The Governor of Florida came out early enough to facilitate the evacuation of vulnerable people. No one learned from Katrina the delicate nature of older Americans?
A similar situation existed in Houston. The landfall of Harvey was quick from the time it became filled with water vapor, but, older Americans were victims of immobility as well. Not just immobility, but, empowerment.
September 14, 2017
By Terry Spencer and Jay Reeves
Florida seniors (click here) were ushered out of stifling assisted-living centers Thursday while caregivers fought a lack of air conditioning with Popsicles and cool compresses after eight people died at a nursing home in the post-hurricane heat.
Dozens of the state's senior centers still lacked electricity in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, and several facilities were forced to evacuate. While detectives sought clues to the deaths, emergency workers went door to door to look for anyone else who was at risk....
Irma was a huge storm that engulfed Florida. Even, or perhaps especially, when Irma reached northeast Florida it's de-escalating winds dumped it's entire storm surge and the flooding was significant. Superstorm Sandy is another example of low wind velocity storms that carry huge storm surge. None of these storms are minor storms. They cannot in any way be considered a storm people can live through, including the aftermath. There is a significant level of denial in the USA regarding effective evacuation.
After Irma passed Florida there were power companies moved to Florida to return electricity. That is important. However, a full third of Florida's population moved north. The delicate Americans should have been included in that movement in the same fashion before the storm.
The health professions have to determine an assessment paradigm in PRE-DETERMINATION of evacuation for this population. Even ICU patients can be transported when necessary. So, there needs to be an addition to assessments of the elderly and people in delicate health as to the viability of evacuation and the method that needs to safely happen. Why wasn't there a fleet of ambulances before the storm relocating people? Many of these elder resident facilities are nationally based. There should be a way of moving them out of danger from heat and water.
