Critical IV fluid manufacturing facility spared Hurricane Milton’s wrath

[Craig Nigrelli]

AS THE U-S FACES A SHORTAGE OF I-V FLUID IN THE WAKE OF HURRICANE HELENE… ONE MANUFACTURER WAS SPARED HURRICANE MILTON’S WRATH.

WHEN HELENE TORE THROUGH NORTH CAROLINA… IT DAMAGED BAXTER INTERNATIONAL – A COMPANY THAT MAKES I-V FLUIDS WHICH ARE A CRITICAL FOR HOSPITALS TO FUNCTION FULLY.

BAXTER IS THE BIGGEST SUPPLIER OF I-V BAGS IN THE COUNTRY – SO THE HIT WAS ESPECIALLY DEVASTATING… FORCING HOSPITALS TO TURN TO OTHER SUPPLIERS TO FILL THE GAP.

ONE OF THOSE SUPPLIERS IS B. BRAUN MEDICAL IN DAYTONA BEACH.

BEFORE HURRICANE MILTON… THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HELPED THE COMPANY MOVE MORE THAN 60 TRUCKLOADS, OR ABOUT ONE AND A HALF MILLION BAGS OF I-V SOLUTION TO NORTH FLORIDA – WHERE THE STORM’S IMPACTS WERE MINOR.

NOW, OFFICIALS WITH BRAUN SAY THE DAYTONA BEACH FACILITY WAS **NOT** SERIOUSLY IMPACTED BY MILTON… AND IT REOPENED FRIDAY.

THE I-V BAGS THAT WERE MOVED ARE BEING RETURNED TO THE FACILITY.

BAXTER STARTED LIMITING CUSTOMER ORDERS AFTER HELENE AND HEALTH SYSTEMS ALSO STARTED CONSERVING I-V FLUIDS AND DELAYING SOME NON-EMERGENCY SURGERIES THAT WOULD REQUIRE IT.

THE DAYTONA BEACH SITE IS A KEY PART OF THE PLAN TO ADDRESS THE I-V FLUID SHORTAGE.

BRAUN ALSO SAID IT IS INCREASING PRODUCTION AT ITS FACTORY IN IRVINE, CALIFORNIA.