Facing South Florida: Nursing Home Deaths & Hurricane Irma Recovery Part I

IS FACING SOUTH FLORIDA.
GOOD MORNING.
WELCOME TO FACING SOUTH
FLORIDA.
TWO WEEKS AFTER HURRICANE IRMA
ENGULFED FLORIDA IN WIND AND
RAIN, WE ARE STILL FEELING ITS
EFFECTS.
DISASTERS LIKE THIS ONE BRING
OUT THE BEST AND WORST IN
PEOPLE AND REVEAL THE CASS MANY
BETWEEN RICH AND POOR.
WE WILL LOOK AT BOTH THOSE
TRUTHS.
WE START WITH THE NURSING HOME
TRAGEDY WHERE 10 PEOPLE DIED
BECAUSE OF AIR-CONDITIONING
LOST IN THE STORM.
A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
CONTINUES.
THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF BLAME
AND FINGER POINTING.
WE ARE GOING TO EXPLORE ALL OF
IT.
JOINING ME ARE TWO STATE
SENATORS DEALING WITH THE
AFTERMATH OF THE STORM.
REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR
REPRESENTS SOUTH DADE AND THE
FLORIDA KEYS AND DEMOCRATIC
STATE SENATOR REPRESENTS PARTS
OF BROWARD INCLUDING HOLLYWOOD
WHERE THE NURSING HOME WAS
ROAD.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME THIS
MORNING.
BEFORE WE TURN TO HURRICANE
IRMA, I'M SURE YOU BOTH JOIN ME
IN EXTENDING CONDOLENCES, WELL
WISHES AND THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
FOR FOLKS IN PUERTO RICO AS
WELL AS MEXICO DEALING WITH
THEIR OWN TRAGEDIES.
IT HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE RUN
THE LAST FEW DAYS.
WE HAVE SUCH LARGE MEXICAN
COMMUNITIES AND PR CAN AND --
PUERTO RICAN AND DON'T WANT TO
LEASE SITE OF THAT.
LET'S START CLOSE TO HOME.
GARY, THIS IS YOUR DISTRICT.
TALK TO ME -- I WANT TO
UNDERSTAND WHEN DID YOU BECAME
WARE THIS WAS HAPPENING AND HOW
YOU CAME UP TO SPEED ON WHAT
WAS TAKING PLACE AT THE
REHABILITATION CENTER IN
HOLLYWOOD HILLS.
I BECAME WARE OF THE DAY OF
THE DEATHS.
AS THE NURSING HOME WAS BEING
EVACUATED, I WAS CONTACTED BY
SOME CONSTITUENTS.
MY LONG-TIME FINANCIAL
ADVISER'S MOTHER WAS THE SECOND
DECEDENT AT THE FACILITY.
SO, VERY PERSONAL TO ME.
I GREW UP IN HOLLYWOOD,
FLORIDA, IN ADDITION TO
REPRESENTING THAT DISTRICT NOW
AND, SO, I BECAME AWARE AS THE
EVACUATION WAS HAPPENING, WAS
ABLE TO ARRIVE ON SCENE LATER
AND JUST FRANKLY HORRIFIED AT
WHAT I SAW, THE CONDITIONS IN
THE NURSING HOME, THINKING
ABOUT WHAT THOSE PEOPLE WEB
SITE THROUGH FOR SEVERAL DAYS,
NOT TO PUT A CALL LAST TURN ON
IT BUT THESE PEOPLE WERE
LITERALLY BAKED TO DEATH IN AN
OVEN AND THAT DID NOT HAVE TO
HAPPEN.
THE NUMBER OF BREAK DOWNS THAT
OCCURRED TO ALLOW THAT TO
HAPPEN ARE NUMEROUS.
THEY START WITH A SYSTEM THAT I
THINK HAS GAPING FLAWS AND
HOLES IN IT TO THE ACTUAL
IMPLEMENTATION OR LACK THERE OF
OF AN EMERGENCY PLAN.
AT THE END OF THE DAY THE
RESPONSIBILITY RESTS WITH THE
NURSING HOME.
THEY WERE THE STATUTORY,
CONTRACTUAL AND MORAL
OBLIGATION TO TAKE CARE OF THE
PATIENTS UNDER THEIR CARE AND
THEY FAILED UTTERLY.
TO THE EXTENT IT MAY BE A
CRIMINAL VIOLATION.
