Tulsa hospitals go to generators during icy weather

At least three hospitals in Tulsa, OK, went on emergency generators on Monday after an ice storm caused power outages:

• St. John Medical Center lost electricity after an external utility substation explosion, the Tulsa World reported. The hospital alerted its nurses on its Web site about available childcare services if the nurses were able to work extra shifts. Power was back on at the facility by Tuesday morning.
• Hillcrest Medical Center opened a mobile command center while on emergency power, according to the Tulsa World.
• St. Francis Hospital South cancelled elective surgeries while generators powered the facility, the newspaper reported.

Platinum subscribers to the Hospital Safety Center can read about The Joint Commission's emergency generator testing requirements.