Hospital Off Full Diversion After Sewer, Drainage Issues: Update

CONCORD, NH — Concord and capital region fire and rescue teams were taking patients to other hospitals around the state after sewer and drainage issues caused a full diversion and partial closure of Concord Hospital Wednesday. The hospital experienced "a sewer backup and water drainage issue" around 9:15 a.m. causing an impact to Building B and areas of Building B East, according to Jennifer Dearborn, the director of public affairs for the hospital. The impacted areas of the facility included some operating rooms, the cafeteria, the catheterization suite, and the pharmacy.

At 1:30 p.m., the hospital as well as the Concord Fire Department dispatch, announced that patients were being accepted at the hospital again. At 2 p.m., the hospital resumed full operational status, according to Dearborn.

"Plumbing/sewer professionals are on site evaluating and addressing repair," Dearborn said earlier. "Emergency sewer backup plans have been implemented and the hospital is on full diversion."

The hospital began contacting patients scheduled for procedures in those areas of the campus that were impacted by the plumbing issues so that appointments and procedures could be rescheduled, Dearborn said.

According to scanner chatter, Concord firefighters as well as other departments in the capital region were rerouting ambulances to other facilities including Catholic Medical Center in Manchester although some walk-ins were accepted at the hospital. Earlier today, patients were seen being moved from the emergency room into ambulances while security remained at the front door of the emergency room.

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