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l.B. library goes virtual
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Vol. 31 No. 14
18/21 itc FG Demi Condensed
High Efficiency Condensing Boilers
APRIl 2 - 8, 2020
Emergency Services
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Sewer & Water Main Repairs
Heating & Plumbing
Situation is ‘unprecedented’ at Mount Sinai doing what they’re trained to do. They’re rising to the occasion. They are stepping forward. But Mount Sinai South Nassau the situation is a concern. We hospital in Oceanside is dealing could use more ventilators.” with what it describes as an The hospital has canceled all “unprecedented” situation: non-elective surgery, and coronaSome 200 patients had tested pos- virus patients are separated itive for the coronavirus as of from the rest of the Tuesday, and 61 of hospital. them were on venti“It’s a very stresslators, a spokesman ful situation for the said. staff,” Calderone “We are stretched said. “All of our beyond anything we resources are being have seen in the stressed as never p a s t , ” s a i d Jo e before.” Calderone, the hosMount Sinai pital’s vice presiSouth Nassau is a dent of corporate 455-bed facility. It is c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Joe CAlDeRoNe the hospital closest and development. to Long Beach, since “The situation here Senior vice president, t h e L o n g B e a ch Mount Sinai is unprecedented.” Medical Center shut In early March, South Nassau down after being there were only extensively dameight coronavirus aged in Hurricane cases at the hospital, Calderone Sandy in 2012. said. There is a deep concern on The hospital has requested 50 the barrier island about the more ventilators, but does not availability of hospitals for those know when they will arrive. On affected by the virus. The Long Monday, 50 patients were on ven- Beach Board of Education; State tilators. Sen. Todd Kaminsky, of Long “This [pandemic] is unprece- Beach; and State Assemblywomdented for the entire health care an Missy Miller, of Atlantic system,” Calderone said. “It has Beach, have asked Dr. Howard stretched our staff. They’re Continued on page 10
By JAmes BeRNsteIN jbernstein@liherald.com
Courtesy Robert Fales
Community members thank first responders VFW Post 1384 delivered pizza to the Long Beach Police Department to thank firefighters for their service during the pandemic. More photos, page 16.
Could L.B. Medical Center, long abandoned, be recommissioned? By JAmes BeRNsteIN and DARwIN YANes jbernstein@liherald.com dyanes@liherald.com
The old Long Beach Medical Center, shuttered since Superstorm Sandy in 2012, is without a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, most windows are broken, and the basement occasionally fills with water. But the coronavirus pandemic has reached such frightening proportions that the Long Beach school board, community members and State Sen. Todd Kaminsky have requested that the state
expand health facilities on the barrier island, including possibly using part of the closed medical center to care for patients. On Monday, Joe Calderone, a spokesman for Mount Sinai Nassau South Nassau Medical Center, said the state’s Office of General Services contacted the Oceanside facility to ask for details about the Long Beach hospital, such as square footage. Calderone said Mount Sinai responded to the request and has heard nothing further. Mount Sinai purchased the Long Beach Medical Center for about $11 mil-
lion in a bankruptcy sale. The state, meanwhile, is setting up patient-care facilities at the College of Old Westbury. But Tina Posterli, vice president of the Long Beach school district, said the situation is severe enough that the board would like the state to examine the use of part of the closed Long Beach hospital. “We are in a very precarious position,” Posterli said. The Mount Sinai facility is not sufficient for barrier island residents because of the current crises, Continued on page 12
A
ll of our resources are being stressed as never before.