Orlando Health has been under fire for its decision to close Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital but it was the hospital's previous owner that let it fall into disrepair took over the former Wuesthoff Rockledge hospital in 2017 The Rockledge  hospital was opened as a 10-bed the company had to sue to the hospital to try to get it to pay the nearly $1 million the months-long effort cost The hospital corporation had also faced lawsuits filed by other Brevard County vendors over non-payment for tens of thousands of dollars owed for services ranging from construction work to lawn care The company's problems weren't limited to Brevard The epicenter of concerns around Steward was the Massachusetts-based company's home state where lawmakers and other elected officials in recent years had gone as far as asking them to leave altogether as a result of their financial troubles and worries over patient care Steward accumulated $50 million in outstanding bills and was sued by multiple vendors Maura Healey in 2022 called Steward Health Care a “charade” and a “house of cards” in the Boston Herald and the Boston Globe She went as far as to tell the for-profit healthcare provider to leave the state altogether and find other providers to take over their facilities Steward filed for bankruptcy in May 2024. Orlando Health said it has no plans to close those hospitals Andrea Hardeman Brown remembers being 18 years old and getting her first hospital job at Rockledge Hospital “It was large enough to be efficient for high acuity patients but it was small enough to still have the feel of a community hospital where everybody knew your name,” Brown said works as a clinical liaison for Kindred Hospital in Melbourne her work brought her into Rockledge Hospital Rockledge Hospital and its Emergency Room were closed," according to Orlando Health's website Brown says the loss of the hospital leaves a void sure to be felt throughout all of Brevard for the foreseeable future "I want to make mention of the absolute devastation that the closing of the hospital is going to cause the community of Rockledge We're not going to be able to get an ambulance out there (quickly.)" deputy fire chief for the Rockledge Fire Department and this is the single biggest challenge that I've faced,” Wilson said “There's no training manual on how to adapt and overcome when you lose your local receiving facility.” RFD and the Brevard County Fire Rescue have been training together using systems to exchange patient information quickly when RFD is first on a scene and BCFR arrives for emergency transport It’s all been prep for Rockledge’s closure which Orlando Health announced in February Orlando Health purchased Rockledge Hospital – as well as the hospitals formerly known as Sebastian River Medical Center and Melbourne Regional Medical Center – last October from Steward Health Care after it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy “These acquisitions offer a new day in healthcare for residents of these communities,” said Ohme Entin in an October press release announcing the acquisition “History has shown that when Orlando Health expands into new communities the quality of healthcare increases and the communities benefit.” “Prior to acquiring Rockledge Hospital, (Orlando Health) was aware that years of neglect had left the facility in such poor condition that it did not meet the system’s standards for patient care environments,” said Orlando Health on a webpage published this year titled “Rockledge Hospital Prepares to Close.”  The hospital chain said it purchased the hospital to avoid the facility’s immediate closure following Steward’s bankruptcy “Following in-depth inspections that could only occur after acquisition it was determined that the cost to repair and renovate Rockledge Hospital far exceeds the cost of a new state-of-the-art hospital,” Orlando Health said According to a 2024 assessment by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Rockledge “failed to ensure ongoing preventative maintenance to ensure patient care equipment remained in safe operating conditions.” The report also notes that multiple rooms were closed due to maintenance concerns and that the bathrooms and AC units were not working Orlando Health released images from inside the hospital depicting black mold covering basement walls None of the photos released showed patient rooms or staff working stations the news to close the 84-year-old hospital was not received well by local leaders “It's a betrayal to the community,” said Rockledge Mayor Thomas Price “It was very crucial when 60 to 70,000 people were depending on that facility for their hospital and their emergency room.” but its emergency department was also used by the neighboring Cocoa Beach He added that following the Steward’s mistreatment of the property the community was overjoyed when Orlando Health announced it was buying Rockledge “We were very excited about Orlando Health and because of their reputation and their presence in Central Florida and we thought it was going to be a really great thing for our city,” Price said Price said he learned of the closure an hour before the news was made public the city asked Orlando Health to consider staying open until a facility could be built nearby to absorb patients but let's put this thing out a year to two years down the road so we can be ready for what else we're going to do Orlando Health stated in a press release that the construction of another facility could take years “which is longer than our experts feel Rockledge Hospital can realistically remain open.” Orlando Health stated there were plans to build a new facility and that over the next four years it would be spending an excess of $750 million on a new hospital Orlando Health has yet to say where in Brevard County the hospital will be the community faces more immediate problems such as longer ambulance rides to the closest neighboring hospital EMS was able to transport patients via ambulance from any point in Rockledge to the hospital in about eight minutes The national standard is about nine minutes the closest Brevard hospitals to Rockledge Hospital are in Cape Canaveral and Melbourne Wilson says transport times will double or even triple “Is it ideal that instead of a patient going five minutes to an emergency room While longer transport times are concerning Wilson is also thinking about “wall time,” or the time it takes the emergency room staff to take the patient away from the rescue or ambulance and put that rescue ambulance back into service “That's one factor we cannot control,” he said.”It's going to end up trickling down into potential delays in response times to scenes.” Wilson said BCFR began bolstering its own ambulance fleet earlier this month after partnering with Coastal Ambulance System to provide non-life-threatening patient transportation to area hospitals But the concerns don’t end with fear over longer transport and call response times a professor and chair of Health Services Research and Policy at the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions “It also basically drives physicians out of the community that may have practiced at that hospital Revere said the loss of a central hub for primary care physicians and specialists would mean people have less access to preventative care and that it will likely exacerbate illnesses “Heart disease or diabetes patients; they need to see these specialists or at least primary care routinely,” Revere said According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services including primary care physicians and specialty doctors you're in more need of emergency medical services,” Revere said and aren't preventing some of these more acute illnesses from getting really high-level.” And then there are the surrounding hospitals that are forced to pick up the slack in Rockledge’s absence Rockledge Hospital received 8,000 patients via ambulance transport a year What’s also concerning to Andrea Hardeman Brown is that Rockledge was one of the larger ICUs in the area with 24 beds she works with multiple hospital ICUs in the Brevard area “( Rockledge) was the largest ICU that I handled which has 12 beds I cover the Viera Hospital that has 20 beds,” she said “We are losing 24 Intensive Care Unit beds which operates several hospitals out of Brevard said it is prepared to step up while there is a void in Rockledge The hospital network also announced its plans to accelerate the construction of a freestanding emergency department in Rockledge – about eight minutes south of the Rockledge Hospital “We’ve been planning to grow our emergency care network and the timing could not be more critical for us to accelerate our plans Our neighbors can count on us to step up and deliver the right care at the right time,” said Health First President and CEO Terry Forde in a press release The announcement did not give an exact date for the project's completion Deputy Fire Chief Wilson is focused on keeping his team focused on saving lives “There have been times at Cape Canaveral hospital when we had a Category one or a Category two (storm) off the coast And they were always evacuated to the Rockledge Hospital,” he said we’re trying to adapt and to overcome in this enormously challenging time.” Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — Dozens held a rally Friday protesting the closing of Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital The hospital system announced in late February it would shut it down its newly-purchased facility and build a new regional hospital in the future But many are concerned about response times If this hospital closes without a replacement it is nearly 20 minutes to the nearest one It is that and employees like doctors and nurses who feel blindsided since the hospital was taken over just months ago She says her husband Ted owes the doctors and nurses here his life After an eight-minute ride they got to Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital She says the care he received was excellent “He wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for this hospital and our first responders got to him quickly and were able to get him back here quickly,” Hartselle said Orlando Health says it was aware of the poor condition of the former Rockledge hospital and knew the facility was not able to meet their system’s standards in caring for patients it agreed to also purchase two other hospitals in Melbourne and Sebastian in an effort to avoid closing Rockledge right away Orlando Health determined the cost to repair and renovate exceeded the costs of a new state of the art hospital Orlando Health will be holding career fairs and working to relocate to the more than 3,000 positions available in the system But for nurses like 16-year veteran Nora George this situation has been a hard pill to swallow and then they kind of pulled the rug out from under us,” George says Hartselle is concerned if another medical issue happens to her husband Rockledge Hospital is set to close at 11:59 pm Tuesday April 22 ROCKLEDGE Brevard County’s oldest city will no longer have its own hospital which has the second-busiest ER in the county — will close its doors for good I think that is going to be very difficult for the residents of the area because our choices are now limited,” said Nicky Kaufmann who lives nearby The sudden decision by the hospital’s owner One county commissioner said people could die Orlando Health shared photos inside Rockledge Hospital where it said the conditions are too dangerous to remain open Pictures showed mold underneath the emergency room ICU nurse Matt Price told News 6 reporter James Sparvero the building should stand Orlando Health bought the hospital from Steward Health Care just six months ago “This hospital was certified before the sale or they wouldn’t have been able to buy it,” Price said Corrective action was already taken before the sale.” Orlando Health does have plans for a future health facility in Brevard County Renderings were released of a full-size hospital and also a hospital that just has an ER has picked a future location for a freestanding ER in Brevard It’ll be in Rockledge right here at Fiske Boulevard and Roy Wall Boulevard Health First already has office space there It’s at least a couple of years away from opening along with a new full-size hospital in Merritt Island Lance Skelly with Health First public and media relations said he expected that once Rockledge Hospital closed patients would see longer wait times at other hospitals in the county so there are things that we are looking at from a temporary situation and a long-term solution,” Skelly said A statement from Health First Monday touched more on continuing to meet the community’s needs As Brevard prepares for the closure of Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital we want to reassure our community that our emergency response system remains strong and we are committed to meeting our community’s needs While it is too soon to track or share numbers we are undoubtedly seeing an increase in patient volumes at all four of our Health First hospitals and Emergency Departments  adding to what has already been a very busy winter and early spring - and the rise in things like flu RSV and Covid cases we typically see this time of the year We can certainly understand the frustration felt by our patients and our community during this unexpected and challenging time This unified EMS system has reliably served Brevard and will continue to deliver the right care We understand the uncertainty our entire community is facing it’s crucial to do more than make promises. That’s why Health First is focused on action This is all work that requires extensive planning and various approvals – ensuring the highest level of care and safety for our patients We are facing a complex challenge in Brevard County But our incredibly dedicated and hard-working nurses physicians and associates continue to show up each day with the same goal and mission of providing compassionate care to our community We could not be more proud of - or thankful for - their commitment to our community We’ll absolutely continue to share updates with our community as we take real steps to strengthen emergency care and ensure our community can rely on a fast Copyright 2025 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved James joined News 6 in March 2016 as the Brevard County Reporter His arrival was the realization of a three-year effort to return to the state where his career began PA and graduated from Penn State in 2009 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us / Follow on Social Media Careers at WKMG Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications EEO Report Disability Assistance Copyright © 2025 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group "It was large enough to be efficient for high-acuity patients but it was small enough to still have the feel of a community hospital where everybody knew your name," Brown said now works as a clinical liaison for Kindred Hospital in Melbourne though until recently her work brought her into Rockledge Hospital which it bought during Steward Health Care’s drawn-out bankruptcy