Photo: Suzanne Sausville
NORWOOD, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio)—It's been 15 months since Norwood Hospital had to close due to flooding, and patients and staff aren't the only ones facing the impacts from its closure.
Emergency workers in Norwood are faced with multiple issues as they try to make up for the hospital's shut down after a June 2020 storm caused major damage to the building. Norwood Fire Chief David Hayes told WBZ's Suzanne Sauzville (@wbzSausville) the closure has a big impact on his budget.
"Unfortunately my budget was set up to deal with a hospital in town," Hayes said.
The Norwood Fire Department originally spent around $300 a month on fuel, Hayes said. Now that their ambulances have to transport patients to hospitals outside of Norwood, the costs are up to $1,500 a month.
Read More: Study Finds Greater Boston Area At High Risk For Future Flood Damage
The closure also impacted the time it takes for them to get patients to the hospital.
"The ambulance rides are probably taking three to four times as long as they used to run here in Norwood and that's being probably kind," Hayes said. "Many times it's an hour or hour and a half before we turn our truck around and have it back."
Hayes said he was supposed to hear back from the hospital's owners about their plans to demolish and rebuild the facility, but has not heard from them in months. He said he's worried about having to ask the town for more money.
"They're going to get real tired of me asking for more money," Hayes said.
WBZ's Suzanne Sauzville (@wbzSausville) has more.
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