New Orleans Lacks Chief To Oversee Emergencies For People With Urgent Medical Needs As Hurricane Season Begins
In other news on hurricane preparations, most Florida nursing homes are not complying with new requirements for backup power, and a new app tells Floridians where to find health care.
New Orleans Times-Picayune:
New Orleans Starts Hurricane Season Without A Health Director: Why That Matters
Missing from the news conference was the city's health director. Nearly seven months after being elected, [Mayor LaToya] Cantrell still has not hired a health director for a department that is a lifeline to people with urgent medical needs in emergencies. Official press conferences are annual standard fare each June 1, with the city health director among those who provide an update on storm season preparations and the protocol for activating shelters. But on Friday, there was no health director on hand to discuss urgent medical need shelters, as is typical for preparedness news conferences. (Litten, 6/1)
The Associated Press:
Agency: Most Florida Nursing Homes Are Without Backup Power
A government agency reports that most Florida nursing homes and assisted-living facilities do not have backup power despite new requirements enacted after a dozen people died in a sweltering center following Hurricane Irma. The state Agency for Health Care Administration says only 48 nursing homes and 91 assisted-living facilities have installed equipment and had state inspections as of May 25. The new rules that went into effect Friday require all facilities to have backup power for cooling for at least 96 hours. (6/2)
Health News Florida:
There’s An App For That: Finding Healthcare During A Hurricane Just Got Easier
The Nemours CareConnect app can connect Florida families with medical help every day of the week, 24 hours a day during hurricane season, which officially started June 1. (Prieur, 6/3)
