How Disaster Response Stabilized a 47-Room Medical Facility Overnight
Project Snapshot:
- Location: McCall, Idaho
- Property: St. Luke’s Clinic (Commercial Healthcare Facility)
- Loss Type: Water Main Break
- Time of Loss: Sunday, 10:00PM (Holiday Weekend)
- Response Time: On-site within 90 minutes
- Scope: 47 rooms + lobby + hallways
- Equipment Used: 70+ pieces
- Mitigation Timeline: 3 weeks
- Outcome: Passed 39/40 Industrial Hygienists test on first inspection
The Situation:
At 10:00PM on a Sunday night during a holiday weekend, a water main break flooded a large portion of the St. Luke’s Clinic in McCall. The facilities team acted quickly to shut off the water, but the damage was already extensive with 1.5in of standing water throughout the building.
Affected areas included:
- 47 patient and operational rooms
- Main lobby
- All connecting hallways
With healthcare facilities, the stakes were significantly higher:
- Strict sanitation and air quality requirements
- Zero tolerance for lingering moisture or mold
- Pressure to move quicky without compromising safety
Disaster Response:
Because of a prior relationship and onboarding with St. Luke’s, Disaster Response was called directly by the Director of Building Services.
We:
- Responded immediately and arrived before midnight
- Deployed extraction equipment and began stabilization on arrival
- Scaled resources quickly, including support from our Clarkston branch
Initial action included:
- Water extraction across all affected areas
- Strategic placement of commercial dehumidifiers and air movers
- Deployed airtight barriers so contaminates did not travel to other parts of the facility
- Controlled demolition of drywall, carpet, and impacted contents
Over the next three weeks, our team:
- Managed a full-scale drying operation across the facility
- Utilized 70+ pieces of equipment
- Maintained strict containment and cleanliness standards
Once dry, we completed:
- HEPA vacuuming across al areas
- Air scrubbing and sanitation to meet healthcare-grade standards
The Challenge:
This wasn’t just a large loss, it was a healthcare environment. That meant no shortcuts, no margin for error, no lingering contaminants. Every step had to be executed with precision, speed, and compliance.
The Result:
Full drying and mitigation completed in under 3 weeks. Passed 39 of 40 independent Industrial Hygienist (IH) tests on first inspection. Prevented further structural damage and mold growth. Achieving this level of performance on a project of this size, especially in a healthcare setting, is extremely rare.
Client Impact:
The St. Luke’s team was highly impressed with:
- Our response time
- Clear and consistent communication
- Ability to execute without requiring oversight
- They trusted our team to handle the process, and we delivered
Why It Matters:
In large-scale commercial losses, especially in healthcare, who you call matters! The difference comes down to:
- Speed of response
- Depth of experience
- Ability to scale resources
- Getting it done right the first time
Need a Team That Can Handle Large Loss?
From healthcare facilities to commercial properties, Disaster Response is equipped to respond fast. 24/7 emergency response. On-site within hours.