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Storm Forces Evacuation of Skilled Nursing Residents
PLANTATION, FL (September 1, 2005) - Power outages caused by Hurricane Katrina
as it crossed Florida last week forced the staff of Covenant Village to
transfer all 45 residents from the retirement community's skilled
nursing facility to a health center located 20 minutes away.
The residents were moved Saturday night and returned Monday afternoon,
says Judith Johnson, the campus administrator. The outages also forced
40 assisted living residents to spend Saturday night sleeping in
recliners in the Village Center, a multi-purpose room used for chapel,
special dinners and other functions.
The retirement community began operating on emergency generators when
the hurricane knocked out power Thursday night. Officials made the
decision to move the residents Saturday when it was clear that power
still was not going to be restored quickly. "We were trying to hold off
on moving people," Johnson says. "We're supposed to be a priority for
getting power restored because we're a health facility."
But the outage was so extensive across the county that even facilities
at the top of the priority list were forced to wait. In the meantime,
the heat index rose to above 100 degrees.
The emergency generators do not power the air conditioning so it was
important to move the people in the skilled facility, Johnson says. As
part of its disaster plans, Covenant Village has agreements with other
facilities to accommodate residents when necessary.
Fortunately, the nearby Sunrise Health and Rehabilitation Center had
finished remodeling a wing and was able to accommodate all 45 residents.
"That was most unusual because normally there's only a couple of beds
here and a couple of beds there," Johnson says.
The wing did not have any equipment, including beds, however, so
everything had to be moved from Covenant Village.
"We rallied all of our vehicles," Johnson says. Those included a small
vehicle that was wheel-chair capable and a smaller bus that could handle
several people in wheel chairs. Because so many of the residents are
wheel-chair dependent, several trips were needed. Some residents were
able to be transported by a regular 26-passenger bus. Another truck
carried all the supplies, including everything from beds and extra wheel
chairs to charts.
The process was repeated when the residents were returned to Covenant
Village on Monday.
The residents who moved into the Village Center for Saturday night
likened the experience to having a slumber party, Johnson says. Some of
the residents even refused to admit they fell asleep because you're not
supposed to fall asleep at a slumber party, she added. "They were a stitch."
The residents slept in recliners brought down from their rooms. Those
with extra chairs had them brought down for those who didn't have a
recliner, Johnson says. The overnight experience also included an ice
cream social.
The residents were able to be more comfortable in the center because the
air conditioning continued to work. The center is on a different power
grid than the rest of the campus, Johnson says.
Residents praised the staff for handling the crisis. "I don't think
there was one person here who wasn't impressed with the whole staff,"
says Genevieve Christenson.
Members of the staff stayed in every building to make sure residents
were comfortable and safe, Johnson says. That included the buildings
that contained the 275 independent living apartments. "The staff really
understands the concept of mission and ministry."
The staff began implementing the emergency plan about 24 hours before
the hurricane hit landfall, Johnson says. It was the first time that the
facility, which has been located in Plantation for more than 25 years,
had been hit so hard by a hurricane, she added.
Despite the inconvenience, everyone feels fortunate that no one was hurt
and no serious damage was sustained, Johnson says. "Knowing what we
experienced and what is happening in the Gulf Coast and New Orleans and
Mississippi, our hearts are really with them," Johnson says. "Our
residents are deeply sensitive as to what those people are experiencing."
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