I IMAGINE YOU HAVE TWO
REACTIONS WHEN THINGS LIKE THIS
HAPPEN, A HUMAN REACTION AND
YOU PUT ON YOUR LEGISLATIVE HAT
AND REALIZE YOU ARE CHAIR OF
THE HEALTH COMMITTEE IN TERMS
OF OR IMPORTANT RATIONS.
THIS MAY BE AN ISSUE YOU HAVE
TO DEAL WITH IN TALLAHASSEE.
IT WILL BE.
WE RETURN TO TALLAHASSEE IN A
COUPLE OF WEEKS.
THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE FIRST
ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, THE
COMMITTEE THAT I CHAIR.
ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, IT'S
UNSPEAKABLE.
IT'S HORRIBLE.
THERE IS NO EXCUSE WHATSOEVER
THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS SHOULD
HAVE EVER, EVER HAPPENED.
BUT NOW WE GET INTO NOT SUCH A
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION THAT YOU
SPOKE OF BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE
AN ADMINISTRATIVE AND AN AGENCY
INVESTIGATION AND LEGISLATIVE
INVESTIGATION AS WELL.
THERE WERE SO MANY WAYS THAT
THIS WENT WRONG STARTING AT THE
NURSING HOME LEVEL, AND
PROBABLY AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE
LEVEL WITH THE AGENCY OF HEALTH
CARE ADMINISTRATION.
DO YOU THINK THERE COULD BE
HEARINGS?
I PLAN ON IT.
WE PLAN ON HAVING FACT
FINDING HEARINGS MORE SO TO
ENSURE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS
DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
ALSO TO FIND OUT IS THIS
SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED
SOMEWHERE ELSE BUT JUST THE
MEDIA DIDN'T REPORT ON IT, NOT
THROUGH FAULT BUT SOMETHING
THAT IS MORE WIDESPREAD THAN
SIMPLY THIS ONE ISSUE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GARY
MENTIONED, YES, THE NURSING
HOMES ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE --
AND THEY DO, THEY COMPLY WITH A
LAW THAT SAYS THEY NEED AN
EMERGENCY PLAN OBVIOUSLY EITHER
THE EMERGENCY PLANS ARE NOT
SUFFICIENT ENOUGH OR JUST PART
OF EXTRA PAPERWORK THAT NO ONE
IS LOOKING AT.
IF THAT'S THE CASE, IT'S
UNACCEPTABLE.
ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN YOU
SPOKE PREVIOUSLY, YOU SAID THIS
ISN'T ABOUT HURRICANE IRMA.
RIGHT.
TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT.
NOT AT ALL.
ONE THING WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE
WE AVOID IS THAT THIS IS JUST A
GENERATOR ISSUE.
THIS IS JUST A LACK OF POWER
ISSUE.
THERE ARE SYSTEMIC BREAK DOWNS,
SYSTEMIC HOLES IN OUR SYSTEM.
SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE
EMERGENCY PLANS.
THAT IS A PAPER SHUFFLE.
WE KNOW THAT THIS PARTICULAR
NURSING HOME WAS COPYING AND
PASTING THE PLANS WITH GRAY MAT
PARTICULAR CALLER
INVESTIGATORS.
WHO IS INSPECTING THE
FACILITIES.
THERE IS NO PHYSICAL INSPECTION
TO INSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE
RESOURCES, STAFFING, EQUIPMENT
AND PERSONNEL TO I WANT
IMPLEMENT --
TALK TO ME ABOUT -- AND,
LOOK, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT
OVERPOLITICAL BUT HAVE THINGS
CHANGED DURING GOVERNOR RICK
SCOTT.
HE HAS BEEN GIVEN GREAT CRED
CREDIT FOR THE STORM BUT DURING
THE PAST SEVEN YEARS IN OFFICE,
I KNOW HE FIRED THE OMBUDSMEN
THAT OVERSAW ELDER AFFAIRS.
HAS HE CUT BACK ON THE NUMBER
OF INSPECTIONS?
TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT.
UNDER GOVERNOR SCOTT AND
PRIOR TO GOVERNOR SCOTT, WE
HAVE FOR THE PAST TWO DECADES
DEREGULATED NURSING HOME.
WE HAVE DONE WAY WITH FINANCIAL
RESPONSIBILITIES.
NURSING HOMES DON'T HAVE TO
HAVE LIABILITY INSURANCE.
EVERYONE OF US HAS TO HAVE
LIESIBILITY INSURANCE FOR OUR
CARS AND THEY DON'T.
WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE
ACCOUNTABILITY, THEY LACK
RESPONSIBILITY.
