BUFFALO N.Y. (WKBW) — A blizzard bounce back is something local hospitals are working towards. One word an ICU nurse from Buffalo General Medical Center used to describe this situation is devastating.
They said they worked from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon totaling to 55 hours. Shift swaps were impossible and leaving was out of question due to travel conditions.
"We were all in tears crying and breaking down. We had each other's backs. They kept on saying relief is coming. No one would show," the ICU nurse said.
Shift after shift they said their team started to feel helpless. With little to no sleep and vending machine food - they worked on empty tanks. The ICU nurse shared they are glad to now be resting but worry there wasn't enough preparation for the blizzard.
The ECMC Senior Vice President of Nursing Charlene Ludlow said preparation is key.
"Our normal disaster plan we went right into that immediately," she said.
Ludlow said the hospital staff at ECMC did everything they can to make sure everyone was taken care of.
"We're a 24/7 operation. But when that 24/7 people can not be relieved it can get very difficult for people just to cope themselves with the stress of whats going on," Ludlow shared.
With almost 400 staff members spending a holiday in these conditions, she said she is very proud of her team.
"I would almost call it heroic what out staff has been doing," she stated.