Tampa General Hospital

Protecting Critical Areas

The Challenge

Tampa General Hospital had already taken a proactive step by installing perimeter flood barriers from AquaFence to protect the building from rising water. But experience and planning revealed a critical question: what happens if water still gets inside?

Even minimal interior flooding posed serious risks. Water was backflowing through floor drains, elevators remained vulnerable, and high-value MRI and medical equipment located on the ground level could be damaged if perimeter defenses were overtopped or compromised, even by just a few inches of water.

In a hospital environment, any disruption to critical systems can directly impact patient care.

The Recommendations

Flood Risk America recommended a multi-layered interior flood protection strategy designed to work in tandem with existing perimeter barriers. The solution included:

Custom floor drain covers to prevent backflow flooding
Flood panels at elevator openings to protect shafts and mechanical components
Flood protection at entryways housing critical medical equipment, including MRI systems

Each solution was tailored to the hospital's layout and operational needs, ensuring protection without interfering with daily medical operations.

The Result

By adding interior safeguards, Tampa General Hospital moved beyond a single line of defense to a comprehensive, layered flood protection approach.

This strategy significantly reduced the risk of equipment damage, elevator outages, and internal flooding, providing hospital staff, administrators, and patients with greater peace of mind during severe weather events.

With both perimeter and interior systems working together, the hospital is better prepared to maintain operations when flooding threatens.