TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - 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 say they 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.
The agency reports that 348 nursing homes and 343 assisted-living facilities have requested extensions to install equipment and have it inspected. They have until Jan. 1, 2019, to meet the requirements, meaning many will not have backup power for this hurricane season.
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