Up to 30 patients who were scheduled for evacuation from the C.W. Bill Young V.A. Medical Center prior to Hurricane Irma were not moved due to a disagreement between the medical center and Pinellas County officials.
While Young medical center officials claim that the county "promised ambulances that never arrived," county officials disagree, saying that while some patients were moved, patients could not be moved to facilities that the VA wanted the patients moved to, according to the Tampa Bay Times ("Hurricane Evacuations Halted for Lack of Ambulances at VA' Young Center"). County officials claim that Young officials requested patients be moved to facilities in Gainesville and Lake City.
In all, 110 patients and 56 staff members were moved to other locations, with 96 patients and 400 staff members remained behind.
Of the patients who needed to be evacuated, 30 were left behind due to a lack of ambulances, according to the article.
To read the article in its entirety, check out "Hurricane Evacuations Halted for Lack of Ambulances at VA' Young Center".
