Saturday, June 7, 2025
6/7/2025
Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending - Construction - PROJECT ABSTRACT HH Health System—Shoals LLC dba Helen Keller Hospital is the only community-owned hospital in Colbert and Lauderdale Counties. As the Shoals area's safety net hospital, Helen Keller provides health care for patients regardless of their ability to pay. Helen Keller Hospital requests funding to replace two aging generators installed in 1980 which are not only undersized for current hospital operations, but are also past life-cycle. Helen Keller’s generator project ensures continuity of hospital services during any disaster causing a power outage. Power interruptions over the past decade have caused multiple service line disruptions. Natural events in this area often pose a hazard to life and property as well. According to the NOAA's National Climatic Data Center, 8 tornado events were reported in Colbert County between 2018 and 2022. Should a large-scale event occur, and the current generators fail, injured individuals plus critically ill patients in the hospital at the time of the event would have to be diverted to nearby facilities, reducing emergency response capabilities in the area and creating potentially catastrophic effects on the area’s healthcare infrastructure. Specifically, the project will involve replacing two obsolete 310kw generators which are over 40 years old with two 750kw generators, and constructing an emergency power building to protect the parallel switch gear. The implementation of project proposes long-term, permanent risk reduction through the installation of new generators that, with normal maintenance, should maintain reliability for 20+ years.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).