I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear. The hospital beds are too rigid and too heavy to be carried down the stairs. They cannot be turned around the corners 22 floors times 2 for each flight of stairs. To facilitate carrying patients down the stairs teams of six would climb the stair. In each hospital room there are usually two patients. An acrylic sheet would be slid under the patient. The patient would be wrapped up and cloth belts would secure the patient inside. Five people would carry the patient down the stair. As one person got tired, the free person would take their place. Why would we do that? Why not use the elevators? In the basement elevator have weight wells. As the elevator ascends to the top floor weights descend and are kept in a hole or well. As the water surged into the basement it would flood the well rendering the elevator useless. When water filled the well the weights could not be lifted out.

Furthermore, much of the extremely heavy equipment such as MRIs X-ray machines, CT scanners are in the basement. Repairing these is impossible because a part or piece cannot be switched out and replaced.

At each stairway entrance we had rest stations and water bottles to be given out.

By the way, there was no power so no pumps were working. The toilets didn’t work. The problem was solved by pouring the water from the bottles of the cooler into the toilet.

As an employee of Bellevue Hospital , I have been there for 21 years. I have friends who have been there 40 years. Don’t get me wrong. I have seen and witnessed much.

Please accept my apology for not clarifying a few things. I don’t want to out-do anyone else here on UHH. We all have our talents.