last year Rockledge Hospital and its Emergency Room were closed," Orlando Health posted on its website Brown says the loss of the hospital leaves a void sure to be felt throughout all of Brevard County for the foreseeable future and this is the single biggest challenge that I've faced," Wilson said "There's no training manual on how to adapt and overcome when you lose your local receiving facility." His agency and the Brevard County Fire Rescue have been training together using systems to exchange patient information quickly when Rockledge personnel are first on a scene and Brevard’s arrives for emergency transport It's all been prep for Rockledge's anticipated closure Orlando Health purchased Rockledge Hospital – as well as the hospitals formerly known as Sebastian River Medical Center and Melbourne Regional Medical Center – for $439 million last October in Steward’s Chapter 11 filing "Prior to acquiring Rockledge Hospital, (Orlando Health) was aware that years of neglect had left the facility in such poor condition that it did not meet the system's standards for patient care environments," Orlando Health wrote on its webpage The hospital chain said it purchased the hospital to avoid the facility's immediate closure due to Steward's bankruptcy "Following in-depth inspections that could only occur after acquisition state-of-the-art hospital," Orlando Health said Rockledge "failed to ensure ongoing preventive maintenance to ensure patient care equipment remained in safe operating conditions." The report also notes that multiple rooms were closed due to maintenance concerns and that the bathrooms and air-conditioning units were not working structural issues and corroded sanitation lines "It's a betrayal to the community," said Rockledge Mayor Thomas Price "It was very crucial when 60,000 to 70,000 people were depending on that facility for their hospital and their emergency room." but its emergency department was also used by neighboring Cocoa Beach He added that following Steward's mistreatment of the property the community was overjoyed when Orlando Health announced it was buying Rockledge Hospital "We were very excited about Orlando Health and because of their reputation and their presence in Central Florida already in the Orlando area we thought it was going to be a really great thing for our city," Price said Orlando Health stated there were plans over the next four years to spend more than $750 million to build a hospital central and south Brevard) and physician offices Orlando Health has yet to say where in Brevard the new hospital would go Emergency medical technicians were able to transport patients via ambulance from any point in Rockledge to the hospital in about eight minutes the closest Brevard hospitals are in Cape Canaveral and Melbourne "Is it ideal that instead of a patient going five minutes to an emergency room Wilson is also thinking about "wall time," or the time an emergency room staff needs to take the patient and allow the ambulance back into service "That's one factor we cannot control," he said "It's going to end up trickling down into potential delays in response times to scenes." Wilson said Brevard County Fire Rescue began bolstering its ambulance fleet this month by partnering with Coastal Ambulance System to provide nonlife-threatening patient transportation to area hospitals But the worries don't end with fear over longer transport and response times a professor of public health at the University of Florida "It also basically drives physicians out of the community that may have practiced at that hospital; then you kind of have a tripling effect." Revere said the loss of a central hub for primary care physicians and specialists would mean people have less access to preventative care they need to see these specialists or at least primary care routinely," Revere said Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services there were 283 primary care physicians and specialty doctors associated with Rockledge you're in more need of emergency medical services," she said and it's expensive treatment as people get more severe and aren't preventing some of these more acute illnesses from getting really high-level." And then there are the surrounding hospitals that are forced to pick up the slack Rockledge Hospital received about 8,000 patients annually via ambulance Brown added that Rockledge had one of the large intensive care units in the region with 24 beds "(Rockledge) was the largest ICU that I handled I cover the Viera Hospital that has 20 beds," she said "We are losing 24 intensive care unit beds which operates several hospitals in the Brevard area said it is prepared to step up while there is a void The network also announced plans to accelerate construction of a freestanding emergency department about eight minutes south of Rockledge Hospital Health First did not give a date for the project's completion Wilson is keeping his fire rescue team focused on saving lives "There have been times at Cape Canaveral Hospital when we had a Category 1 or a Category 2 (hurricane) off the coast and possibly coming into Brevard And they were always evacuated to the Rockledge Hospital," he said we're trying to adapt and to overcome in this enormously challenging time." Copyright 2025 Central Florida Public Media which bought Rockledge Hospital out of bankruptcy from Steward Health Care in October said repairing the once bat-infested facility would be too costly Orlando Health purchased Rockledge Hospital — then called Rockledge Regional Medical Center — from Steward in addition to hospitals in Melbourne and Sebastian River Orlando said it found severe systems failures after the deal closed It would now be unsafe to keep Rockledge open Orlando plans to close Rockledge as it builds a new facility and may begin to wind down some services at Rockledge prior to April 22 “This decision is necessary to ensure the safety of patients and team members," Orlando Health said in a statement All staff in good standing will be guaranteed positions elsewhere at Orlando Health but some roles might require commuting or relocation The health system currently has over 3,000 open roles Orlando Health plans to demolish Rockledge once it closes and sell the land The system is still evaluating how to use its outpatient properties Stakeholders have raised concerns about conditions at the hospital for years, including broken or unavailable equipment and a bat infestation in 2022 she told the federal court overseeing Steward’s bankruptcy there were “visible HVAC and plumbing” issues Goodman has previously served as a patient ombudsman in more than 60 healthcare bankruptcies she was troubled by the conditions at Rockledge calling the longstanding unaddressed issues at the hospital “unprecedented” in a July report to the court Multiple labs had resorted to using spot coolers for HVAC needs and plumbing issues had shut down restrooms and disrupted kitchen activities Goodman also found multiple elevators were out of service — an issue so common The American Prospect reported workers would joke about whether there was a statue of limitations on filling a work order to get an elevator fixed Workers’ views toward Steward ranged from “skepticism at best to disdain at worst,” Goodman said Rockledge is the fourth hospital previously owned by Steward to permanently close after Steward filed for bankruptcy in May. Steward closed Massachusetts-based Carney and Nashoba Valley Medical Center at the end of August and officially shuttered Norwood — which had not operated for years due to flooding — in November The system cited a lack of qualifed buyers as the reason for closing the three facilities Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts Kennedy's views on vaccines in particular are causing alarm among some physicians and investors Regulators’ assessment of customer support centers has spurred recent lawsuits from insurers But the metric “is going to have a smaller weighting on star ratings moving forward,” the director of Medicare said The free newsletter covering the top industry headlines Rockledge will lose a hospital that has been part of the city's landscape since 1941 Orlando Health's decision to close its Rockledge Hospital — announced just four months after purchasing the hospital from Steward Health Care — has been met with anger and sadness from local residents as well as fears of a dangerous gap in medical coverage for the Central Brevard County communities the 298-bed hospital has served "I'm very disappointed in Orlando Health," Rockledge Mayor Tom Price said "We had very high hopes for Orlando Health," when the well-respected health care company acquired the Rockledge hospital from Steward Health Care on Oct 24 — only to see those hopes dashed when Orlando Health announced four months later that it would be closing the hospital "I think it's a shame that they are closing the hospital," said Pat Livingston "The impact on the community is going to be very far-reaching I just feel like we're left out in the cold." Orlando Health bought Rockledge Hospital in October as part of Steward Health Care's bankruptcy proceedings Orlando Health announced it was closing Rockledge Hospital on April 22 citing the hospital's poor physical condition that the company said made it unsafe for patients and staff Also included in the $439 million deal were Steward's 119-bed Melbourne Regional Medical Center (now known as Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital) and its 178-bed Sebastian River Medical Center in Sebastian (now known as Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital) and is doing major renovations at those facilities Orlando Health defends its decision to close Rockledge Hospital saying it was the only bidder for the three hospitals "they all likely would have been forced to close as a result of the bankruptcy" case involving Steward Parrish Healthcare President/CEO George Mikitarian is among those upset about the closing as well as drive up the cost of health care Orlando Health said it will spend more than $750 million over the next four years on expansions in Brevard That includes $600 million on a new hospital; $30 million each for three new stand-alone emergency departments in north central and south Brevard; and $60 million on new medical pavilions and other facilities and services — all at still-to-be-announced locations But Mikitarian dismisses those efforts as self-serving for Orlando Health In an email sent April 15 and addressed to community leaders Mikitarian said: "As a multibillion-dollar company lays off 900 employees while disrupting their lives and causing others to expend limited cash reserves to care for the people that Orlando Health is abandoning Orlando Health benefits by avoiding expenses in Rockledge only to then use those cash reserves to compete against those very same health care providers." Orlando Health says it is not laying off that many of its staff members noting that 429 of Rockledge Hospital's 940 employees accepted jobs elsewhere within the Orlando Health system and 39 others accepted Orlando Health's retirement package It also said Rockledge Hospital was profitable but couldn't stay open until a new Orlando Health hospital is built because of its safety issues Among the estimated $44 million in added costs to other health care providers and municipalities that Mikitarian cited in his email are expenses totaling $19.4 million for Titusville-based Parrish — $8.7 million for a proposed free-standing emergency department in Port St John and $10.7 million for the estimated added cost of the influx of patients to Parrish facilities who are uninsured Mikitarian contends that Orlando Health will "save substantial sum of money" by closing Rockledge Hospital then will build new medical facilities near other local health care companies' existing facilities "in order to reap substantial revenue." In reflecting on the imminent closing of Rockledge Hospital, Johnette Gindling, president and chief executive officer of the Space Coast Health Foundation “Area hospitals already are reporting increases in emergency-room visits and we expect there will be additional challenges as Rockledge Hospital completely ceases operations on April 22," Gindling said it’s going to take all of us to be part of the solution and many of our health care partners are stepping up with creative plans toward solutions And lawmakers in Tallahassee have noticed the hard work they’re doing for the Space Coast community "It's sad that the hospital is closing," said retired nurse Loretta Spalding who worked in the hospital's newborn nursery area from 1956 to 2009 Spalding was one of about 175 current and former hospital employees, former patients and other local residents who gathered at My Island Pancake House in Rockledge on April 17 for what was billed as a "Celebration of Life Day" for the hospital — five days before its closing Among the organizers of the event was Kelly Mardis — a co-owner of the restaurant with her husband Kelly Mardis also has worked as a registered nurse at Rockledge Hospital for the last 33 years intensive-care unit and heart catheterization lab Mardis will be staying with Orlando Health continuing as a registered nurse in her current position while some employees expressed sadness that the hospital is closing the get-together was a good day for hospital staff to meet up before they go their separate ways to jobs elsewhere at Orlando Health or at a different company a Satellite Beach resident who worked at the hospital since 1994 including in the emergency department and as a patient advocate But Beyer added that "I feel bad for the community" and its imminent loss of a hospital "So many people are going to be affected," said Rockledge resident Melanie Kaminski "I think it's a disservice to the community," said Kaminski who in the 1980s worked at medical offices affiliated with the hospital Orlando Health gave no indication to the public or hospital employees that it was considering closing it — and held a celebration at the hospital on the day the deal was completed to mark the change in ownership Orlando Health now says it "knew the Rockledge hospital was in bad condition but we didn’t know it was dangerous until we started opening walls and ceilings Orlando Health blames the hospital's previous owner, Steward, for the facility's problems. Orlando Health, for example, cited a Florida Agency for Health Care Administration report from a May 9 inspection that found that “the facility failed to ensure ongoing preventative maintenance to ensure patient care equipment remains in safe operating conditions.” Orlando Health also said mold mitigation experts recommended that people entering some parts of the building should wear full personal protective equipment it discovered that the cost to repair and renovate the Rockledge Hospital property far exceeds the cost of building a new "We’ve learned through inspections by professional architects and engineers that the facility and its systems — like electrical HVAC and plumbing — are failing," Orlando Health said in a statement "Construction of a new hospital within the region may take several years which is longer than our experts feel