This allowed hospital staff to transport food to the patients once cooking resumed.

Within 48 hours of the disaster, the Pronto Repairs team began work to secure the fire and utility permits that the hospital would require. It was crucial to us that Nyack Hospital had every tool possible to serve their patients and provide a safe environment for staff. These permits not only allowed Nyack Hospital to begin the rebuilding process, but also ensured that the building met safety codes that could prevent damage in the future.

Cleanup and Sanitization

In flooding events, the mold remediation process needs to begin as quickly as possible. Pronto began this process immediately after salvaging any usable equipment remained and transporting it to our facility to be sterilized. We then employed high-pressure steam and Ecolab’s EPA-certified sanitizers, both mechanically and chemically, in order to restore 100% sanitary conditions.

Kitchen Restoration

Once the kitchen was safe again, we reinstalled the salvaged equipment and sourced replacements for anything that didn’t survive the flood. As part of the kitchen revamp, the Pronto Repairs team installed four new Bally walk-in coolers and a new walk-in freezer.

The entire restoration process took about five months, at which point the Nyack hospital kitchen staff moved from their temporary cooking set-up into their newly remodeled kitchen.

Pronto Repairs: Committed to Helping Your Team

At Pronto Repairs, we understand the crucial role that community support plays in recovering from a disaster quickly. Our extensive industry knowledge and deep pool of resources allow us to help our clients when it matters most. Our expertise spans a range of repair and disaster recovery fields, including:

  • Industrial kitchen equipment
  • Industrial/scientific refrigeration
  • Custom stainless steel and diamond plate fabrication
  • Industrial kitchen renovation
  • Warehouse storage, trucking, and logistics
  • Custom equipment rigging and installation

If you’re interested in learning more about our disaster recovery efforts, contact us today.

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