btw, emphasis in the summary above is mine

More from the article...

... On September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across the southeastern United States, with Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Western North Carolina enduring particularly severe impacts. Among the critical infrastructure damaged was Baxter Healthcare's plant in Marion, North Carolina, which produces 60 percent of the nation's intravenous (IV) therapy solutions. The hurricane destroyed the municipal water supply to the plant, forcing it offline for weeks. The consequences were profound: hundreds of thousands of medical procedures reliant on IV solutions were delayed, healthcare providers scrambled to implement alternative treatment models, and the Biden Administration invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to address the crisis.

This is not the first time the DPA has been leveraged to safeguard our healthcare system. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the DPA played a pivotal role in securing the production of personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators, and critical medical supplies, underscoring its importance in addressing shortfalls during emergencies. However, the challenges posed by Hurricane Helene and other disasters reveal gaps in our healthcare resilience that require urgent action.

The increasing frequency and severity of disasters underscore the urgent need to fortify our nation's healthcare capabilities. As new leadership prepares to take office under the next Administration, decisive action is required to address persistent vulnerabilities in our public health infrastructure. Strengthening the foundation of our healthcare system requires a multifaceted, strategic approach. ...