Rockledge Hospital can realistically remain open." "we attributed $0 dollar value to Rockledge Hospital" when purchasing it Brevard County Fire Rescue and Coastal Health Systems of Brevard are working together to develop procedures for handling 911 emergency medical calls The effort focuses on calls in which the cases are not of the severity level to require transport by BCFR crews of the patients to a hospital emergency room thus freeing up BCFR crews go back into service to handle more drastic emergencies Rockledge Hospital's emergency department stopped accepting patients being transported by ambulance on April 7 local urgent-care facilities will be handling more cases in which transports to a hospital emergency departments are not required reducing the potential overcrowding and long wait times at the hospital emergency departments Rockledge Deputy Fire Chief Jim Wilson said it's going as smooth as we hoped it would be." More long-term, Health First plans to open two stand-alone emergency departments — one in Rockledge and the other at a yet-to-be-announced location in South Brevard Health First also hopes to increase the capacity of at least some of its hospitals including within its emergency departments With Rockledge Hospital winding down its operations Health First's system director for public and media relations said patient volumes are increasing at all four Health First hospitals and emergency departments "We can certainly understand the frustration felt by our patients family members and our community during this unexpected and challenging time "We understand the uncertainty our entire community is facing and we are committed to meeting our community’s needs." Elective inpatient scheduled services at Rockledge Hospital ended March 14 The last day for outpatient scheduled services at Rockledge Hospital was March 28 Scheduled obstetrics baby deliveries ended March 30 The last day the hospital emergency department accepted patients arriving by ambulance was April 7 Hospital employees say the only thing still actively operating at the hospital in its final week is its emergency department — but only for patients not coming by ambulance — plus some functions tied to the emergency department Orlando Health is keeping its hospital employees who have not left for other jobs on the payroll even though the patient beds other than in the emergency department are unoccupied Walk-in emergency department patients at Rockledge Hospital are stabilized then transferred to another health care facility Employees describe being at the vast hospital without patients to care for as a somewhat lonely experience But they say they appreciate continuing to get paid until the official hospital closing date Orlando Health said it plans to demolish the facility which traces its roots to a 10-bed hospital that opened on that site in 1941 It said the hospital land will be sold for redevelopment and Orlando Health will continue to evaluate its other owned properties surrounding the hospital for future use However, Rockledge Mayor Price says the land is zoned for medical use, and the Rockledge City Council has no plans to approve rezoning it for other uses says he approached Orlando Health representatives with an idea of having a formal flag-lowering ceremony on April 22 to mark the end of operations for the hospital His idea was that the city would hold onto the American flag that flew outside the hospital for safe-keeping then raise it again at a ceremony at the site of the new Orlando Health hospital when it opens Wilson said Orlando Health declined the offer Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54 — Orlando Health has announced it is closing the hospital it purchased in Rockledge just months ago raw sewage leaks and structural damage left the facility unsalvageable Rockledge Hospital will be closing for good Tuesday but Orlando Health noted in a statement that if it hadn't purchased the bankrupt hospital in October 2024 According to information from Orlando Health the hospital was given a $0 value at the time of its purchase "following decades of neglect by previous owners." "Orlando Health knew the Rockledge Hospital was in bad condition but we didn't know it was dangerous until we started opening walls and ceilings post-acquisition," the company said in the statement Extensive mold was found covering the walls in the basement under the emergency room it was so bad that "we have received direction from mold mitigation experts that people entering some parts of the building should don full protective equipment." Information from Orlando Health also described numerous areas where sewer lines were so corroded that raw sewage was leaking into buildings And structural damage to one exterior wall was so severe that "it cannot be repaired." $60 million will also be spent to build medical pavilions physician practices and other facilities.  Health First announced in early April that a 13,000 square foot 12-bed free standing emergency department will be built at 33 South Fiske Boulevard 10 minutes from where Rockledge Hospital currently stands A southern Brevard site is also in the works our goal is to serve more citizens than the Rockledge Hospital was ever able or equipped to serve," the company said in a statement.   Orlando Health did not release any information on when or where the new facilities will be built Hospital employees have said they felt blindsided by the closure considering Orlando Health only purchased the hospital a few months ago And patients have expressed concern that without a hospital nearby they would be left without emergency medical services The Space Coast Health Foundation has been partnering with other health care providers to plan for the hospital closing especially to Brevard County EMS and Coastal Ambulance who are really the ones who are going to feel the brunt of this,” Space Coast Health Foundation President and CEO Johnette Gindling said Brevard County commissioners announced Orlando Health will be donating $10 million to the Space Coast Health Foundation and more "Demolish the building at their expense and give the property back to the city of Rockledge," said Commissioner Rob Feltner in the meeting The hospital in Rockledge was one of three that Orlando Health purchased out of bankruptcy — the other two are in Melbourne and Sebastian – Two people were airlifted to a hospital after a helicopter crashed Sunday morning in a baseball field in Rockledge where a private helicopter had crashed after experiencing possible engine failure The passengers were a man and a woman whom witnesses pulled out of the crashed helicopter It was reported that the aircraft was struggling with the woman going on to say that the helicopter’s rotor had stopped Two First Flight helicopters airlifted the passengers to Holmes Regional Medical Center Their conditions were not available at the time of this report The aircraft was described as a private helicopter which took off from Merritt Island Airport and was heading to an unknown destination It has an 18.8-gallon gas tank which was leaking yet it’s still under investigation whether the leak was caused by the crash Units are holding the scene for the Federal Aviation Administration joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021 someone on the tennis courts recorded the crash and could be heard reacting Rockledge police said what was left of the helicopter was removed Monday First responders Sunday reported the two people in the helicopter “Both patients have been stabilized,” a responder said on dispatch recordings “They are both awake and breathing so far.” [EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos] the rescuers reported the names of the pilot and his passenger His daughter told News 6 reporter James Sparvero on Monday that Niazi was getting surgery on his lower back Niazi’s LinkedIn picture shows a small plane through the reflection of his sunglasses His daughter said Niazi has been flying for decades Police said engine failure may have caused the crash Police on Monday said they turned over the video of the crash to the NTSB as the investigation continues The records department also said it might share audio from 911 calls that were made when the helicopter crashed Local medical providers estimate that the closing next week of Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital will cost them $44.1 million in added expenses to help fill the gap in health care coverage that the hospital closing will create Brevard County's two other hospital companies — Health First and Parrish Healthcare — will pick up the biggest share of the costs, according to data provided by the health care providers to the Space Coast Health Foundation But at least eight other entities also will be facing added costs Meanwhile, Orlando Health on Monday said it will be spending more than $750 million over the next four years on a new hospital at a still-to-be-announced location in Brevard County; free-standing emergency departments in north central and southern Brevard; and physician offices "Orlando Health looks forward to working hard to become the health system of choice for Brevard County," Orlando Health said in a statement our goal is to serve more citizens than the Rockledge Hospital was ever able or equipped to serve." Plans for a new hospital were previously announced by Orlando Health But plans for free-standing emergency departments and new physician offices were not disclosed until Monday Brevard County currently does not have free-standing emergency departments Health First also plans to open two such facilities Orlando Health bought the 298-bed Rockledge Hospital in October as part of Steward Health Care's bankruptcy proceedings Space Coast Health Foundation task force effortsThe Space Coast Health Foundation has organized a task force that includes Health First, Orlando Health The group meets weekly to discuss the impacts of the hospital's closing on access to health care "There are massive need that will be caused by the closing of this hospital," said Delaney whose northern Brevard commission district that stretches south to parts of Cocoa will be impacted Space Coast Health Foundation President and CEO Johnette Gindling said she is “proud our community and health leaders have come together to address this situation head-on The group has offered creative solutions to better serve Central Brevard residents who will be most impacted by the April 22 closing of Orlando Hospital in Rockledge." and we are all working hard to locate the resources to help our residents and their access to health services.” Among initial efforts have been Brevard County Fire Rescue and Coastal Health Systems of Brevard working together to develop procedures for handling 911 emergency medical calls thus freeing up BCFR crews to handle more drastic emergencies reducing the potential overcrowding and long wait times at the hospitals Breakdown of proposals and costsHere are the details of what the health care organizations and cities are proposing Brevard County Fire Rescue: $1.3 millon for reimbursement for ambulance runs to urgent-care facilities for less-severe cases Brevard Health Alliance: $606,232 to add a mobile unit at its Barton Boulevard clinic in Rockledge and $906,018 to add advanced practice registered nurse providers there City of Cocoa: $711,540 for six firefighter paramedics to staff an advanced life service unit City of Rockledge: $100,000 for refurbishment for one out-of-service ambulance Coastal Health Systems of Brevard: $2.46 million for five ambulances with equipment; $543,498 for medical supplies for ambulances; $1.94 million for salaries for full-time emergency medical technicians; $1.3 million for reimbursement for ambulance runs to urgent-care facilities for less-severe cases Florida Department of Health in Brevard County: $800,000 for obstetrics and maternity care Health First: $11.2 million for expansion of emergency departments with modular units at Cape Canaveral Hospital in Cocoa Beach and Viera Hospital MedFast Urgent Care Centers: $2.5 million for uninsured patient care Parrish Healthcare: $8.7 million for a free-standing emergency department in Port St John and $10.7 milion for the added cost of the influx of patients to Parrish facilities who are uninsured Space Coast Health Centers: $314,000 for advanced practice registered nurse providers at a facility at 5005 Port St Orlando Health said: "Many of the items on the $44 million list have been long-term needs for Brevard County and continue to invest to improve health care access and services for Brevard County residents." Health First plans to open two stand-alone emergency departments — one in Rockledge and one at a still-to-be-announced location in south Brevard The timelines for those openings has not been announced Health First also plans to expand patient room capacity at some of its four hospitals which recently expanded by 14 beds with the move of a labor and delivery unit there from Cape Canaveral Hospital The other general hospitals in Brevard are the 119-bed Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital and Parrish Healthcare's 210-bed Parrish Medical Center in Titusville Team members with the healthcare organization spent Thursday loading up the supplies so that they can be donated to Brevard Public Schools The final count came to more than 150 boxes of supplies transported in 11 vehicles to The Supply Zone for Teachers in Cocoa a nonprofit which provides free supplies for teachers and serves all 85 Brevard public schools folders and bulletin board supplies were included in the haul Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital closed on Tuesday after 84 years Orlando Health had taken over operations last year communicating its plans to close it up by stating the hospital was in such bad shape that it would be cheaper to build a whole new facility stating the haste is in response to the closure in Rockledge Orlando Health's decision to close its Rockledge hospital just months after buying it has sent shockwaves throughout the Central Brevard County area long served by the hospital "We're very disappointed," said Rockledge Mayor Tom Price, who was fielding many calls from city residents and hospital employees about the Orlando Health announcement that the hospital is closing and will be torn down It's not good for Rockledge and it's not good for Cocoa." Orlando Health said it is closing Rockledge Hospital on April 22 saying the 298-bed hospital is in bad physical condition and is too costly to repair Four local outpatient facilities in Rockledge Merritt Island and Suntree that have ties to the hospital also will close at that time senior vice president of Orlando Health East Region said her company plans to build a new hospital in Brevard County but did not provide a timeline or a possible location Price said, with Orlando Health not committing to building its new hospital in Rockledge, that leaves Central Brevard residents who are having a medical emergency with a longer distance to travel to get to a hospital. The closest hospital to Rockledge will be Health First's Viera Hospital The closing also leaves Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital's