Hunterdon Health Receives $3 Million From State of New Jersey to Build Emergency Management Facility

Hunterdon Health was awarded $3 million from the State of New Jersey to build a center for emergency management that will support every resident in Hunterdon County.  The resources were awarded from the State’s Federal Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Funds with support from Senator Andrew Zwicker and Assemblyman Roy Freiman who have long advocated for local health care resources and are pleased to see the funding.

The facility will be approximately 13,100 square feet and will be located directly north of Hunterdon Medical Center on Wescott Drive, Flemington.  During a serious event such as a natural disaster, the facility will act as a hub to manage emergency operations, and coordinate and deliver resources to incident sites.  Due to its size, the facility will also be able to act as a field hospital unit, a point of distribution, or a shelter.  When not utilized to address an emerging crisis, it is expected that the building will store emergency supplies for Hunterdon Medical Center including beds, medical equipment, emergency response equipment such as inflatables, decontamination equipment, and personal protective equipment.

Pat Gavin, President and CEO of Hunterdon Health stated “We’re grateful that Senator Zwicker and Assemblyman Freiman understood the need in Hunterdon County.  With these funds we will be able to build a state-of-the-art facility that will have an impact for every resident in Hunterdon County in a time of need.”

Senator Andrew Zwicker stated “With this new facility, Hunterdon County will be prepared for the next natural disaster, be able to more easily address the needs of residents, and make our community safer.”

“The past several years have taught us the importance of investing in our public health infrastructure to ensure we are prepared for any challenge that comes our way. From the COVID-19 pandemic to Hurricane Ida, recent events have hit our region hard showing how important it is to coordinate an immediate and robust community response to protect our friends and neighbors,” said Assemblyman Roy Freiman. “Funding awarded to Hunterdon Health will bolster our region’s response to emerging crises, enabling the medical center to better serve the county’s 130,000 residents. I’m confident that this investment will help keep our communities safe.”

State funding in addition to Hunterdon Health’s significant investment will provide a vital facility in the heart of the county.  Tentative plans for the facility have been prepared in the event funding was approved.  With the funding now secured, Hunterdon Health will immediately move toward the next step with the anticipation that the facility will be operational in 2024.

To learn more about Hunterdon Health, visit www.hunterdonhealth.org.

Pictured above: Front row: Assemblyman Roy Freiman, Patrick Gavin, President and CEO, Hunterdon Health,Senator Andrew Zwicker.

Back row: Chris Hunt, Administrative Director, Support Services & Healthcare System Safety Officer, Kristy Alfano, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Hunterdon Medical Center,  Phil Beekman, Senior Vice President, Hunterdon Health Foundation,  Steve Aluotto, Architect with NK Architects, Chris Ryan, Director, Mobile Intensive Care Unit, Hunterdon Medical Center.