Drs. Lo, Yukawa, and Eng Support Patients Affected by Kincade and Burris Fire

Over the weekend of October 26 and 27, Daphne Lo, MD, Michi Yukawa, MD and Jessica Eng, MD, MS demonstrated smart, compassionate leadership as they supported their patients, staff and each other as the SFVAHCS responded to the Kincade and Burris fires in Northern California.  All of the Home-Based Primary Care patients (approximately 400) and staff north of the Golden Gate Bridge were called throughout the weekend, emergency and evacuation plans reviewed and transport to safe destinations arranged.  Much of the staff were in black-out or evacuation areas themselves but still participated in supporting their vulnerable patients while their electricity and phone service lasted.  The San Francisco HBPC staff emergency phone tree was also activated because of the fires in the East Bay.

Daphne communicated regularly to staff and to the medical center’s Incident Command Center twice daily throughout the emergency period.  Jessica was Acting ACOS and supported Daphne in her efforts.  Michi was at the CLC on Saturday and admitted two HBPC patients who needed to evacuate from Sonoma County to a more stable and secure setting.  All three were lauded by medical center leadership for their participation in the emergency response.

We did not practice our emergency response as we had discussed during our September faculty meeting.  We had a real emergency and our colleagues responded with grace and intelligence.