Maintenance Department
Ashe Memorial Hospital’s Maintenance Department staff works hard to make sure the hospital and its facilities are in top shape when it comes to building repairs, mechanical and electrical systems, grounds-keeping, and a myriad of other behind-the-scenes services. “We do the stuff people don’t see, like heat and ventilation, making sure the air is clean, keeping temperatures and humidity regulated. We keep all the utility systems working, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, etc.,” explains Johnny Speaks, Maintenance Director for the department. He’s been in the department for 25 years.
“We maintain generators to keep power in case of power outages. We maintain boilers for heating and air conditioning for cooling. We maintain equipment for all the departments throughout the hospital. Equipment such as beds, TVs, dietary equipment, housekeeping equipment, etc. We maintain life safety equipment in the hospital, such as fire alarms, sprinkler system, and smoke dampers to make sure building is safe for patients and staff. People don’t realize how much equipment is in a place like this. And then we do minor repairs. If someone’s got a screw loose or a door squeaking, we fix it.”
The grounds of the Hospital, Segraves Care Center, and Mountain Hearts Center for Prevention and Wellness are maintained by the maintenance staff through tasks such as handling snow removal, landscaping, and mulching. Building integrity of roofs, walls, sidewalks, and helicopter landing pad are maintained by the maintenance staff. Some of the services that are contracted to outside companies but overseen by maintenance include paving, elevator maintenance, bio-medical equipment, main chiller, parking lot snow removal, pest control, and medical waste removal.
Skills found among the maintenance department's six staff members include painting, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, and grounds keeping. “We’re a pretty well-rounded department,” Mr. Speaks says.
The Maintenance Director adds that there are a lot of rules and regulations governing maintenance of the hospital’s equipment. Everything is documented and forms are completed for regular inspections from various outside inspections agencies. “The equipment for patients, residents, and visitors must be good, so we make sure all equipment is working properly. We keep a clean, working facility with clean sidewalks and parking lots for a safe place for patients and visitors,” says Mr. Speaks.
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