more than 800 employees having to seek a new job After being notified of Orlando Health's plan, Johnette Gindling, president and chief executive officer of the Rockledge-based Space Coast Health Foundation said: "We are concerned about the void this will leave in health care access for those in the Rockledge/Cocoa communities “Our thoughts are with the staff and physicians of the facility as well as those who use the services," Gindling said "The foundation wants to be a community partner in discussions for access to health care for people in Central Brevard.” The foundation is a nonprofit organization founded after the sale in 2010 of Wuesthoff Health System a previous owner of the Rockledge hospital as well as a Melbourne hospital that Orlando Health now also owns Rockledge resident Darby Phillips Miller, special projects manager with the Early Learning Coalition of Brevard County said she is disappointed to hear about the upcoming closing of the Rockledge hospital — which traces it roots back to a 10-bed hospital on the site that opened in 1941 "It was such a fixture in the community," said Miller "One more Brevard County icon is going away In October, Orlando Health completed a $439 million deal to buy what was then known as Rockledge Regional Medical Center — along with 119-bed Melbourne Regional Medical Center and the 178-bed Sebastian River Medical Center in Sebastian — from Steward Health Care The deal also included related physician practices The acquisitions were the result of an asset purchase agreement with Steward Health Care that was approved by a bankruptcy court judge handling Steward's bankruptcy case Orlando Health immediately rebranded the former Steward hospitals as Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital, Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital and Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital Entin was upbeat about the future of the Rockledge facility during a celebration of the acquisition with employees on the day the acquisition was completed She said Orlando Health's acquisition of the three hospitals represented "a new day for health care for residents of these communities." But Entin's tune changed drastically by time she was announcing the hospital's impending closing in a memo to employees and community leaders on Thursday "When we acquired Rockledge Hospital last fall the organization was aware that the facility was in poor condition and did not meet our standards for patient-care environments," Entin said in the memo "We agreed to accept Rockledge Hospital when purchasing Melbourne and Sebastian River hospitals to avoid the facility’s immediate closure during Steward’s bankruptcy." "following in-depth inspections that could only occur after acquisition it was determined that the cost to repair and renovate the Rockledge Hospital property far exceeds the cost of a new To ensure the safety of our patients and team members we have decided to close the hospital on April 22." Orlando Health said it "learned through inspections by professional architects and engineers that the facility and its systems — like electrical Orlando Health said four outpatient departments also will close in conjunction with the closing of Rockledge Hospital Steward Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center at Rockledge Rockledge.Steward Diagnostic Services & Steward Pain Management Center Merritt Island.Steward Rehabilitation Services — Merritt Island Merritt Island.Steward Rehabilitation Services — Suntree Suntree.Question about plans to demolish hospitalOnce the Rockledge hospital closes The hospital land will be sold for redevelopment Price said the city of Rockledge donated the land where the Rockledge hospital now is located for the purpose of a hospital being built on the site Price said he will ask the city's legal staff to research that agreement to see if there would be any violation related to Orlando Health closing the hospital and tearing it down if a full-service hospital is not built at that site he would be open to Orlando Health building a stand-alone emergency department complex there But he has no indication that would be in Orlando's Health's plans Price was the city's representative to the board of directors that oversaw the Rockledge hospital Lance Skelly, system director for public and media relations at Health First said Orlando Health's announcement that it is closing Rockledge Hospital "comes as neither a shock nor surprise as we — like the community — have long understood the physical challenges present within the facility making it difficult to provide safe and accessible care to patients We are examining all options to minimize impacts to our patients and community." Skelly said Health First is finalizing details to construct and open two new free-standing emergency departments in Brevard County by 2027 Their locations could be announced within the next month "As the Space Coast community continues its rapid development and expansion this region will absolutely require a strong health care network that will grow with and meet those future needs and demands," Skelly said high-quality emergency care has never been more critical These new facilities will help ensure that residents have convenient access to the care they need Skelly said Health First also is ahead of schedule with construction of its new Cape Canaveral Hospital and Medical Office Building off State Road 520 on Merritt Island with a targeted opening date of early 2027 That hospital will replace an existing Health First hospital in Cocoa Beach and will be closer to the Rockledge/Cocoa area than the Cocoa Beach hospital is Health First has expanded its First Flight Air Ambulance program The new helicopter and crew will be stationed in the northern tier of Brevard County while the original aircraft and crew will remain in Melbourne covering the southern tier and parts of Indian River County Orlando Health said it could not keep Rockledge Hospital open while it builds a new hospital in Brevard which is longer than our experts feel Rockledge Hospital can realistically remain open," Orlando Health said but the facility was purchased in poor condition and does not meet our standards for patient-care environments." Orlando Health "already has begun substantial long-term investments in Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital and Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital." Orlando Health said it has "no plans to close either of these facilities." Orlando Health said all Rockledge Hospital employees who are "in good standing and open to taking jobs at other Orlando Health locations are guaranteed positions within the organization Some positions may require commuting or relocation." Orlando Health also will provide career counseling services to current Rockledge Hospital employees including interviewing and resume-building workshops and career fairs to assist in finding a new position within Orlando Health Its human resources representatives also will have one-on-one meetings with affected employees to "discuss transition plans and resources." Orlando Health said it also is "reviewing the status of all employed group and independent physicians and staff to ensure continuity of care in the market." Orlando Health named Nick Zaccagnini as Rockledge Hospital's new administrator "to lead the team through the hospital’s closure." Orlando Health said he has "over 20 years of experience supporting organizations during times of transition." said he can understand Orlando Health's decision to close Rockledge Hospital especially without a commitment to build another hospital nearby because you're taking a hospital away," Price said What Rockledge Hospital patients should knowOrlando Health said Rockledge Hospital patients can continue to receive care at other Orlando Health facilities located throughout Central and East Central Florida Patients can call 321-637-3030 if they have a question about a current appointment or need to reschedule Patients can request copies of their medical records through the hospital’s patient portal Orlando Health said some services at the Rockledge Hospital may be scaled back before the hospital's scheduled April 22 closing Orlando Health said it "remains committed to caring for your community including a new hospital in Brevard County." Orlando Health said plans also are underway for other "new sites of care in the community." "Additional details on these projects will be shared by the health care system in the near future," Orlando Health said Health First is accelerating plans to open Brevard County's first stand-alone emergency departments, as rival health care company Orlando Health prepares to close its 298-bed Rockledge Hospital later this month Health First said it will be opening two free-standing emergency departments One will be adjacent to Health First's Business Center at 3300 S The other will be at a yet-to-be-announced site in south Brevard “We’ve been planning to grow our emergency-care network and the timing could not be more critical for us to accelerate our plans," Health First President and CEO Terry Forde said in announcing the location of the future Rockledge emergency department Specific timelines for the opening of the Health First facilities and the cost of their construction were not announced Orlando Health bought Rockledge Hospital in October as part of Steward Health Care's bankruptcy proceedings The decision has sparked protests from local residents and hospital staff With Rockledge Hospital's closing, Brevard County will have six other general hospitals. That includes four operated by Health First in Cocoa Beach, Melbourne, Palm Bay and Viera; one operated by Orlando Health in Melbourne; and one operated by Parrish Health Care in Titusville Health First's Cape Canaveral Hospital in Cocoa Beach is scheduled to close in 2027 when a new Health First hospital opens on Merritt Island about 4 miles west of the current hospital Separately, Brevard County Emergency Medical Services on Monday is implementing new procedures to ease the expected strain on Brevard County Fire Rescue crews involving the transport of patients to the existing hospital emergency departments — a strain caused by Rockledge Hospital's closing the Rockledge Hospital emergency department no longer will accept transports from emergency medical services crews Patients who walk in or drive themselves to the Rockledge emergency department from April 7 until the hospital's official closing "will be stabilized As part of the county's effort, Brevard County EMS is coordinating with Coastal Health Systems of Brevard to provide patient transportation to local hospitals in the case of non-life-threatening injuries and other medical conditions to ensure the correct resources are being dispatched for patients.BCFR could respond to a call and contact Coastal to transport the patient to a local hospital for non-emergency cases.Once BCFR has verified the condition is non-life-threatening and the Coastal unit has been dispatched the BCFR unit can leave the scene to ensure prompt response to emergency calls.This will allow BCFR crews to decrease the total time they are handling calls transporting people to hospitals and waiting at the hospital emergency department with them — thus are unavailable to respond to other calls The county said this will help maintain quick response times and ensure advanced life support services are available for patients Health First said it is working to develop a 13,000-square-foot, 12-bed, free-standing emergency department in Rockledge. Architectural assessments have confirmed the site’s viability, and Health First is working with Rockledge officials on zoning and permitting. Discussions with the Florida Department of Transportation are underway to improve traffic flow in the area Health First said its plans to open free-standing emergency departments had been in the works for several years as the population is projected to grow steadily into the next decade Health First now is fast-tracking those efforts Health First said a second free-standing emergency department is in the early stages of development to serve the southern part of the county Health First expects to announce more details once plans advance further and permitting is underway with an announcement likely within the next three months Health First system vice president for facilities construction and real estate “We want the community to know that these emergency departments have been in the works — and we’re accelerating our efforts to meet the moment and ensure every resident has access to safe Johnette Gindling, president and CEO of the Space Coast Health Foundation said free-standing ERs "are a new trend in health care because they allow services closer to where residents live while providing the same care as a traditional hospital ER Stand-alone ERs could enhance access to health care for Brevard residents.” Health First said the free-standing emergency departments would be fully equipped and staffed around the clock by emergency physicians and trained care teams Such facilities can help reduce travel times for patients Health First's free-standing emergency department plans would be subject to approval from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration and other government agencies Holmes is Brevard County's only Level II trauma center Health First said it plans to expand the patient bed counts at some of its hospitals in the future The main geographic areas that Rockledge Hospital draws patients from include Rockledge Canaveral Groves and other unincorporated areas north of Cocoa many of those patients likely would go to Cape Canaveral Hospital Brevard County Emergency Medical Services says residents and visitors should use 911 for emergencies like heart attack uncontrolled bleeding and life-threatening allergic reactions But if a loved one has a non-emergency medical condition it suggests considering taking them to the nearest hospital or urgent care for faster and more efficient treatment urgent careHealth First provides this guidance: no sentimental get-together at the hospital and so the Mardises — Kelly has been a registered nurse at the hospital for 33 years — threw them one at their restaurant where the staff wear scrubs to honor the health care community “We thought we’d get maybe 20 people,” Kelly Mardis said and nodded toward the two gigantic “Thank you” cakes they displayed at the front of the dining room where Wuesthoff employed thousands of people in its time and hundreds until recently But such are things at My Island Pancake House Merritt Island Pancake House and My Island Smokehouse near Port St but they also are there to contribute something extra to the places in which they exist: spaces for get-togethers donations of food and money to institutions that need them host youth sports teams and civic groups and are locally famed for their support of military and law enforcement organizations They are that because they believe they must be that restaurants are more than hash-slingers but must personify the “hospitality” in “hospitality industry.” “This gives us the opportunity to make the community a family more than just