GCI, a company based in Midlothian, Va., is marketing a program in which it will provide reports to hospitals on how prepared they are and should be for hurricanes. The company says that through this program, which it has conducted in Florida, Delaware and now in Virginia, for a fee, it will alert hospitals on how to upgrade their hurricane-resistant glazing to meet requirements and protect patients. The fee, which ranges from $3,500 to $6,900, includes travel and report preparation, GCI says. The company warns that these “survey recommendations” will then by used by boards of directors to plan for hurricane mitigation.

The company says it charges $3,500 for a typical one-day expert evaluation of a hospital’s glazing and a confidential written report with specific action recommendations and budget options. For $5,000 a hospital can obtain a report on multiple buildings with varied glazing systems, requiring a two-day evaluation. Finally, GCI offers a three-day evaluation for five or more varied buildings for approximately $6,900. The company has performed such evaluations on Miami Children’s Hospital in Florida and the Beebe Medical Center in Lews, Del. On the Miami project, GCI not only provided the evaluation, but also supervised the installation of the window upgrades.
               
© Copyright Key Communications Inc. All rights reserved. No reproduction of any type without expressed written permission.