MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A caravan of ambulances and other vehicles made their way overnight from Ashwaubenon to Manitowoc, from one Champion Care rehabilitation facility to another.
All 51 patients were transferred from the Bay at Maple Ridge to the Bay at North Ridge facility, after a water line break in a second-floor room.
Two inches of water reported by police on the second-floor filter through the ceiling tiles and electrical outlets to the first floor.
Sandy Barbeau is the facility administrator in Manitowoc. She tells FOX 11….
“We worked through the night to insure our residents needs were met. It was a combined effort to make sure we had all the supplies that we needed, medications to meet their needs and it went very smoothly.”
Barbeau was notified about an hour and a half after the water line break, when it became clear a long-term solution was needed.
By four in the morning all transfers were complete to the Manitowoc nursing facility. By mid-day residents back to their normal routine.
“There are a couple of them asking for their room as they noticed it’s a different room but again meals went on as planned today. The activities went on as planned,” said Barbeau.
The added residents to the Manitowoc facility bring the total occupancy now to 110.
FOX11 was told that’s still well within the allowable limit since the facility has an allowable capacity of 119 beds.
As for staffing, those scheduled to work in Ashwaubenon will now be reporting to Manitowoc indefinitely.
“We essentially just combined the two buildings together everybody scheduled there is now here. It’s going well,” said Laura Weber, director of nursing at the Manitowoc facility.
As for the Ashwaubenon location, the owners are working to repair the damage and clean up the mess.
Aswaubenon Public Safety Chief Eric Dunning says Village and state inspections must be passed before it can re-open.
“Building inspection will go in there, and obviously being a nursing facility, the Department of Health and Human Services will be going through there also for an inspection.
Dunning called the evacuation and relocation a success, pointing out everyone was accounted for and no one was hurt.
The Bay at Maple Ridge caregivers notified families of the evacuation and transfer to Manitowoc.
