In Wake of Fla. Nursing Home Deaths, Gov. Scott Signs Bills Mandating Backup Power

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Gov. Rick Scott signed legislation Monday requiring backup power sources in Florida nursing homes and assisted living facilities, months after the deaths of several residents from a sweltering nursing home that lost power in a hurricane. The legislation require the facilities to have a generator capable of keeping nursing homes and assisted living facilities at 81 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) or lower for at least four days. All of Florida's 685 nursing homes and 3,089 assisted living facilities must be in compliance by the June 1 start of hurricane season. State agencies can grant an extension until Jan. 1, 2019, for facilities that would face delays in installing equipment or need zoning or other regulatory approval. "As we near hurricane season, families can now know the facilities responsible for caring for their loved ones will have the resources needed to be fully prepared ahead of any potential storms," Scott said in a statement. Officials from the state's Agency for Health Care Administration, which oversees nursing homes, and the Department of Elder Affairs, which regulates assisted living facilities, did not have updated numbers on how many facilities were already in compliance. As of January, 108 nursing homes and 138 assisted living facilities had installed the necessary equipment. "Florida faces an annual risk from Mother Nature, and these rules will help keep seniors safe during a possible devastating weather ...
Source: JEMS Patient Care - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Major Incidents Patient Care News Source Type: news