The Work We Do: Vassar Brothers Medical Center’s Maintenance and Engineering Workers

Hospitals don’t stay in good working order on their own. It takes crews of experienced professionals who can manage complicated systems, fix problems as they arise, and maintain an environment that is safe, healthy and comfortable. At Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, NY, a crew of thirty 1199 members keeps the hospital up and running, handling everything from plumbing to heating and cooling – and to the colorful flowerbeds that greet visitors.

1. Facilities Mechanic Cesar Flores has worked in Plant Operations and Maintenance at Vassar Brothers for 17 years. Flores monitors the hospital’s boilers, and is responsible for repair and maintenance if something goes wrong. With temperature and environmental conditions playing a major role in infection control, it’s a huge responsibility.

5. Al Bruno has been a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) mechanic at Vassar Brothers Medical Center for five years. Bruno, a delegate, came to Vassar Brothers after working elsewhere in the field for several decades. “With COVID-19, we had to work in negative pressure areas and maintain them with the idea that what gets out of the building stays out of the building, and what needs to stay in, stays in,” he says. “It was a big responsibility, but that is what comes with working in health care: You always feel responsible because we are here to keep people healthy or, when we need to, help them get better.”

2. Flores’ partner in the department, Ross Sheehan, came to Vassar Brothers 12 years ago after working as a union steamfitter for years.

6. Vassar HVAC engineer Mark Sierpinski came to work at the hospital through a friend. He loves the work but says COVID-19 still causes worry. “You walk in hoping you don’t catch anything while you’re here, and you go home hoping that you aren’t bring anything home with you.”

3. Plumber Tim Bade worked at Columbia University in New York City before retiring and coming to work at Vassar Brothers. His experience of the last few months has left him frustrated with people who call COVID-19 a hoax or overblown. “I hope people never have to see the things I’ve seen here. Once you see four or five people with the coronavirus, you will never forget it,” he says. “When I hear people say it’s fake, I just tell them to spend five minutes with me at work, and you’ll know it’s real.”

7. COVID-19 didn’t uncomplicate any of his department’s responsibilities, notes Plumber Jason Ackert. “It was pretty bad,” he says. “When we lost some plumbing lines on the COVID unit, we just had to put on our PPE and go deal with problems on the upper floors. It’s what you have to do.”

4. Groundskeeper Ryan Engman is in charge of maintaining Vassar Brothers’ entire exterior grounds, including the parking garages and planted gardens. “I’m in charge of cleaning up after everybody and everything,” he says with a smirk. “Including snow removal!”

- 1199 Magazine - September / October 2020