After 14 patients from the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills died when the nursing home lost power after Hurricane Irma, a Florida congresswoman has proposed legislation to prevent similar tragedies.
U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz wants to see a regulations adjustment for local nursing homes.
WIOD was live Monday, as Rep. Wasserman Schultz presented the new legislation. You can view that press briefing, below:
“Loss of power can occur and does occur, and we need to make sure that the safety of residents of nursing homes is paramount,” said Wasserman Schultz.
She wants facilities to be required to have an alternate source of power to keep them running for at least 96 hours, and she wants nursing homes to be a top priority to have their power restored.
She also wants increased fines for facilities who do not comply.
Authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the patient deaths at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills.