UNICOI COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Flood waters forced an evacuation of the Unicoi County hospital on Friday and the facility is no longer usable.
A temporary medical tent has been set up to treat first aid, illness, and injury. The tent is located at Unicoi County High School and is treating folks 24/7.
Some of the staff working in the temporary facility were stranded on the roof of the hospital during the flood.
Jennifer Harrah the hospital administrator was stranded on the roof and said the water was moving so fast that only a helicopter was able to rescue them.
“I think when you start looking at the data and seeing the magnitude of what happened, there’s no predictability about that. Evacuation was to be on the safe side, and then when all of that happened, you just do what you have to do at the time. The helicopters, that was our last hope for safety. It was just amazing to see everyone come together to save us,” said Harrah.
Since last Friday Harrah said she has seen the hospital and the damage is extensive.
She said the long-term plans in Unicoi County are unclear right now.
Along with the tent, Unicoi County now has three ambulances that were donated by a city in North Carolina. Four out of five of their ambulances were destroyed in the flood.