WBAMC celebrates completion of sixth floor repairs
The long-awaited reopening is the culmination of 18 months of intense coordination and perseverance across numerous hospital departments. Teams from environmental services, facilities maintenance, and patient safety collaborated closely to rebuild and sanitize the clinical space. Since the water leak incident in March of 2025, the hospital continued to remain fully operational throughout the process, redirecting patients to other inpatient areas without delaying healthcare delivery or causing injuries.
Col. Wendy L. Gray, the hospital's commander, highlighted the collaborative spirit that made the reopening possible. "All of the team came together and our nursing teammates to ensure that not only were we moving back into a space, but it was a safe space," Gray said. "This is how we drive readiness."
Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Skaggs, the senior enlisted advisor, highlighted the importance of taking preventive measures. "Part of this project was also an assessment of the piping throughout the hospital, so we can get ahead of potential issues before they happen again," Skaggs said.
The initial incident occurred on Sunday, March 16, 2025, when a failed pipe fitting on the sixth floor caused water to flow onto subsequent levels, affecting elevators and stairwells. Following the immediate relocation of patients, facility engineers executed a comprehensive, multi-phase remediation plan to restore the safety and structural integrity of the clinical spaces. These proactive measures also included a thorough evaluation of the hospital's water systems to prevent any future catastrophic failures.
The Defense Health Agency funded the extensive reconstruction and safety evaluations, which took a little over a year to complete. These repairs underwent rigorous environmental testing and safety inspections to ensure the area met and exceeded Department of War, Joint Commission, and federal healthcare standards. With the sixth floor officially back in business, medical staff welcomed the first returning inpatient later that same day.
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