Although Hurricane Dorian basically was a near-miss for Florida, that didn’t stop the Florida Sun Sentinel from running a story that was largely critical of generator-free senior living communities across the state.
Thousands of elderly residents remain at risk in communities where generators are not present or operational, the paper said. The publication added that nine residents died two years ago in the wake of Hurricane Irma. All nine lived in a generator-free facility.
The paper noted that although new state rules require generators, full compliance remains elusive. Among the reasons for the delays: waiver applications seeking additional time, slow compliance checking by state officials due to staffing shortages, the logistics involved in installing new equipment and related expenses.
The paper noted that 95 skilled nursing facilities and assisted living operators along the state’s east coast were evacuated as Hurricane Dorian gathered size and strength.
