News

WPH back-up generators fail during power outage

By Anthony McConnell

This document was published online on Wednesday, June 25, 2008

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Cody volunteer firemen Barry “Slim” Cook (left) and Jeff Steward arrive at West Park Hospital after emergency generators failed to start during a power outage Tuesday. (Photo by Ken Blackbird)

An hour-long power outage Tuesday caused concern at West Park Hospital when emergency generators failed to start.

“Our back-up generators did not kick on when the power went out,” hospital CFO Pat McConnell. “We're not sure why.

“Our generator is inspected every month,” he added. “For some reason the starter didn't turn over.”

According to hospital spokesman Joel Hunt, the generator's June inspection was last week.

He added that the back-up generators are back online and hospital staffers are continuing to investigate the failure.

While no one was injured in the outage, there was a surgery underway when the lights went out.

The fire department responded and powered the operating room with a generator on one of its trucks.

“It's standard procedure to call the fire department when the power goes out,” McConnell said. “Everyone did exactly what they were supposed to do.”

Doctors were able to complete the surgery and the patient is fine.

In addition to the surgery, there also was a mother about to give birth.

“We hadn't started that procedure yet,” McConnell said. “Mama and baby are doing just fine too.”

Patients on medical devices, such as heart monitors, were not affected by the outage because all of those devices have automatic battery backups that last for several hours, he added.

“The fire department came in and checked the building and locked all our elevators open,” Hunt said. “There were some of our employees trapped in the elevators for a while, but they all made it out OK.”

During the outage any incoming patients would have been diverted to either Powell Valley Hospital or WPH's Urgent Care Center.

The unplanned outage interrupted service to about 800 customers, which included many downtown businesses, WPH and the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, according to city electrical superintendant Bert Pond.

The power went out at 12:18 p.m. when a tree limb made contact with a 4,200-volt conductor near Wyoming and 13th, causing a circuit protector at the Minske Substation north of Cody to trip open.

City crews restored power about 1:20 p.m., Pond said.

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