Blowing Rock Hospital Receives Major Grant From Rural Health Care

Christmas came early for Blowing Rock Hospital in 2006 in the form of a $92,289 grant from the North Carolina Office of Rural Health and Community Care in order to update the hospital’s fire detection and suppression system.
Blowing Rock Hospital will use these funds to replace its fire detection system throughout the hospital and the fire suppression system in the kitchen. The work should be completed by May 31st, 2007.
Blowing Rock Hospital was one of five critical access hospitals to be awarded money from the State of North Carolina’s Rural Hospitals Operations Grant for facility and life safety needs. The grant was part of a $3,000,000 grant program for rural hospitals that was passed by the state legislature in the 2007 fiscal year state budget. Non-profit and government-owned hospitals with less than 200 beds were eligible.
According to Alice Salthouse, CEO and Administrator of Blowing Rock Hospital, “The new fire detection and alarm system will afford new technology that adds to safety measures already in place.” Jeffrey Prewitt, Director of Quality Excellence and Preparedness, oversees risk management at the hospital. Jeffrey says, “This upgrade should help keep our staff and patients safe for many years to come. We are indeed fortunate and thankful to receive this funding.”
Blowing Rock Hospital is an independent, nonprofit community hospital owned by the citizens of Blowing Rock.