'AquaFence' Goes Viral as It Protects Tampa General Hospital From Hurricane Helene Flooding

Hurricane Helene hit Florida's Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph winds. So far, 33 fatalities have been reported . And while there has been widespread flooding , including the heavily populated cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg, Tampa General Hospital, situated right along Tampa Bay, has managed to stay dry.

That's due to a 5- to 10-foot high barrier known as an AquaFence, which is going viral on several platforms because of how it seems to have protected the region's only Level 1 trauma center.

AquaFence was founded in 1999 and has offices in Norway and New Jersey. According to the company's website , its systems are "protecting more than $30 billion worth of real estate in the United States alone," including everything from hotels to gas stations to a Shake Shack.

The product is designed to be installed quickly and (fairly) easily. In 2023, AquaFence USA President Thomas Briedis told local outlet , WTSP Tampa 10, that 100 feet of AquaFence can be installed in 30 minutes.

"They come folded together, kind of like a laptop," he said. "You take them out of the crate, put them down and they fold open."

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Briedis also said that the company is working on a line of residential AquaFences, which would cost around $20,000. The barriers are designed to protect in a Category 5 hurricane.

"We are very confident in the system. It was been thoroughly tested," Briedis told the outlet.