Dexter health center progresses on tornado damage repairs

Repairs are underway after an EF2 tornado damaged Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County in Dexter. Missouri, Saturday night.

According to a statement released Tuesday from SoutheastHEALTH, major progress has been made to repair roof leaks. Once the repairs are completed, cleanup will begin in patient units.

The facility will remain closed until structural assessments are completed and operations are restored.

SoutheastHEALTH's current priority is to repair damages to the hospital's emergency department.

"It is SoutheastHEALTH's goal to restore emergency services operations as soon as possible," SoutheastHEALTH officials announced in the statement. "With current resources on site, it is likely that this goal will be achieved within 24 hours."

The closest emergency rooms lie in Poplar Bluff and Sikeston, both 20 miles from Dexter.

After emergency services are restored, SoutheastHEALTH hopes to reopen the hospital's behavioral health unit and impatient, same-day infusion services.

According to a preliminary damage survey by the National Weather Service, the EF2 tornado had a 5-mile path with winds exceeding up to 120 miles per hour.

Shauna Hoffman, vice president of marketing and business development at SoutheastHEALTH, told the Southeast Missourian on Sunday the effects of the tornado "could have been far worse."

The facility suffered damages to its power and gas lines. Glass doors and windows broke. Wind and debris moderately damaged the roof. A wall in the back of the building had structure damage.

SoutheastHEALTH staff evacuated the emergency department and all 22 in-patient units safely with no injuries, Hoffman said.

Power to the health center and adjacent medical office building was restored Tuesday morning. The front entrance is currently being repaired.

A command center has been set up at the facility and will remain until all hospital and clinic services are back to full function, according to the release.

For updates on Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County, go to www.sehealth.org/news.