MEMORANDUM

August 26, 2011

To: North Shore-LIJ Patients and Family Members

From: Mark Solazzo
Executive VP and Chief Operating Officer
North Shore-LIJ Health System

Re: Hurricane Irene

As you all know, Hurricane Irene is bearing down on the New York metropolitan area and is expected to make landfall Saturday night. To ensure the safety of patients, family members and employees in our hospitals, we have begun a partial evacuation of patients from three of our facilities: the two campuses of Staten Island University Hospital and Southside Hospital in Bay Shore.

Patients and family members should rest assured that this evacuation process will be orderly and safe. We are encouraging all non-acute care patients to go home in advance of the storm. All other patients will be transferred and transported with appropriate clinical staff to other North Shore-LIJ hospitals and other facilities, ensuring that their medical conditions will be closely monitored and addressed.

Family members, friends and other loved ones who want to check on the condition or location of a patient can call 855-IRENE 99 or 855-473-6399.

We appreciate your patience and understanding during this emergency. I want to reassure you that we are extremely well-trained and prepared to response to any and all emergencies. And while Hurricane Irene certainly will pose a number of challenges, we are confident in our ability to respond.