Medical center closes for hookup of power plant Published Feb. 12, 2009 81st Medical Group KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, BILOXI, MISS. -- Keesler Medical Center closes Saturday through Monday for contractors to finish the switchover of electrical power to the new $21.2 million central energy plant. The process causes a series of rolling blackouts necessitating the closure. During the three-day period, power must be shut off so contractors can replace the automatic transfer switches that shift power between commercial and generator power. Medical center officials expect the facility to be "up and running" as usual by 11 a.m. Tuesday. The emergency department is included in the shutdown, so anyone experiencing a medical emergency should call 911 or go to the closest civilian emergency room. The emergency room actually goes on "divert" at 6 a.m. Friday. However, if an uninformed emergency patient arrives during the outage, 81st Medical Group officials have arranged to have an ambulance onsite to transport the patient to an off-base hospital. In addition, even though the emergency room won't be functioning, a nurse and medical technician are there around the clock during the power outage. The medical center has contacted local hospitals to advise them of the outage, notify them about the emergency room's closure and ask for their support to care for Keesler patients. No major elective surgeries has been scheduled since Monday. Admissions to the family birthing center were suspended Wednesday, and expectant mothers were given copies of their medical records and telephone numbers of civilian hospitals. Outpatient medical appointments weren't scheduled after 11 a.m. Friday. The student health center in the Triangle is open 8 a.m to 4 p.m. Saturday through Monday to provide medical care to 81st Training Group students. The new plant provides full backup during commercial power failures and houses the heating and cooling equipment for environmental control. It's north of the main facilityand elevated above the flood plain to maintain health care operations during natural disasters. It replaces the facility damaged by Hurricane Katrina which resulted in the total loss of power to the medical center. It's a major step in completing the medical center's return to full pre-Katrina operations.