Ready. Prep. Go!

Water, Water Everywhere


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Water: It’s essential to life, but it can also cause devastation during severe weather.  Brooke Gunderson, BSN, RN recounts the overwhelming flooding and infrastructure failure that she experienced as an emergency room nurse during Hurricane Helene in Boone, North Carolina.  The extreme conditions, which included the loss of power and water, forced families and the health care providers to improvise just to meet basic needs.  In the aftermath, the experience reshaped her perspective on preparedness, resilience, and the importance of community during disasters. 

Brooke Gunderson, BSN, RN is an emergency room nurse, mother of two daughters, and wife to a Sports Medicine physician. She now lives in Cookeville, Tennessee after recently relocating from Boone, North Carolina, where she witnessed the impact of Hurricane Helene as it moved through the Appalachian community. 

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Ready. Prep. Go!By Pediatric Pandemic Network