Safe Zone 5

Formerly known as Brackenridge Hospital, Safe Zone 5 is a secure zone in Downtown Austin that provides refuge for the uninfected and medical care.

History
First built in 1884 the Brackenridge Hospital was one of the primary care complexes in the Downtown Austin area. It often faced financial difficulties through its history, however, particularly through lack of funding and mismanagement of finances.

Current Use
The Brackenridge complex currently is designated as Safe Zone 5. The complex spans across one city block and includes several auxiliary buildings that house offices and a family health clinic. Tarped chain-link fences have been erected along the lengths of Red River Street to the west, 15th Street to the north, 12th Street to the south, and the Interstate Frontage Road to the west with signs guiding refugees to the Red River Street(both North and South entrances) and Sabine Street gateways. At these openings units of the Texas Army National Guard are positioned to screen entrants. These gateways are heavily guarded, and more applicants are turned away than accepted.

The hospital is currently held by the 56th Infantry Brigade, specifically units of the 144th Infantry Regiment and the 949th Brigade Support Battalion under the joint command of Major Lewis Hunt and Major Colt Hawkins.

Layout


The primary building in the center of the complex is the hospital itself(1), providing the majority of housing and treatment for the current residents of the safe zone. The western buildings include a medical offices building(2) and a several story parking complex(3), both of which have been occupied by the military for equipment and vehicle storage, as well as a helipad(4) which is off limits to anybody who is not active-duty Army National Guard.

To the east a large building stands which used to be a family health and pediatrics facility(5) which also serves as housing for the posted elements of the Army National Guard. Just south is a secondary parking structure(6) which is used to watch over the east, as well as a City of Austin power management system(7).

Along Sabine Street, just inside of the entrance gates, are the Texas FFA(8) to the left and Municipal Retirement Systems(9) to the right. While the Municipal Retirement Systems building is unoccupied, the FFA building operates as the screening facility for the Sabine Street entrance. Further inside to the right is the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office(10), which is used as a disposal ground for the dead.

Just to the south of the Brackenridge hospital building itself is another office structure(11) which has been converted into the operations HQ for the stationed units. It contains military housing, the communications center, and other essential intelligence and operational units.