Family Welcomed Early Arrival at the Height of Destruction

The Category 1 hurricane that hit New Jersey over the weekend brought plenty of destruction to the area, but the height of all the destruction, new life was introduced into the world.

According to the Mainland Campus had 284 inpatients as of Monday morning, as a result of Hurricane Irene. Three babies were delivered between noon on Saturday and Monday morning.

One was the early arrival of Stephen Lesniewski at the Roger B. Hansen Center for Childbirth. He was born to Alicia McGee and her fiancée, Stephen Lesniewski Jr.

McGee had evacuated from her Longport Home with Lesniewski, and her three boys, ages 13, seven and three. They checked into an Egg Harbor Township hotel, where McGee went into labor shortly after the tornado warning was issued Saturday night.

“We knew we had to leave in the middle of the hurricane, but had to get my kids safely to a relative’s home before heading to the hospital at approximately 1 a.m. Sunday morning,” McGee said.

The family evaded flooded roads and downed trees to arrive at the hospital so McGee could give birth Sunday morning at 9:29 a.m. Lesniewski was two weeks early, to the day, McGee said.

“The whole experience was interesting to say the least, but we are very happy he is here with us now and didn’t wait,” McGee said.

The Mainland Campus also treated 27 emergency patients, including seven firefighters following a fire in Hamilton Township.

The City Campus had 120 inpatients as of Monday morning, and  its satellite emergency department treated several patients throughout the storm.

The Mainland Campus and the emergency department used backup power briefly, while the City Campus maintained power throughout the storm.

“We were prepared for this storm,” AtlantiCare Chief Safety Officer Debra Fox said. “We drill regularly for weather-related and other disaster situations. We are a safety net hospital. When we expanded the hospital’s Atlantic City Campus in 2007 we took protective measures, building our Harmony Pavilion to withstand a level three hurricane because meet a critical need for the community.”

The emergency medical services team responded to 9-1-1 calls throughout the storm, and provided medical support at shelters, as well as support to the hospital and the emergency services department.

“Local municipalities and New Jersey State Police demonstrated tremendous teamwork in responding to emergencies and supporting our team,” AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center EMS Chief Johnny Delgado said.  

Visiting hours resumed Sunday, Aug. 28, and elective surgeries resumed on Monday, Aug. 29.

“We thank our staff and physicians for their commitment to our patients and our community and to each other,” AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center Chief Operating Officer Margaret Belfield said.

Meanwhile, praise continued to pour in as it relates to emergency response during the hurricane, notably from Township Manager Steve Bonanni and President Herman J. Saatkamp.

“As the Township Manager and a resident of Galloway, I would like to commend our Emergency Response Team, including Emergency Management, Fire and Police Departments, Public Works and Ambulance Squad for an outstanding effort before, during and after Hurricane Irene,” Bonanni said in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 30.  Also a special thanks to AtlantiCare, Stockton, Galloway Schools, Sheriff’s Department, Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and countless others for their cooperation during the storm. We are fortunate to have such resources available to our residents in a time of crisis.”

and schools were used as over the weekend, and the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey was set up as a drop off point for those told to evacuate from different areas of Atlantic County Friday night.

“Personally, I found the people we were serving remarkable.  Without home, without food, without support, they arrived in a setting not prepared for them,” Saatkamp said in a letter to college, hospital and township officials. “Yet throughout the night there were many individual heroic acts of caring for each other -  families making sure grandparents, parents, children, and grandchildren were cared for; individuals assisting those needing medical attention; soothing those in tears, those disoriented; and throughout it all children playing, calling to each other, seeming not to miss the delights of being children even in difficult situations.  There were three students from Poland who were evacuated from their work in Atlantic City, and there was such great relief on their faces when we sent an email to their parents saying that they were all right.”

He thanked various people for their help throughout the night, including Lori Herndon of AtlantiCare, who provided medical assistance, and Deputy Mayor Don Purdy, who brought in resources and assured evacuees there would be transportation, “even sending a car to escort buses through the blockades on the Garden State Parkway,” Saatkamp said in his letter.

Galloway EMS was on the scene Friday night, before evacuees were eventually transported to the Sun Center in Trenton.