Adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t been easy, but no industry has been impacted quite like healthcare. In preparation for the impending influx of COVID-19 patients, two of our clients are acting swiftly and with intent.

On Friday afternoon, long-time partner Brant Community Healthcare System contacted Architect Bob Currie for help creating seven negative pressure resuscitation rooms at Brantford General Hospital (BGH). 

The following morning, Bob rallied our leading healthcare engineers, Clay Cope and Dave Thompson, to brainstorm ideas to transform the available spaces. The team met at BGH at 4 p.m. to review the rooms and assess if their ideas would work. By noon the next day, WalterFedy had a complete concept sketch with a full description of the design, allowing the hospital’s contractor to build a mock-up room for testing. At 6 p.m. Sunday, the contractor finalized the mock-up room, and testing showed it functioned as intended. With the support of hospital officials and tradespeople, construction on all seven rooms was completed over the five days that followed, and all were ready for clinical use by Friday.

Our municipal partners are also exploring ways to ease the strain of COVID-19 on resources. For one client, we are helping determine whether one of their buildings can be temporarily repurposed. We are evaluating the emergency power distribution system at a facility to explore the possibility of using it as an 'emergency shelter’ if the need arises. Our electrical team is currently reviewing what loads are connected to their emergency power system and verifying that the generator is suitably sized for their requirements. 

These are remarkable examples of what we can accomplish when we work together during times of crisis. Our teams are actively collaborating with several other healthcare and municipal partners on projects to ensure our communities are better equipped for what is to come.

Projects like these are being prioritized within our workload because of their community importance. If your organization has a COVID-19 related need that we can help with, please contact us via  solutions@walterfedy.com and we will connect you with the right person internally. We want to do our part to help those on the frontlines and flatten the curve.