DICKSON CITY, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — A massive, coordinated emergency response unfolded Wednesday night after a fire at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Dickson City forced the evacuation of all patients, staff and visitors, according to Lackawanna County Emergency Management officials.
Tom Taylor, Director of Emergency Management for Lackawanna County, said his office worked throughout the night to support hospital operations and first responders as crews rushed to the scene and patients were relocated across the region.
“Our role was really to provide support to the hospital and to the first responders — and make sure they had whatever resources they needed,” Taylor said in a phone interview Thursday.
Taylor said one of the county’s key responsibilities after the evacuation was assisting with communication and reunification efforts, helping ensure families could find out where their loved ones were transferred. He credited the Lehigh Valley Health Network with tracking every patient during the evacuation.
“They did a great job keeping track of where all the patients went,” Taylor said. “That made the reunification process much smoother.”
Ambulances From Multiple Counties Respond
While officials do not yet have an exact count, Taylor estimated that about 25 ambulances from four to five different counties were staged near the hospital as part of the response. He said the focus was on rapidly moving resources to the scene in large numbers in case conditions worsened.
Patients were transported to several hospitals across northeastern and central Pennsylvania. Taylor confirmed some patients were taken to Geisinger facilities, while others were transported as far as Pocono Medical Center, marking the longest transfers of the night.
Within roughly 30 minutes, emergency managers had identified enough available hospital beds to accommodate every patient evacuated from LVH–Dickson City.
“That was a big priority,” Taylor said. “We were able to make sure there was a place for everyone.”
Tom Taylor is Director of Emergency Management for Lackawanna County
‘Once in a Lifetime’ Emergency’
Taylor, who has nearly three decades of experience in emergency services, said the incident was unlike anything he had encountered before.
“This will hopefully be a once-in-a-lifetime emergency,” he said. “In my 29 years in emergency services, I’ve never experienced anything on this level.”
He praised the response from volunteer firefighters, EMS crews, 911 dispatchers, local police departments, and the Pennsylvania State Police. At one point, Taylor said nearly 30 state troopers were on scene assisting with evacuations and security.
“It was amazing how many people showed up just to help,” Taylor said. “Whether it was moving patients, setting up tents, or just doing whatever needed to be done — it was incredible to see.”
No injuries were reported as a result of the fire or evacuation. Emergency crews remained on scene into Thursday as officials continued to assess damage and investigate the cause of the fire.