cooking,” Steve Mardis said and greeted another customer from Wuesthoff The restaurant industry has changed since COVID but we want to make sure this part of it never changes.” He’s not the only one who believes such things volunteers in South Brevard put the finishing touches on an event at the home of Djon Pepaj in which Scott Earick of Scott’s on Fifth and former Florida Today food editor Suzy Leonard will serve as auctioneers and to which Emma Elliott Kirkpatrick of Ossorio in Cocoa Village will bring food was huddled over a little two-top with a customer to discuss how Genna could help the man’s organization “It is very important for restaurants to be active in the community,” added Marchica “It is good for them to focus on one thing and spend time and grow with them It’s better to help people who really need and appreciate it It’s also important to be passionate about it.” couldn’t have been happier with their pancake house “They have become an integral part of our community,” said Deputy Mayor Frank Forester who shared a table with mayor and former Wuesthoff chairman Tom Price and his wife Theresa; city council member Duane Daski; and city manager Brenda Fettrow “It’s where people go to share meals and meet friends .. but (events such as) this show it’s more than that.” a longtime Wuesthoff employee most recently in its education department “This (Wuesthoff’s demise) is crushing for a lot of us though it’s not (last owner) Orlando Health’s fault This is for all the employees we first knew 30 years ago and it’s brought out people we hadn’t seen in years," Kitchin said "It’s like our little Brevard County community I love Rockledge and I loved working at Wuesthoff We’re so grateful to Kelly and Steve for this.” Get in the game: Discuss Brevard County’s culinary scene with 78,600 other food lovers at Florida Today’s Facebook group, www.facebook.com/groups/321FlavorWhereBrevardEats To contact Lyn Dowling, email lyndowling@yahoo.com or message via 321 Flavor: Where Brevard Eats The decision to close the 298-bed Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital on April 22 will affect 940 employees Orlando Health reported in a filing with Florida's Department of Economic Opportunity The 940-employee figure is higher than the 852 employees officials of the hospital said it had when Orlando Health acquired it four months ago The notice lists the hospital's 110 Longwood Ave It was not clear if Orlando Health also is counting employees at four of its outpatient departments in Rockledge Merritt Island and Suntree that also will close In October, Orlando Health completed a $439 million deal to buy what was then known as Rockledge Regional Medical Center — along with 119-bed Melbourne Regional Medical Center and the 178-bed Sebastian River Medical Center in Sebastian — from Steward Health Care The acquisitions were the result of an asset purchase agreement with Steward Health Care that was approved by a bankruptcy court judge handling ongoing Steward's bankruptcy case Orlando Health told Rockledge Hospital employees that the hospital is in such poor condition that it would not be cost-effective to renovate "Years of neglect had left the facility in such poor condition that it did not meet the system’s standards for patient-care environments," Orlando Health said "The cost to repair and renovate Rockledge Hospital far exceeds the cost of a new The decision to close the hospital "is necessary to ensure the safety of patients and team members," Orlando Health said Orlando Health said it plans to build a new hospital in Brevard County but did not discuss a location or timeline In a required Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, Karen Frenier Orlando Health's senior vice president for human resources and chief nurse executive wrote: "We understand the impact this closure will have on the community and are committed to assisting our employees during this transition." Orlando Health said it wanted to keep affected employees within the company and wouldguarantee positions for team members who are in good standing and are open to taking jobs at other Orlando Health facilities Orlando Health also said it will provide career counseling services to current Rockledge Hospital employees What jobs are affected?In its notification Orlando Health listed 152 different job titles that would be affected The largest number of affected employees are acute-care registered nurses (266 employees) registered nurses (22) and unit secretaries (22) Brevard County health care providers are hoping to fill the gap created by the impending closing of Orlando Health's Rockledge Hospital on April 22 But it could take some time to put the measures in place Orlando Health bought the 298-bed Rockledge Hospital in October as part of Steward Health Care's bankruptcy proceedings Orlando Health announced it was closing the hospital Health First — Brevard County's largest health care provider — is moving forward with recently announced plans to construct and open two free-standing emergency departments in Brevard County by 2027 high-quality emergency care has never been more critical," said Lance Skelly "These new facilities will help ensure that residents have convenient access to the care they need Health First has not yet announced the locations of these emergency departments Rockledge Mayor Tom Price said he believes one is likely to be located on property Health First owns near the company's Health First Business Center in Rockledge That's about 3.5 miles away from the closing hospital Such a free-standing emergency department would help fill the void created by the closing of Rockledge Hospital's emergency department, which handled 8,432 patients brought in by Brevard County Fire Rescue ambulances last year — an average of about one an hour That figure does not count patients who arrive by personal vehicle or by foot to the Rockledge Hospital emergency department Patients who walk in or drive themselves to the Rockledge emergency department from April 7 to the hospital's official closing on April 22 "will be stabilized Health First's free-standing emergency departments would be the first such facilities in Brevard County although they are common elsewhere in Central Florida For example, Altamonte Springs-based AdventHealth — which owns a 27% stake in Health First — operates nine off-site emergency departments director of external communications for AdventHealth's Central Florida Division Health First also is looking into expanding the patient bed capacity of at least some of its four hospitals to handle the gap left by the closing of the 298-bed Rockledge Hospital which is the second-largest in Brevard County The other general hospitals in Brevard are the 119-bed Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital and Parrish Healthcare's 210-bed Parrish Medical Center in Titusville The hospital's closing would result in increased travel times for ambulance crews who otherwise would be transporting patients to Rockledge Hospital That creates additional risk that some patients might not survive stroke or major injury from a motor vehicle accident It also puts ambulance crews out of service for longer periods time as they wait at busy hospital emergency departments for their patients to be seen by hospital medical staff Space Coast Health Foundation President and CEO Johnette Gindling said when Orlando Health announced in February its plans to close Rockledge Hospital the foundation established a working group of community partners to discuss immediate and long-term solutions for health care access to Central Brevard residents’ impacted by the hospital’s closure and we’re confident we will be offering solutions to the void left by the Rockledge Hospital’s closing," Gindling said Parrish President/CEO George Mikitarian told county commisioners earlier this month that "we can only accommodate so many additional patients with the resources that we have." He said Parrish will "bear the brunt of serving the lower-income members" of Central Brevard area who do not have health insurance Mikitarian said potential expansion of staff and space that Parrish would need could cost $5 million to $15 million a year Mikitarian said he would like to see financial support from Orlando Health and the Space Coast Health Foundation "should the burden for solutions be placed upon the existing service organizations and government entities." He said funding could be allocated based on such things as increased patient volumes as well the portion of medical bills not paid by the patient Mikitarian said he also would also want Orlando Health and the Space Coast Health Foundation to help fund any needed enhancements to the 911 system "for the rapid response and/or transport of patients Mikitarian said extensive work needs to be done to ensure Central Brevard "continues to receive the health care it so needs." Gindling said the Space Coast Health Foundation "is committed to doing everything we can to assist with health care access in Central Brevard," noting that the foundation has provided more than $20 million in health-related grants to community organizations throughout Brevard community in the last 10 years Brevard County Fire Rescue is working with local urgent-care offices to determine plans for those facilities to accept more patients with relatively minor injuries or ailments who otherwise might have been transported to a hospital emergency department Heath First also has expanded its First Flight air ambulance program with a second full-time helicopter about to come online covering the southern tier of Brevard and parts of Indian River County Health First is ahead of schedule with construction of its new Cape Canaveral Hospital and Medical Office Building on Merritt Island and walls are being erected for the new hospital The new hospital will be closer to the Rockledge/Cocoa area than the Cocoa Beach hospital which will close after the Merritt Island hospital opens real estate and construction at Health First on Friday said Health First is doing all it can to open the new hospital on Merritt Island as soon as possible there is a chance it could be a little sooner "with any luck and weather cooperating," she said The five-story hospital will have 120 inpatient beds 24 emergency room beds and six operating rooms The complex will include a three-story medical office building and a four-story parking garage The new hospital location will be more insulated from potential impacts of hurricanes and tropical storms Skelly said Health First is "examining all options to minimize impacts to our patients and community" from the Rockledge Hospital closing but has not disclosed the location or the timetable for its opening More than 2,000 people have signed an online petition on Change.org asking Orlando Health to halt its plans to close Rockledge Hospital about 40 staff members of Rockledge Hospital and their supporters protested the closing at an afternoon rally held on a sidewalk across U.S They carried signs that said such things as "close a hospital in two months — that's criminal" and "people before profits," and chanted: "Hey Watching from the Rockledge Hospital parking lot across the street were Orlando Health security staff in marked vehicles with flashing lights The grass-roots "Help Save Orlando Rockledge Hospital" rally on Friday afternoon was hosted by the Space Coast Progressive Alliance Awake Brevard Action Alliance and Yantz Family Advocates for Brevard who contends that there is no reason to close Rockledge Hospital since it is profitable and can be renovated Closing the hospital "is going to be a killer — literally," Leal said because longer ambulance trips from Central Brevard to another hospital will mean more patients with a serious injury or a critical medical condition like a heart attack or stroke will die an infectious disease physician at the hospital called Orlando Health's decision to close Rockledge Hosptal just months after buying it "truly unforgivable." Patients "are going to lose their lives in the ambulance" on the ride to another hospital when Rockledge Hospital's emergency department is no longer open ROCKLEDGE — Federal authorities continue to investigate an early Sunday helicopter crash at a baseball field that left two people seriously injured The damaged helicopter was hoisted onto a flatbed and hauled away on Monday At least one of the passengers told authorities that the helicopter A passenger said something may have been wrong with the rotor,” said Rockledge Police Cpl adding that the investigation was being handled by the FAA Several Brevard County Fire Rescue crews and Rockledge Police responded about 10:30 a.m Sunday to the crash site at the McKnight Family Sports Complex where the helicopter appeared to be on its side Two of the three people on board were airlifted to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne for further treatment The condition of the two was not immediately known Police said there was a practice on the other side of the facility but that the park located at Huntington Lane near Briarwood Drive The Hiller was used primarily as a medevac military helicopter during the Korean War J.D. Gallop is a criminal justice/breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com A grass-roots "Help Save Orlando Rockledge Hospital" rally is planned for 1 to 3 p.m Friday outside Ashley's of Rockledge restaurant which is across the street from the hospital The nonpartisan rally is hosted by the Space Coast Progressive Alliance Community advocates and hospital employees are expected to be among the speakers Orlando Health bought the 298-bed Rockledge Hospital in October as part of Steward Health Care's bankruptcy proceedings said he thinks Orlando Health should have had "a far better way" to proceed and have a smoother transition so as not to create a health care gap in Central Brevard County "It's a major slap in the face for Rockledge" to have the hospital close with so little notice who worked as a licensed nurse assistant in Vermont before moving to Brevard County In October, Orlando Health completed its $439 million deal to buy what was then known as Rockledge Regional Medical Center — along with the 119-bed Melbourne Regional Medical Center and the 178-bed Sebastian River Medical Center in Sebastian — from Steward Health Care The acquisitions were the result of an asset purchase agreement with Steward Health Care that was approved by a bankruptcy court judge handling Steward's ongoing bankruptcy case The hospital's condition deteriorated so badly under Steward that, at one point, it was infested by bats. Orlando Health told Rockledge Hospital employees that it is in such poor condition that it would not be cost-effective to renovate Orlando Health also is closing four of its outpatient facilities in Rockledge and Rockledge and Cocoa city officials are working to find a way to keep all or parts of the hospital open beyond the announced April 22 closing date Space Coast Health Foundation President and CEO Johnette Gindling said the foundation established a working group of community partners to discuss immediate and long-term solutions for health care access to Central Brevard residents impacted by the