On September 27, 2024, Ballad Health was forced to evacuate Unicoi Hospital in rural Tennessee due to a freak flash flood caused by Hurricane Helene. After two failed rescue attempts, an aerial operation managed to successfully airlift all 70 people who were trapped on the rooftop of the small community hospital.

In an era where extreme climate events are increasingly common, more healthcare leaders are being forced to reckon with the reality of leading through natural disasters. This week, Lisa Carter, President of Ballad Health’s Southern Region, joins Radio Advisory to recount the events of that day, reflect on how they tested her leadership, and underscore why we can’t rely on our “old normal” when it comes to disaster preparedness.

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In this episode we featured audio clips from CBS News, ABC News, and NPR. You can find the full segments here:

A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.

241: When disaster strikes: Evacuating Unicoi hospital

Radio Advisory