JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – At least two hospitals located in evacuation zones, Baptist Beaches and Baptist Nassau, began moving patients and staff on Friday.
Patients from Baptist Beaches were being relocated to Baptist South. Baptist Nassau evacuees were taken to Baptist Downtown. The ERs at the two hospitals will remain open "as long as they can be."
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A spokesman for the hospital told News4Jax that they made the declaration of mandatory evacuations in Jacksonville Beach and Nassau County and that the decision was made out of an abundance of caution. They wanted to move patients before the bridges closed and before traffic became a hindrance.
The move is part of of Baptist Health's existing disaster plan.
"Hospital Command Center officers felt it was in our patients’ best interests to evacuate them to other Baptist locations so their medical conditions and safety would not be compromised," Baptist Health said in a statement. "Hospital representatives are coordinating the evacuation with local emergency officials."
Anyone with a family member hospitalized at Baptist Beaches or Baptist Nassau who has not heard from the hospital should call 904-202-2000.
Mayo Clinic officials said that they were not evacuating patients.