Tampa General builds ‘AquaFence’ as area hospitals brace for Helene
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TAMPA — The barrier stands between 5 and 10 feet high. It’s sealed to the ground, secured with metal anchors and completely surrounds the grounds of Tampa General Hospital. The AquaFence, as it’s known, looks similar to the barricades that stand at construction sites. It acts as a kind of force field, designed to protect the hospital — the region’s only Level 1 trauma center — from storm surge and flooding. Personnel at Tampa General worked Tuesday and Wednesday to install the AquaFence in preparation for Hurricane Helene.