Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
For Vulnerable, Sick Californians Who Rely On Medical Equipment, Power Outages Stoke Fear And Resentment
The New York Times: For The Most Vulnerable, California Blackouts ‘Can Be Life Or Death'
When Ben Faus went to bed at his home in the foothills above the Monterey Bay, he knew there was a chance his power would go out but he didn’t know exactly when. About 3 a.m. on Thursday he was jolted awake because his sleep apnea breathing machine stopped working. “All of a sudden, I was like, ‘I can’t breathe,’” he said. The decision to turn electricity off for large areas of Northern California inconvenienced and frustrated hundreds of thousands of residents, but it became increasingly dangerous for people like Mr. Faus and the state’s most vulnerable. (Fuller, 10/11)
KQED: It’s Not Just The Lights. Outages Shut Off Medical Devices At Home
PG&E’s planned power outages are sparking panic among people with health conditions who rely on electricity to power medical devices at home — devices that help them stay comfortable, or stay alive. Patients who need oxygen machines running nonstop to breathe began calling their nurses as soon as the outages were announced, asking what they should do. (Dembosky, 10/10)
Los Angeles Times: Gov. Gavin Newsom Slams PG&E Over California Power Outages
Gov. Gavin Newsom tore into Pacific Gas & Electric Co. on Thursday, calling the mass power outages “unacceptable” and the result of the bankrupt utility’s own long legacy of mistakes. “What’s happened is unacceptable. And it’s happened because of neglect. It’s happened because of decisions that were deferred, delayed or not made by the largest investor-owned utility in the state of California and one of the largest in the nation,” he said at a news conference. (Fry, Dolan, Luna and Serna, 10/10)
CBS News: Fires In California Push South Forcing Evacuations Around Los Angeles Amid Rolling Power Outages Today
Despite an unprecedented effort to prevent wildfires, at least three of them erupted in Southern California on Thursday fueled by strong winds and dry conditions. The fires quickly claimed more ground, destroying homes and by Friday morning at least 100,000 people had been forced to flee under mandatory evacuation orders around Los Angeles. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti confirmed evacuation orders after the high winds pushed the Saddleridge fire across two freeways and into communities. Most of the residents ordered out were in neighborhoods about 20 miles northwest of central Los Angeles. (Vigliotti, 10/11)
