Rush University Medical Center, based in Chicago, temporarily diverted ambulances and canceled surgeries July 28 after a malfunction knocked out the air conditioning in the hospital’s main tower during a heat wave.
A chilled water line disabled the building’s HVAC system at around 11 a.m., according to a July 28 statement from Rush. To ensure safety of the patients and staff, the hospital placed the emergency department on full bypass for ambulances and many surgeries were canceled for the day.
By 3 p.m., temperatures in the emergency department had dropped into the 70s, according to a Rush spokesperson. The ED resumed accepting ambulances with the exception of stroke and heart attack patients. Earlier reports showed temperatures reached the 80s, the spokesperson said.
The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory earlier in the day, reporting the heat index hit 102 degrees in the afternoon.
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