hospital’s closure In addition, more than 1,950 people have signed an online petition on Change.org Home » Home » WATCH: From Rockledge Little League to All-American College Career By Steve Wilson  //  April 28 WATCH: From the time he played baseball in Rockledge Little League until his All-American career at Nova Southeastern University Class of 2025 Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame inductee Bryan Cook was an impact player and an exceptional talent FLORIDA – From the time he played baseball in Rockledge Little League until his All-American career at Nova Southeastern University but he always came back to his first love – baseball so it just made sense that baseball was his sport of choice Cook smiles when he recalls playing Little League games at McClarty Park in Rockledge the opening days in Rockledge were special and he still keeps in touch with friends he made at an early age Cook gravitated to first base and never really left that position His Little League years saw him playing on multiple all-star baseball teams and during his senior year at Rockledge High School he was a member of the Raiders’ state championship team Cook said he will be the first to admit that winning the district title and going on to capture it all Cook attended Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville He found college baseball to be a challenge Cook said he committed to putting in the work to improve his game Cook transferred to Nova Southeastern University for his last two years of college baseball and was nearly unstoppable He finished his career with the Sharks with a .408 batting average and was second in career home runs with 30 He received multiple accolades during his playing career Among them were being named a 2008 All-American a two-time first-team Sunshine State Conference player and the 2008 ABCA/Rawlings South Region Player of the Year Cook was selected as 2008 NSU Scholar Athlete of the Year “I am very proud of that award.” Academics were always a priority for Cook as he understood that if he didn’t get it done in the classroom Cook was elected to the Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame the first NSU student-athlete ever to be so recognized When asked what went through his mind when he heard he had been selected for induction into the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame “I had to pinch myself; it’s a great honor.” THE 2025 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME Banquet and Induction Ceremony will occur at Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne on Saturday FOR INFORMATION about the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com or call 321-615-8111 CLICK HERE TO SEE MEMBERS OF THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME FLORIDA—The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame selection committee announced that the 2025 induction ceremony will occur on Saturday at Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne This will be the first in-person induction since the COVID-19 pandemic The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame induction dinner and ceremony, sponsored by Health First and presented by Tom and Suzie Wasdin and dinner and the program will start at 7 p.m The meet-and-greet will include an opportunity to talk with the area’s sports royalty which will include compelling video tributes to each inductee The Brevard County High School Breakfast of Champions recognition awards will be held Saturday more than 40 awards will be presented to the best of the 2024-2025 male and female high school student-athletes in each sport call 321-323-4460 or e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com Both the Breakfast of Champions and the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame events will be streamed live on Space Coast Daily TV and Savings Safari sponsor the 2025 Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame induction event and the Brevard County High School Breakfast of Champions recognition awards To make a reservation for the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com or call 321-323-4460 Nominees are chosen in four categories: professional sports Special honorary recognition is also bestowed upon individuals and groups that have made significant contributions to sports on the Space Coast ■ PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Jamel Dean ■ COLLEGE CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Paulette King ■ AMATEUR/RECREATION CATEGORY INDUCTEE: Alli Penovich ■ COACHING CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Doug Butler • SPORTS JOURNALISM INDUCTEES: Steve Vaughn • SPORTS DEVELOPMENT INDUCTEE: Loren McClanahan ■ LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT INDUCTEES: Larry Garrison ■ SPORTS AMBASSADOR AWARD INDUCTEE: Rusty Buchanan ■ CHALLENGER AWARD INDUCTEE: Joshua Dillon ■ LEGACY CHAMPIONS: Merritt Island Baseball Space Coast Daily created the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and has inducted over 200 of Brevard County’s most outstanding athletes Eastern Florida State’s Titan Fieldhouse on the Melbourne Campus hosts the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Portraits of the Hall of Famers are displayed on the wall in the building’s main hallway which runs parallel to the gym and outside the athletic department offices CLICK HERE TO SEE THE MEMBERS OF THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME Click Here to Sign Up for Text Alerts Home » Home » CITY OF COCOA: What Closure of Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital Means for City of Cocoa By The City of Cocoa  //  April 8 FLORIDA—With Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital’s closure nearing it’s important for the Cocoa community to remain informed and educated about public safety and health While this closure will significantly affect our community the Cocoa Fire Department will continue to provide a high level of service and treatment to Cocoa residents needing assistance when they call 9-1-1 for help This closure will impact transport times and extend emergency room wait times at surrounding hospitals which currently provides medical transport services in the Cocoa community will make some operational changes to maintain and ensure advanced life support services to the Central Brevard community with the hospital’s closure Brevard County EMS will coordinate with Coastal Ambulance Systems (CAS) to provide non-life-threatening patient transportation to the most appropriate hospital Brevard County EMS will transport patients to the nearest suitable hospital Understanding where to go for medical care can save you valuable time and ensure you get the proper treatment Choosing the right facility based on your needs you help reduce strain on emergency services Here are some examples of when to call 911 and when to visit Urgent Care or your primary care doctor: Consider visiting your Primary Care Doctor for: Important Dates to remember with the closure of Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital: Other Emergencies/Resources: 2-1-1 Brevard provides resources for those in need of mental or emotional support You can dial 211 or 988 for this vital community resource The Cocoa City Council has approved a resolution, asking Orlando Health to reconsider its planned April 22 closing of Rockledge Hospital and to agree to a seven-point plan to help the community's health care needs Orlando Health bought the 298-bed hospital in October as part of Steward Health Care's bankruptcy proceedings, but on Feb the Cocoa City Council said it "recognizes the critical importance of accessible health care services for the well-being of its residents and the potential adverse effects this closure may have on public health and safety." If the hospital closes, the closest hospial to the Cocoa/Rockledge area would be Health First's Viera Hospital The resolution said the City Council "expresses its deep concern over the announced closure of Rockledge Hospital and the significant negative impact it will have on the residents of Cocoa and Central Brevard County." The City Council said it "strongly urges Orlando Health to consider postponing the closure of Rockledge Hospital until a new facility is operational ensuring no gap in critical health care services for the community." but has not said where it will be or when it will open The City Council resolution also noted that the hospital in April 2022 stopped operating a dedicated 24-bed behavioral health inpatient unit which "has already strained mental health resources in the region and the complete closure of the hospital will exacerbate this issue." The Rockledge City Council last week also approved a resolution urging that the hospital closing be delayed Both resolutions were sent to Florida House Majority Leader Tyler Sirois who is spearheading efforts in Tallahassee to exert pressure on Orlando Health to reverse course on the hospital's planned closing Seaparately, more than 1,800 people have signed an online petition on Change.org asking Orlando Health to reverse its plans to close Rockledge Hospital In October, Orlando Health completed a $439 million deal to buy what was then known as Rockledge Regional Medical Center — along with the 119-bed Melbourne Regional Medical Center and the 178-bed Sebastian River Medical Center in Sebastian — from Steward Health Care What the Cocoa City Council wantsAmong other things the Cocoa City Council asked Orlando Health to: During City Council discussion of the issue Deputy Mayor Patricia Weeks and Council Member Lorraine Koss noted that some Rockledge Hospital employees already have been laid off or voluntarily left their jobs "A lot of their workers are fleeing," because of the high demand for health care workers in the region According to data provided by CareerSource Brevard Flagler Volusia there are 34,105 jobs in the health care/social assistance sector in Brevard County and an average of 870 job openings in that sector each month There were 737 local employers recruiting for these jobs in the past year with 10,441 total job postings during that time frame Cocoa Mayor Michael Blake said he would like to see Orlando Health build a new hospital in Cocoa perhaps in Cocoa Village or in ths Cocoa Curve area in the northern part of the city that is targeted for a new Brightline train station But Weeks noted that it could take four or five years for a new hospital to be built "and my concern is the lack of beds today." One issue in Cocoa is the pockets of relatively poor areas of the city whose residents depend in a nearby hospital like Rockledge Hospital and its emergency department to handle their medical needs ROCKLEDGE — Two people were injured after a small privately owned helicopter crash-landed into a Rockledge baseball field complex Sunday morning Several Brevard County Fire Rescue crews and Rockledge Police responded to the site of the crash at the McKnight Family Sports Complex where the Hiller H-23D helicopter appeared to be on its side Two of the three people on board were injured and were airlifted to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne It was not immediately known how many people were on the field at the time It was not immediately known where the helicopter departed from or where it was going Two medical helicopters arrived to transport possible patients Current and former medical staff members at Rockledge Hospital warned that patients who otherwise would have survived will die if Orlando Health proceeds with plans to close the 298-bed hospital on April 22 During comments to the Rockledge City Council speakers said that's because of the increased travel time it will take ambulances to reach a more distant hospital for emergency treatment — when minutes make the difference between life and death After hearing public comment from 16 medical professionals and Central Brevard County residents the City Council unanimously approved a resolution urging at least a two-year delay in the hospital's closing All the speakers spoke in support of the resolution patients requiring emergency care in an expeditious manner — including heart attack victims patients in extreme pain and patients with altered levels of consciousness — will be forced to travel to other distant facilities to receive care," the resolution states The resolution noted that delay in care while the patient is transported to a more-distant hospital would "lower the potential for survival of critical illness such as strokes and cardiac events Mayor Tom Price said the resolution is being sent to members of the Florida Legislature who are spearheading efforts in Tallahassee to see what can be done to keep the hospital open, including House Majority Leader Tyler Sirois "people are going to die in the ambulance" en route to another hospital In announcing the planned closing of Rockledge Hospital Orlando Health said the hospital is in such a poor physical condition that it would be unsafe to patients and staff to keep it open But Abbas counters that safety conditions were significantly worse at the hospital during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic "We have lost faith and trust in Orlando Health," Abbas said referring to the feeling of those with connections to Rockledge Hospital "This is not what Orlando Health should stand for." Orlando Health said: "Years of neglect had left the facility in such poor condition that it did not meet the system’s standards for patient-care environments The cost to repair and renovate Rockledge Hospital far exceeds the cost of a new The hospital's condition deteriorated so badly under Steward that at one point it was infested by bats. The company plans to build a new hospital in Brevard County Orlando Health said it "has established a transition team to assist patients physicians and team members affected by the closure Plans are underway for new sites of care in the community including a new hospital in Brevard County Additional details on these projects will be shared by the health care system in the near future." Price said the hospital site at 110 Longwood Ave. and the City Council has no intention of allowing another use on the site — such as by a developer for residential or commercial use Price said preliminary research indicates that it does not appear the city has legal grounds to prevent the hospital from closing or being torn down — even thought the hospital site was donated by the city of Rockledge for the purpose of a hospital being located there Rockledge Hospital traces it roots back to a 10-bed hospital on the site that opened in 1941 is through pressure exerted by state legislators and in light of Orlando Health's current plans he will be reviewing all of Orlando Health's pending and upcoming business with the Florida Legislature including legislation it may be supporting or appropriations it may be seeking He also will be making other Florida Senate and House members —particularly those on committees that deal with health-related legislation — aware of his concerns all of that is on the table now," Sirois said "They are unwilling to be a good partner in my community." About 100 people packed the City Council chambers