August 19, 2003 - A fire last Friday morning at the Central Utilities Plant at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital temporarily shut down air conditioning.
Portable chilling units have been brought in to restore to 100 percent capacity. Patients and employees should feel as if the air conditioning is operating normally, thanks to the portable chilling units.
About 175 fans were purchased Friday to keep patients as comfortable as possible until air conditioning could be restored. Sentara donated the fans today to Fan Care, a public/private partnership administered by the Virginia Department of Aging. Dominion, a primary sponsor of the program, will distribute the fans to older adults in Hampton Roads who do not have air conditioning.
"We're making lemonade out of lemons by donating these fans to provide relief for local seniors during the hottest days of summer," said Mark Szalwinski, vice president of Support Services for Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.