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Biloxi VA Medical Center Opens New Textile Processing Facility (Part 1)

Laundry services return to Gulf Coast VA decade after Hurricane Katrina

BILOXI, Miss. — The Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System (GCVHCS) hosted an open house in late January to unveil its new Textile Processing Facility here.

The facility located at the Biloxi VA Medical Center marks the first time since Hurricane Katrina destroyed the GCVHCS laundry facilities 10 years ago that the medical center is processing its own textiles, along with those from other facilities in the healthcare system and other military stations, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

“We are very excited about our new state-of-the-art, stand-alone textile care facility,” says Gabriele McAdory, chief of environmental management service for the GCVHCS.

The new facility, which also houses dietetic services, has the capability to process 10 million pounds a year.

“Our employees love this facility, and I am, as well as others, still in awe of its capability and operation,” says Anthony Gayden, laundry plant manager for the facility.

In 2004, the GCVHCS was comprised of two campuses in Mississippi: Biloxi VA Medical Center and Gulfport VA Medical Center.

The two campuses had been in operation since the 1930s, but by 2004, plans were in place to expand and combine the campuses as part of VA’s Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) program.

Then, on Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, and a tidal surge destroyed the Gulfport VA Medical Center.

The destruction included the laundry that processed millions of pounds of soiled goods for the hospital and military stations in the area.

The medical services were immediately transferred to the Biloxi site, which had only sustained minor damage. Laundry services had to be handled miles away.

“It was problematic, we had to send our employees and laundry to Tuscaloosa initially so that it could be processed, then to Houston where laundry was processed until our new facility was rebuilt,” says McAdory. “We had to arrange transportation through the contracted services of Glory Enterprises, utilizing trailers to house and store soiled and cleaned linen.”

The plan to combine the campuses was accelerated, according to the VA, and master planning and development jump-started for a major clinical addition, blind rehabilitation center, mental health unit, community living center, and support facilities consisting of a laundry and dietetics building, a parking garage and a utility plant.

The clinical addition, blind rehabilitation center, mental health unit and community living center opened in 2011 and 2012.

Now, the support facilities, including the new laundry, are opening to help serve the more than 60,000 veterans along the Alabama and Mississippi Gulf Coast, and the Florida Panhandle, the VA says.

PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION

After the storm, the consolidation project received a lot of attention from congressional leaders and the VA Central Office, says Jay Tripp, chief engineer of the center. 

“We began design and construction of buildings that would replace what was lost in Gulfport but at first, the plans did not include a new laundry in Biloxi,” he says. “Our mission is to provide healthcare services for veterans and replacing the infrastructure to do so was at the forefront of the project. However, after many of the new buildings were completed and utility upgrades were in place, it became apparent that there would be enough money to support a new laundry.”

Tripp says that strategically for the VA, a new laundry was a great fit because of the laundry service needs of the new VA hospital in New Orleans, cost avoidance of shipping Biloxi’s laundry and flexibility for the region in emergency situations like the tornadoes in north Mississippi. Also, the Biloxi campus had the land for a laundry facility, including enough space to accommodate loading docks and driveways for big haulers. 

“Many meetings with contractors and engineers took place that determined a facility should be built with energy efficiency, reduced maintenance and quality improvement savings to VHA,” McAdory says. “Our employees have been very conscientious, working closely with vendors and contractors to determine which machines and systems would be most beneficial, effective and efficient for our customers.”

Gayden says the new laundry facility utilizes a state-of-the-art steamless processing center.

“The steamless technology laundry equipment will reduce the building’s energy and water consumption,” he says. “I was not working for the VA system prior to Hurricane Katrina, but I understand that they are not close in comparison.”

Western State Design (WSD) designed the interior of the laundry, and partnered with R.W. Martin & Sons on the laundry build.

The overall project, which includes the laundry and dietetic services, was constructed by Roy Anderson Corp., Gulfport, Miss., which earned a National Excellence in Construction Pyramid Award from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) in the Federal Government $10-$100 Million Category.

All of the employees assigned to the processing facility, including Gayden, had no experience in laundry processing, he admits. Still, after just one week of training, the facility was processing its own laundry.

“This system is so automated, basic computer training is a must for all employees,” says Gayden.

The Textile Processing Facility has been designated as the training facility for all prospective laundry managers within the VA system, he adds.

Check back Thursday to read about the equipment installed in the new facility.

cleansoilbarrier web

Attendees at the Biloxi VA Medical Center Textile Processing Facility open house toured the delivery area and saw the clean/soil barrier. (Photo: Erik Bakko/Biloxi VA Medical Center)

Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].