for Thursday's special meeting — with Rockledge Hospital being the only item on the agenda During public comment at Thursday's meeting Rockledge resident Doug Williams called Orlando Health's decision to close the hospital "shameful," and Rockledge resident Nora George said it is "shady." "Shame on them," said Pat Edwards of Cocoa who was a lab supervisor in charge of qualify control at the hospital before retiring in 2020 "I am so disappointed with Orlando Health." One speaker asked whether there were any Orlando Health officials in the audience to respond to the community's concerns Some hospital staffers said they had been optimistic in October when Orlando Health acquired the hospital from Steward because of Orlando Health's good reputation in the medical community But they said that optimism deflated with the company's announcement of plans to close the hospital Some noted that the medical staff always could find other jobs because those positions are in high demand but they were worried about residents of the Rockledge/Cocoa/Port St Emergency room nurse Alicia LaSpina of Rockledge said considering the relatively high volume of emergency room patients at Rockledge Hospital the possible closing of the hospital would result in increased wait time at other hospitals Other hospital staff noted that not every Brevard hospital has the medical specialties available at Rockledge Hospital Rockledge resident Pat Hartselle said the closing of the hospital would create "a medical desert" that would have "a devastating effect" for local residents "Everybody in this room is on the same side which is very unusual for a council meeting," Price said after the meeting The problem is convincing Orlando Health that we need to keep this hospital open." – Leaders in Rockledge are officially moving ahead with plans to try and stop the city’s only hospital from shutting down Orlando Health, which took over operations at the Rockledge hospital last year, plans to close the facility next month It says the hospital is in such bad shape that it would be cheaper to build a whole new facility (PREVIOUS COVERAGE | STORY CONTINUES BELOW) the city council unanimously passed a resolution calling on Orlando Health to delay its plans and for the state to possibly get involved an infectious-disease physician at the hospital and a speaker at Thursday’s meeting closing the hospital would leave upwards of 900 people jobless “You want to fire 940 people and put them out of a job,” she said Abbas said that approximately 55 patients enter the hospital each day via ambulance — all on top of walk-ins and other appointments — and that there are only around 200 jobs available in the immediate area It was discussed during the meeting that while Rockledge looks into taking control of the hospital itself a state medical zoning law prohibits towns and cities from doing so The message now heads to Tallahassee in hopes the state government can step in and help Rockledge Regional Medical Center needs to stay open we need your help to stop Orlando Health from closing us,” said Chelsea Woodhouse “This decision is necessary to ensure the safety of patients and team members.” The healthcare system said it has established a transition team to assist patients, physicians, and team members affected by the closure Home » Home » Stellar Communities Announces $72 Million Townhome Development at Former Rockledge Airport By Space Coast Daily  //  April 3 BREVARD COUNTY • ROCKLEDGE, FLORIDA – South Florida-based real estate developer Stellar Communities has unveiled plans for a $72 million townhome community at the site of the former Rockledge Airport the company announced it had acquired 22 acres of land at 3773 Flypark Drive According to Brevard County property records the land was purchased for $3.75 million on February 28 from three separate entities connected to Ronald Mardosa The privately-owned airport ceased operations in July 2015 after the Florida Department of Transportation shut it down due to ongoing pilot violations offering residents a walkable and convenient lifestyle in a rapidly growing area,” said Larry Baum “We’re excited to bring a modern smart-home townhome community to the Space Coast emphasizing sustainability and contemporary living.” Stellar Communities is a leading real estate development company in South Florida we have had the privilege of helping over 3,500 families move into the next stage of their lives with a new home,” said a company spokesperson “We are a full-service real estate development company with a progressive focus on eco-construction initiatives for residential Build-To-Rent & Multifamily communities “With a deep-rooted commitment to quality and value Stellar Communities builds inspiring homes and communities with our resident’s desires unmatched efficiencies in some of the most highly sought-after coastal and suburban locations across Florida.” which recently broke ground on Havens at Palm Bay Reserve—a 266-home luxury residential project—said that construction on the Rockledge development is expected to begin by the end of June Rockledge’s Community Development Director told the Orlando Business Journal that before the project advances to the city’s planning commission and council “Developments of this scale take time,” Cooper explained “There’s significant community involvement and multiple revisions to ensure the plans align with the city’s vision.” particularly as Palm Bay experiences a surge in construction Projects like Ashton Park along Micco Road and Emerald Lakes near the I-95 and St Johns Heritage Parkway interchange are progressing Brevard County Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Orlando Dominguez Jr. says Rockledge Hospital plans to stop accepting patients transported by BCFR to its emergency room on April 7 — more than two weeks before the hospital's scheduled April 22 closing Dominguez — who is assistant chief of emergency medical services operations — says that will further tax BCFR's medical services and other local hospitals forcing the county to take drastic steps to cope with the loss of one of its major hospitals The county, for example, is enlisting the help of Coastal Health Systems of Brevard — a Rockledge-based provider of non-emergency ambulance service — to help BCFR in medical transports in cases in which the patient's injury or condition is not too serious Dominguez said Coastal has agreed to dedicate ambulance crews to affected high-call-volume areas like Cocoa Rockledge and Merritt Island for this purpose with the potential to expand to areas north of Cocoa BCFR and local health care companies are concerned that Rockledge Hospital's closing will increase ambulance transport times from Central Brevard County to other hospitals by 20 minutes or more and would put patients more at risk for death in such medical emergencies as heart attacks or strokes It also would increase wait times at hospital emergency rooms as they handle more patients who otherwise would have been transported to Rockledge Hospital "It's just a trickle-down effect that really has hit us from left field," Dominguez said Parrish CEO criticizes closingParrish Medical Center President/CEO George Mikitarian told county commissioners that he thought Orlando Health's decision to close Rockledge Hospital showed "careless disregard for the health of a community" at the level that he had never before seen by a health care provider during Mikitarian's 41 years in health care He said the negative impact of the decision will be felt by hospitals county government and local governments throughout Brevard many of the patients without health insurance that Rockledge Hospital has treated will instead go to Titusville's Parrish Medical Center creating both an overflow of patients to Parrish's emergency department and potential financial losses for the hospital Mikitarian said Parrish makes a $3 million profit "in a good year." But he said that could turn into a $1 million loss with the addition of former Rockledge Hospital patients without health insurance or another means to pay their medical bills That's even taking into account the increased revenue generated by former Rockledge patients who have health insurance or otherwise would pay for their medical care at Parrish Mikitarian called for "an immediate review … by state authorities" of Orlando Health's decision to close Rockledge Hospital "It is unfathomable that a hospital is allowed to close without state review of the consequences of such a closure," Mikitarian said Meanwhile, Florida House Majority Leader Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island, said he has made officials in the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis aware of the situation Sirios also said he will closely monitor any requests Orlando Health makes to the Florida Legislature for approval of bills or funding Sirois met last week in Tallahassee with Orlando Health President/CEO David Strong and other company officials to express his concerns about the hospital closing In a follow-up letter sent Tuesday to Strong Sirois strongly advised Orlando Health to consider the following: "Due to the abrupt nature of your announcement I remain concerned that Brevard County stakeholders and local health care providers were given insufficient time to prepare for the gap in medical services," Sirois wrote "The closure of a hospital is no small matter and I believe strongly that Brevard County residents — especially those in the vicinity of the medical center — are entitled to respect and consideration." Brevard County commissioners reactAt their meeting on Tuesday county commissioners expressed concern about the impending closing of Rockledge Hospital and its emergency room facilities "You can probably argue that there will be people who die as a result of closing this ER," said Commissioner Thad Altman who noted that his wife's grandfather was among the founders of the hospital Commissioner Katie Delaney said she is "pretty speechless about this whole situation." She said she is particularly worried about emergency calls from residents of the unincorporated areas of Canaveral Groves who are not directly served by municipal ambulances Dominguez and BCFR Chief Patrick Voltaire said still do the very best we can for Brevard County," Voltaire told county commissioners The Cocoa City Council and the Rockledge City Council both unanimously approved resolutions last week urging Orlando Health to delay the closing of the hospital or reverse its decision altogether In addition, more than 1,800 people have signed an online petition on Change.org Florida House Majority Leader Tyler Sirois met Tuesday in Tallahassee with top officials of Orlando Health, asking them to delay the planned April 22 closing of Rockledge Hospital which the company says is in too poor a physical condition to safely stay open But Sirois, R-Merritt Island, says he received no commitment from Orlando Health President and CEO David Strong or other company officials at the meeting Meanwhile, the Rockledge City Council is holding a special meeting Thursday evening to discuss the looming closing of the 298-bed hospital The council plans to vote on a resolution "strongly encouraging" Orlando Health to postpone the closing by at least two years "for the health and safety of the community." The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m Sirois said he told Strong that it was unacceptable how Orlando Health bought the hospital in October from Steward Health Care then announced in February that it was closing the hospital on April 22 giving the community and the hospital's 940 employees little notice Among other Orlando Health officials at the meeting was Andy Gardiner the company's senior vice president of external affairs and community relations as well as a former president of the Florida Senate "They listened to my concerns," Sirois said but didn't commit to delaying the hospital's closing Sirois said he is concerned about the closing of the hospital and its potential impact on residents of the Central Brevard County district he represents including what he described as the "economically challenged area" within Cocoa Sirois wants Orlando Health to delay the closing by six to 12 months; to keep open the hospital's emergency department; or to open a new stand-alone emergency facility at or near the hospital site off U.S "This is critically important," Sirois said, noting that the next-closest hospital to Rockledge Hospital for Rockledge and Cocoa residents would be Health First's Viera Hospital "I feel like Brevard County residents deserve better than the way they've been treated it's just not a very respectful way to treat the residents of Brevard County." Orlando Health on Wednesday said in a statement that it "has established a transition team to assist patients in which Orlando Health said: "Years of neglect had left the facility in such poor condition that it did not meet the system’s standards for patient-care environments The hospital's condition deteriorated so badly under Steward that at one point it was infested by bats. The decision to close the hospital "is necessary to ensure the safety of patients and team members," Orlando Health added It noted that delay in care while the patient is transported to a more-distant hospital would "lower the potential for survival of critical illness such as strokes and cardiac events The resolution also notes that "many citizens are either underinsured or uninsured these patients utilize their local hospitals as their primary source of medical care A swift closure of Rockledge Hospital would force these patients to seek care elsewhere which may be problematic for those with limited transportation options which will cause further delays and wait times for ambulances countywide." while he understands there are many issues related to the condition of Rockledge Hospital "the building is not going to fall down," and Orlando Health should find a way to keep at least sections of it open Price said he would like to see Rockledge Hospital keep the hospital's emergency room and intensive-care unit facilities open as well as one or two floors for general patients — perhaps reducing the hospital's total capacity from the current 298 beds to 100 to 125 beds Orlando Health's decision to buy, then close hospitalIn October, Orlando Health completed a $439 million deal to buy what was then known as Rockledge Regional Medical Center — along with the 119-bed Melbourne Regional Medical Center and the 178-bed Sebastian River Medical Center in Sebastian — from Steward Health Care Orlando Health said there are over 3,000 positions available across the Orlando Health system "All Rockledge Hospital team members in good standing are guaranteed positions within the organization," Orlando Health said "Some positions may require commuting or relocation." Orlando Health said it also has "begun substantial long-term investments in Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital and Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital," and plans to keep them open That site was donated by the city of Rockledge for the purpose of a hospital being located there This website is unavailable in your location