Hurricane Helen hit the Big Bend area of Florida as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph. 22 deaths have been reported so far. Although widespread flooding has occurred, including the densely populated cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg, Tampa General Hospital, located along Tampa Bay, has managed to escape flooding.
This is due to a 5 to 10 foot high barrier known as the Aquafence that has been talked about on several platforms as it appears to protect the only Level 1 trauma center in the area.
as #HurricaneHelen TGH’s Aquafence continues to stand strong. The watertight barrier is designed to withstand storm surges of up to 15 feet. We have weathered multiple rainy days to prevent rainwater from impacting hospital operations. #WeAreTGH #stormwatch pic.twitter.com/papsd6oPg2
— Tampa General Hospital (@TGHCares) September 27, 2024
AquaFence was founded in 1999 and has offices in Norway and New Jersey. According to the company’s website, its systems “protect more than $30 billion in real estate in the U.S. alone,” including everything from hotels to gas stations to Shake Shack.
This product is designed to be quick and (fairly) easy to install. In 2023, Aquafence USA President Thomas Briedis told local station WTSP Tampa 10 that a 100-foot aquafence could be installed in 30 minutes.
“It’s like a laptop, folded together,” he said. “You take it out of the wooden box and put it down, and it folds open.”
Bridis also said the company is working on a residential aquafence, which would cost about $20,000. The barrier is designed to protect against Category 5 hurricanes.
“We are very confident in this system. It has been thoroughly tested,” Briedis told the outlet.
