CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla -- Hurricane season is approaching quickly, and while it’s important for you to prepare to protect the family that’s living with you, what about the ones who are not? Assisted living facilities and nursing homes in the area now have stricter guidelines to comply with this year.
The mandate coming down after, 12 people died in a nursing home in Hollywood, Florida because of heat exhaustion after their power went out in 2018 following hurricane Irma. Lawmakers created the nursing home emergency power plan to stop that from happening again.
Fox 4 spoke with Chelsea's Place, an assisted living facility in Charlotte County, and their residents about their plans for hurricane season and the guidelines they have to follow.
"I pretty safe here, as I would be at home," said 87-year-old Bessie Bules, a resident at Chelsea's Place. "It’s better than any place I’ve ever been the first two places I was at the hospital."
With hurricane season coming up, air conditioning and power is a top priority for Bessie and those who care for her. Kris chana, the owner of the twelve-bed facility, Chelsea Place says he's all caught up on his guidelines.
"In fact, we have four portable generators that can help operate us in the event of a power outage," Chana said.
AHCA or the Agency for Health Care and Administration, says 96% of the facilities in Charlotte County have met guidelines. With 3,200 assisted living facilities in the state, Kris says it took longer for bigger places to meet guidelines, because of permitting, and construction, the list goes on.
"Especially if you’re a large cooperation, you have to submit this thing up to headquarters and she’s got to sign off on a $250,000 generator, and now you have to go select a company to come out and do that - well every generator company in Florida is doing the same thing- They’re all busy," Chana said.