It appears you are attempting to access this website from a country outside of the United States therefore access cannot be granted at this time – Orlando Health is closing one of the two Brevard County hospitals it acquired last year after the previous owner filed for bankruptcy protection The hospital group announced Thursday it would close Rockledge Hospital citing years of facility neglect and costly repairs “This decision is necessary to ensure the safety of patients and team members,” Orlando Health officials said in its statement The Orlando Health announcement said it was aware before buying Rockledge Hospital that it was in poor condition after years of neglect was discovered during inspections conducted after the acquisition “It was determined that the cost to repair and renovate Rockledge Hospital far exceeds the cost of a new state-of-the-art hospital,” the Orlando Health announcement read The hospital group says plans are underway to find a site for a new hospital in Brevard County along with other “sites of care.” It’s also set up a transition team to assist both patients and staff affected by the hospital’s closure More Stories Like This In Our Email Newsletter Christie joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021 Home » Home » Train to Become a Mermaid at Merfolk Academy in Rockledge Hosted by Brevard County Parks and Recreation By Space Coast Daily  //  April 21 FLORIDA — Dive into fantasy and fun with Brevard County Parks and Recreation’s Merfolk Academy Have you ever dreamed of becoming a mermaid or merman This magical aquatic experience introduces participants to basic swimming skills before guiding them into the whimsical world of merfolk Trained instructors will teach safe tail swimming techniques All participants must pass a swim test—swimming 12 yards unassisted and demonstrating the ability to float on their front or back—before being eligible to register and participation is limited to 10 swimmers to ensure personalized attention and safety The fee for this unique underwater adventure is $28.94 per student Whether you’re a young ocean enthusiast or a fan of aquatic fantasy Merfolk Academy promises an unforgettable evening of shimmering tail fins For more information or to register, contact Debbie Bowling, Recreation Program Coordinator I at 321-302-1658 or debbie.bowling@brevardfl.gov. Turtle Creek Golf Club in Rockledge this week announced that it will be permanently closing its doors later this year after 52 years in business Turtle Creek's last day in business scheduled for May 31 While no reason was given in the course's official statement for the closure city records show a 294-home subdivision is planned for the site The area is undergoing a development boom. "The golf course has run for many years with the help of so many dedicated customers friends and family from around the world along our journey together," course owners said in a written announcement of the closure we hope that all of you get a chance to come play and enjoy the course at least once more The management and all the staff will work hard until the very last day to make sure this is a course that players will remember fondly until the end," the statement reads Turtle Creek's site tucked away on the south side of Barnes Boulevard will be the future home of a subdivision of 294 homes The 118-acre site is slated to be transformed into a single-family neighborhood and has already been approved by the city of Rockledge and is in the preliminary planning phases said many people have expressed disappointment with the fact that the Rockledge staple will be closing after so long "It's been ongoing behind the scenes for a couple years now," Horton said All good things unfortunately come to an end The owner has put in a lot of time and effort and he'd like to retire Tyler Vazquez is the Brevard County and North Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY Contact Vazquez at 321-480-0854 or tvazquez@floridatoday.com This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page 2025 at 12:20 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Rockledge Borough seeks a new manager to replace Bryan J who served for two years as borough manager PA — Officials have begun their search to find a new borough manager Poster has moved on after two years helming the post officials are seeking candidates for his replacement Poster resigned to take a similar post in Telford Borough Click here to learn more about the position Poster said he made a lot of progress during his tenure including recording council meetings to be stored on the borough's website improving visibility on the borough's Facebook page Poster added that job descriptions have been developed for all borough positions and many other human resource accomplishments the borough successfully secured grants for various important projects including acquiring a dump truck and a pickup truck and enhancing the Public Works building by adding bathrooms The borough also constructed a new pole building to accommodate its vehicles and provide additional storage and the implementation of a borough watch camera system Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. More than 1,050 people have signed an online petition asking Orlando Health to reverse its plans to close Rockledge Hospital on April 22 because of what the health care company said were unsafe conditions at the 298-bed facility The Change.org petition is an indication of growing community opposition to the hospital's upcoming closing even though the decision rests solely with Orlando Health petition organizer Chris D'Andrea wrote: "As a local resident of Brevard County I have firsthand experience of the critical role Rockledge Hospital plays in our community This hospital is more than just a building It's a place where lifesaving interventions are performed emergencies dealt with and ongoing care for chronic conditions managed." our community's health is at risk," wrote D'Andrea a Rockledge resident and realtor with Rockledge-based Premium Properties Real Estate Services "Orlando Health's potential decision to shut down this hospital threatens to deprive our local community of crucial health care services." Why Orlando Health made decisionIn October, Orlando Health completed a $439 million deal to buy what was then known as Rockledge Regional Medical Center — along with the 119-bed Melbourne Regional Medical Center and the 178-bed Sebastian River Medical Center in Sebastian — from Steward Health Care and would guarantee positions for team members who are in good standing and are open to taking jobs at other Orlando Health facilities D'Andrea said: "Shutting down Rockledge Hospital would create an immense health care gap in our community Orlando Health has a duty to the community it serves." D'Andrea said in an interview that the closing "is going to impact the community on multiple fronts." D'Andrea said he is aware that the petition is not likely to change Orlando Health's mind But he wants the company's officials to know the community's opposition to the move "We want to show our voices," D'Andrea said "It's not reasonable to for them to say: 'Well go to Viera or Titusville or Melbourne' " for hospital care Petition signers who said they were local residents former patients or Rockledge Hospital employees echoed those concerns in their comments on the petition Some said the planned closing of the Rockledge Hospital would leave a gap in health care coverage in the Rockledge/Cocoa area, with the closest hospital being Health First's Viera Hospital One feared that the closing "will affect every aspect of health care," including in-patient surgeries and emergency-room wait times Another wrote: "This hospital is filled with great health care workers Taking them away and the 300 beds this hospital provides would be a disaster." Rockledge High swept the 2025 Cape Coast Conference track and field championship with both the boys and girls teams winning conference titles This is the 14th straight year that Rockledge's girls have won the meet The Raiders placed first this year with 183 points Satellite finished second with 149 points and Cocoa rounded out the top three with 85 points Jazylle Bradley won two individual events for the Raiders after placing first in the triple jump (33-2) and the long jump (17-0.5) Reyna Gaines was another Rockledge first place winner finishing first in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.69 Laila Dupuch claimed first place in the 400 after running 58.28 for the Raiders Cocoa's Trinity Parham topped the competition in the 100 (11.93) and 200 (24.85) Keira Merrick of Satellite also won two events after she placed first the 400-meter hurdles (1:05.03) and the 800 (2:23.24) Viera's Addison Elwell successfully defend her championship titles in the 1,600 (4:59.45) and 3,200 (11:02.70) Astronaut's Alana Gibbons reclaimed her conference titles in the shot put (35-7.2) and discus (124-1) Lorelai Filosa also repeated as high jump champion for Satellite with a jump of 5-5 Rockledge placed first as a team with 124 points and Titusville finished with 95 points to place third Christopher Gordon was an individual winner for Rockledge after winning the 100 with a time of 10.80 Jayden McPherson of Viera placed first in the 400 (49.24) and the 200 (21.29) Bayside high jumper Nickiah Wilkinson placed first in the event after clearing 6-10.5 Titusville's Ralphel Smith reclaimed the conference title in the long jump with a jump of 22-10 Girls event winners: 4x800: Satellite 9:55.69; 100 hurdles: Reyna Gaines (Rockledge) 14.69; 100: Trinity Parham (Cocoa) 11.93; 1600: Addison Elwell (Viera) 4:59.45; 4x100: Cocoa (Parham Barnes) 46.58; 400: Laila Dupuch (Rockledge) 58.28; 400 hurdles: Keira Merrick (Satellite) 1:05.03; 800: Keira Merrick (Satellite) 2:23.24; 200: Trinity Parham (Cocoa) 24.85; 3200: Addison Elwell (Viera) 11:02.70; 4x400: Rockledge (Vereen Gaines) 4:01.64; Javelin: Bailey Madsen (Satellite) 111-2; Long jump: Jazylle Bradley (Rockledge) 17-0.5; Shot put: Alana Gibbons (Astronaut) 35-7.25; High jump: Lorelai Filosa (Satellite) 5-5; Triple Jump: Jazylle Bradley (Rockledge) 33-2; Discus: Alana Gibbons (Astronaut) 124-1; Pole vault: Hanna Green (Satellite) 9-10 Thompson) 8:09.43; 110 hurdles: Nicko McNeil (Cocoa) 15.13; 100: Christopher Gordon (Rockledge) 10.80; 1600: Michael Girard (Viera) 4:29.36; 4x100: Rockledge (Woods Gordon) 41.56; 400: Jayden McPherson (Viera) 49.24; 400 hurdles: Jamal Smith (Cocoa) 1:00.32; 800: Rylan Reyes (Cocoa Beach) 2:00.67; 200: Jayden McPherson (Viera) 21.29; 3200: Jack Girard (Viera) 9:45.48; 4x400: Cocoa Beach (Jackson Brandon) 3:27.27; Javelin: Alex Pollan (West Shore) 154-7; Triple jump: Nathaniel Owens (Heritage) 43-6; Discus: Darryl Willey (Satellite) 133-4; Pole vault: Levi Mumme (Satellite) 12-3.5; Long jump: Ralphel Smith (Titusville) 22-10; Shot put: Garrett Jenkins (Astronaut) 47-7.25; High jump: Nickiah Wilkinson (Bayside) 6-10.25 ensuring no gap in critical health care services for the community The 298-bed hospital is slated to close its doors for good on April 22 Only four months after buying Rockledge Hospital citing the hospital's poor physical condition The company said the facility made it unsafe for patients and staff and said it intends to build a new hospital in Brevard County but has not said when or where Both resolutions were sent to Florida House Majority Leader Tyler Sirois who is spearheading efforts in Tallahassee to exert pressure on Orlando Health to reverse course on the hospital's planned closing that would leave the residents of Cocoa and Rockledge without a nearby hospital This week Sirois sent a letter to the president and CEO of Orlando Health urging him to at least postpone closing the hospital until July 1 and to continue emergency room services until Oct You can read more about the issue here: https://www.floridatoday.com/story/money/business/2025/03/12/cocoa-council-oks-resolution-aiming-to-keep-rockledge-hospital-open/82261252007/ You can simply cast your vote on the ballot above You can scan the QR code that is hopefully on the print edition page Please leave a comment telling us why you voted the way you did In order for your comment or email to be published on our website and in next week's print edition You can also shoot me an email with "Rockledge Hospital" in the subject line Last Sunday I asked you if colleges were going too far in removing all diversity Are colleges going too far in removing all diversity Here is what you had to say:The ethnic cleansing of any mention of diversity on pubic and private institutions has gone too far Only photos of white males on their websites groups have been purposely denied equality because of the color of their skin Citing that elimination of DEI Remo es discrimination is pushing us back to the era of white males making decisions about our ability to get an education and screws the very principles why DEI is necessary We have forgotten how difficult it was for all of us to achieve our life dreams because of barriers put in place by bias The supreme court forced two universities to drop their DEI admissions program Quarter backs in the NFL used to be all white Did you notice the DEI in the Trump administration two Hispanics and one gay man in the cabinet and racism from college websites is a silly endeavor designed to placate people who feel cheated by a world order that doesn’t serve them Just another shiny object to distract them from the crushing realization that they are voting in the interests of corporations and billionaires instead of their own children.DEI initiatives are the source of family medical leave and learning accommodation IEPs for kids in school Cheering their removal is quintessential cutting your nose to spite your face Contact Torres at jtorres@floridatoday.com the platform formerly known as Twitter @johnalbertorres TITUSVILLE – As emergency responders prepare to lose a Brevard County hospital another health group is stepping up with help from the air Health First launched its second air ambulance The new helicopter is officially in service and will be based in northern Brevard County The plan for the new air ambulance had been in the works for years but the timing of the launch couldn’t be better Rockledge Hospital is set to close in just a few weeks after new owners Orlando Health determined the cost to renovate the hospital was too much The Rockledge Hospital closure has raised concerns about longer emergency response times particularly for stroke and cardiac patients who will need to be transported farther for treatment Health First says that adding a second chopper—plus a third backup—will help mitigate those delays “We’re extremely excited to provide this service,” said Tiffany Bassani Director of Patient Logistics at Health First “Getting patients to our Level 2 trauma center and getting them there in a timely manner is what really matters in a traumatic injury.” First Flight 2 will not only respond to medical emergencies in Brevard County but also assist in northern Indian River County Health First is also in the process of building a new hospital in Merritt Island Orlando Health also plans to build a new hospital in Brevard County