The disaster plan for Troy Regional Medical Center is in place and the hospital will be staffed and ready to meet any emergency situations that arise from or during Hurricane Ivan's push through the county.

Jennifer Ventress, chief nursing officer, said the people of Pike County can rest easy knowing that

their medical needs can and will be met.

"Our disaster plan is in place and we are attending meetings

with the Pike County Emergency Management Agency twice a day to keep up with the situation," she said. "We have medical and hospital staff members who will be on duty at the hospital 24-hours a day from four to six days if necessary.

"Our ER will be up and running and surgeons will be among those sleeping in the building in case of emergencies."

Ventress said any emergency situations will be handled as long as the hospital can accept patients.

"But, we don't anticipate that we will not be able to accept patients

through all of this,&uot; she said. As of mid-morning Wednesday, the hospital census was at 31.