Emergency Preparedness

Are the nursing homes in your community really prepared?

As we learned from New Orleans, a particular problem is planning for the evacuation of institutions and facilities. The New York State Department of Health is responsible for ensuring that every nursing home has an emergency preparedness plan. Despite this, in December 2006, Scott Stringer, Manhattan Borough President released a study showing that New York City is drastically unprepared to evacuate nursing homes in the event of a disaster, leaving thousands of sick and elderly residents at risk. What I learned stunned me – and will outrage anyone whose loved one resides in a home. They found that of 40 evacuation plans they were able to obtain from nursing homes, 88% were not complete. Nursing home administrators told them that in an emergency they do not believe their plans can be carried out.
EM Prentiss Emergency Preparedness Sub Committee

The report is summerized on Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer's website. Hey released a study that finds the State Department of Health (DOH) is failing to adequately prepare nursing homes for evacuation in the case of a major emergency. As a result, thousands of New York City’s elderly and disabled residents are at risk. His website and can either be accessed by clicking the link at the bottom of: www.mbpo.org/press/pressreleases/news_item.2006-12-18.5266040796 Or view the full report by clicking http://www.mbpo.org/file.2006-12-19.2103689108

A PDF viewer is required for the report.