The Lehigh Valley Hospital-Dickson City emergency room is aiming to reopen this Friday, Gov. Josh Shapiro and other elected officials said today.
The hospital remains closed after fire destroyed the facility's orthopedic institute last Wednesday night.
Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Heath, did not immediately respond to a request to verify the Friday reopening date target.
“The hospital can't open unless the Department of Health certifies that it is safe to reopen,” Shapiro said during an appearance Tuesday at the Dickson City Fire Department.
“And so we're working with them, hand-in-glove to make sure that we are not holding the process up, but we're working together with them to move quickly. I can assure the public that this hospital will not be reopened until it is safe for people to work in and safe for people to go there for care. I know that Friday is their deadline, and we're going to be doing everything in our power to work with them to meet that deadline.”
Shapiro joined first responders and local lawmakers at the Dickson City Fire Department to praise the efforts of first responders during the blaze, as well as to promote his administration's financial support for Pennsylvania's first responders.
Dickson City Mayor Robert MacCallum, Dickson City Fire Chief Rich Chowanec and state Rep. Bridget Kosierowski (D-Lackawanna), who assisted first responders in calming patients who were being transferred to other facilities during the fire, echoed the Friday target date for reopening.
“Hopefully that hospital may open on Friday,” Kosierowski said. “Emergency room care is essential. I am grateful for all of the work that has been done by the the engineers that are there now, by the people that are making that place, you know, spic and span, to be open, to be able to see patients. We are really grateful for you.”
Engineers confirmed that the hospital building remains structurally sound, hospital officials said in a statement released Saturday, "with significant damage contained to the Medical Office Building."
In the meanwhile the hospital's staff continue to get paid, officials say, and they have set up an FAQ page on the hospital website for patients with questions about care.
There has been no word yet on a potential cause. Efforts to reach a spokesperson for the state police fire marshal's office were not successful.
Flames tore through the hospital's orthopedics wing late Wednesday night. No injuries were reported, but 77 patients — six of whom were in intensive care — were evacuated.
Geisinger hospitals accepted 13 patients — 12 at Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton and one at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Twp, health system spokesman Matt Mattei said last Thursday.
"As of 1:45 p.m. Feb. 10, Geisinger Community Medical Center is caring for one patient associated with the incident at Lehigh Valley Hospital – Dickson City, and Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center is caring for one patient. One patient is in good condition, and one is in fair condition," Mattei said in a statement today.
Shapiro expresses gratitude toward first responders
As Mayor MacCallum began to speak, a call came through the station’s intercom. The firefighters in the audience immediately left their chairs and dressed in their fire gear. They ran out of the building and into the fire truck, which left the station just minutes after the call came through.
“You just had the chance to witness that the buzzer went off and they ran toward danger, not knowing what was ahead. And so I just want to say thank you to them for that work every day,” Shapiro said.
Shapiro said he fully realized the bravery of first responders after his own emergency situation last April.
“When an arsonist attacked me and my family while we slept at the governor's residence, I had the opportunity to witness firsthand, together with my wife Lori and our four children, your heroism,” Shapiro said. “As we were being rushed out, you were rushing in, I realized it was brothers and sisters that wear a slightly different uniform than you, but together, you all share that same spirit and commitment to service and others.”
Chowanec echoed that gratitude to his crew, citing the no lost lives or injuries from the fire.
“We pulled off the impossible last week,” he said.
The governor also praised first responders’ ability to contain the fire to the orthopedic institute.
“They were able to protect the hospital from everything other than smoke and water damage, which enables us to now be in a place to potentially get this reopened on Friday,” Shapiro said.
State support for fire departments
Shapiro also discussed his administration's financial support for first responders.
“I wanted to be here today to highlight your service and to announce an additional $37 million that my administration is releasing today to fire companies all across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and to note, the Dickson City Fire is getting over $16,000 of that money directly right here,” Shapiro said.
He also highlighted a $30 million grant fund in his recently announced $53.3 billion 2026-27 budget proposal. He said it was also included in last year’s budget proposal but never passed the legislature.
“I proposed, again, for the consideration of lawmakers, a $30 million competitive grant fund for fire departments that need additional help, additional support,” she said.
Chowanec thanked the governor for the investment into first responders. He said the money will be put to good use, as fire trucks are estimated to cost $1.2 million.
“We can't flip enough chickens to buy a piece of fire apparatus. That's where this funding comes into play. It's very, very vital to the fire service in the state of Pennsylvania to keep this funding coming,” Chowanec said.
