Keesler Medical Center Closes May 14-16 for electrical work Published May 11, 2009 By Stephen Pivnick 81st Medical Group Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Keesler Medical Center will be closed May 14-16 as contractors work on power lines. The process will cause a series of rolling blackouts throughout the medical center necessitating the closure. During the three-day period, contractors will sever power lines between a portion of the building slated for demolition and the rest of the facility. Power must be off to accomplish this. The demolition will make way for a new $68 million inpatient tower. Medical center officials expect the facility to be "up and running" as usual by 6 p.m. May 16. Because the Emergency Department is included in the shutdown, anyone experiencing a medical emergency should call "911" or go to the closest civilian emergency room. The ER will not be receiving ambulances after midnight May 13. This timeframe is needed for all ER patients to complete any required care prior to the start of the power outage. However, should an uninformed emergency patient arrive at the ER during the outage, 81st Medical Group officials have arranged with AMR to have an ambulance on site to transport the patient to an off-base hospital. Keesler Medical Center has contacted local hospitals to advise them of the outage, notifying them the Keesler ER will not be available and ask for their support to care for Keesler patients. With no inpatient services available, expectant mothers have been given copies of their medical records and telephone numbers of civilian hospitals. To prepare for the power outage, the last admission to the Family Birthing Center will be at 12 p.m. on Wednesday and no elective surgeries will be scheduled after 12 p.m. on Thursday. All outpatient medical appointments will be completed by 6 p.m. on Thursday. Fire alarms with operate intermittently and will be supported by fire watch personnel who will continually evaluate the medical center. The medical center sprinkler system will not be affected. The Student Health Center, located in the student "Triangle," will be open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. May 15 to provide medical care to 81st Training Group students.