Bertha Smith

Finding calm in the midst of a storm isn't easily done; but that's exactly what 86-year-old Bertha Smith said she experienced at Gulf Coast Hospital when Hurricane Michael hit Panama City in October 2018.

Two days prior to the storm's landfall, Mrs. Smith, who suffers from congestive heart failure, was admitted to the hospital due to a buildup of fluid around her heart. "It wasn't the first time it happened," she said. "My doctor said to go to the ER where they did some testing and decided to keep me for a few days."

She was admitted to the 3rd floor for treatment. "The storm hit on Wednesday," she said. "A nurse came in and calmly said, 'we're going to move you into the hallway.' A little while later, they moved me to the second floor. Within a few minutes, they moved me to the first floor. One of the nurses said 'someone will be with all of the time.' We were close to the cafeteria and they were lining us up in our wheelchairs and told us they were going to airlift us out of town."

"I just said I'm here for you to do what you need to do," she said. "I kept seeing people coming and going but it didn't register that the storm was on us. They were all so calm." Mrs. Smith said she heard a loud noise that sounded like engines revving up. "I asked a nurse what I was hearing, and she said it was the wind. I really didn't know how bad it was. Nobody got excited or upset. They just kept checking on us and asking if we were alright. They offered us food and made sure we were comfortable."

Mrs. Smith said that when the 'revving engines' noise quieted down, the staff let them know they were going to take them to a waiting helicopter one by one. "They said they were taking us to Pensacola to an affiliated hospital where we would be cared for. I asked if they would let my children know where I was and they said they would. They also told us we were going to see things that might be upsetting but that we were going to be alright. They handled everything just wonderfully."

Mrs. Smith was one of the first patients to be evacuated from Gulf Coast Hospital that day. She remembers seeing photographers taking pictures of patients being loaded on to the aircraft. "They were a great flight crew," she said. "The pilot said he would fly us down the coast and take the scenic route. We had a really good flight. When we got to West Florida in Pensacola there was a bunch of staff waiting to take us off of the helicopter."

As the helicopter door opened, Mrs. Smith said there was a young, petite nurse waiting on her who lifted her out of the aircraft and said, 'I've got you now.' She said things went like clockwork. Patients were taken to their rooms, fed, and most importantly were assured that everything would be alright. "They didn't want anyone getting upset," she said. "The staff at Gulf Coast Hospital had put all of our paperwork with us before we left. It was very well coordinated. You couldn't have visualized how well it would go." After a week in Pensacola, Mrs. Smith was transferred to a rehabilitation facility in Chipley, closer to her home and family.

"I've lived in Panama City since 1955. I've used that hospital since it opened. I'm so proud to have a facility that takes care of people the way they do," she said. "Even though we knew they were all having so much stress in their own personal lives, they put us first and kept us calm and safe. I'm just real excited to let people know what a wonderful group of people we have at Gulf Coast Hospital. I couldn't be more proud to say that is my hospital."