THIS IS A BREAKDOWN AT EVER
LEVEL.
DO THEY NEED MORE RESOURCES?
MAYBE.
WHO IS TAKING CONTROL IN AN
EMERGENCY SITUATION.
OCA TOLD US WHEN I WAS TRYING
TO GET THE PATIENTS PLACED,
THEY HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE, THEY
WERE POINTING A FINGER AT THE
DEPUTY THEMENT OF HEALTH SAYING
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TAKES
OVER.
THE RIGHT HAND DOESN'T KNOW
WHAT THE LEFT HAND IS DOING AND
NO ONE IS TAKING CARE OF THE
RESIDENTS.
YOU CRAFTED A BILL TO
INTRODUCE -- TALK TO ME ABOUT
THE BULLET POINTS OF THE BILL.
THE OMBUDSMEN OFFICE IS
GUTTED.
FOUR HAVE RESIGNED OR BEEN
FIRED AND I BELIEVE IT'S THE
LAST FIVE YEARS.
THAT IS A WATCHDOG GROUP.
THAT IS OUR TOWN CRIER MAKING
SURE THE AGENCIES ARE DOING
THEIR JOB.
WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE THE
AUTHORITY TO CRY A PROBLEM,
THAT HURTS OUR SYSTEM.
WE NEED MORE ACCOUNT BUILT FOR
THE NURSING HOMES.
WE NEED GREATER AUTHORITY FOR
THOSE OPAL BUDS MEN.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE
SYSTEM, PHYSICAL
INVESTIGATIONS, NOT JUST PAPER
SHUFFLING.
SENATOR, GARY IS A DEMOCRAT.
DOES A DEMOCRAT HAVE A CHANCE
AT PASSING A BILL ON THIS SORT
OF MATTER AND THIS ISSUE?
I THINK IN IS AN ISSUE THAT
CROSSES PARTY LINES.
THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT TOUCHES
EVERYBODY ACROSS THE STATE.
I THINK HIS BILL AND OTHER
BILLS WILL RECEIVE ITS FAIR
HEARINGS.
THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE BEFORE
US IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE
DON'T DO IS SOMETHING THAT IS
KNEE JERK AND THEN IT'S SO
COMPREHENSIVE THAT NOBODY DOES
ANYBODY WITH IT.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE EMERGENCY PLAN
THAT WAS PUT INTO STATUTE,
PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA WHEN IT
WAS PUT IN.
NOW IT'S PAPERWORK, LITERALLY
RUBBER STAMPING, NOBODY LOOKING
AT IT.
THERE NEEDS TO BE TWO THINGS.
ONE IS LAWS THAT ARABLE TO BE
-- TO BE IMPLEMENTED, REALISTIC
THAT THEY ARE IMPLEMENTED.
NUMBER 2 THE RESOURCES TO
ENFORCE THOSE LAWS.
THE SECOND PART IS MORE
IMPORTANT, ALMOST THAN THE
FIRST PART.
WE NEED ENFORCEMENT.
THE LAWS EXIST ON THE BOOKS,
EVEN WITH THE ISSUE OF A
GENERATOR, THE LAWS EXIST ON
THE BOOKS.
THE CHALLENGE THAT NOBODY WAS
THERE OVERSEEING AND ENFORCING.
LET'S SPEAK TO THE ONE
ENTITY WHOSE NAME WE HAVE NOT
SPOKEN YET, FLORIDA POWER AND
LIGHT.
FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHTINGS BY
A CERTAIN EMERGENCY LIST PUT
TOGETHER IN TERMS OF
PRIORITIES.
I'M STILL A WEEK AND A HALF
OUT, I'M NOT CLEAR HOW THAT
EMERGENCY LIST GETS GENERATED,
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE AND OVERSEAS
IT.
SHOULD NURSING HOMES -- IS THIS
A LEGISLATIVE SOLUTION OR
POLICY SOLUTION.
SHOULD NURSING HOMES BE
AUTOMATICALLY ON A PRIORITY
LIST FOR FPL.
I THINK ABSOLUTELY THEY
SHOULD.
THERE IS ENOUGH BLAME TO GO
AROUND FOR EVERYBODY.
I THINK THE ELECTRIC COMPANY
HAS ITS SHARE OF BLAME AS WELL.
DO YOU AGREE.
I AGREE ABSOLUTELY.
NURSING HOMES AND ALFs ARE NOT
PRIOR TO ONE RESTORATION OF
POWER ON THAT LIST.
I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND THAT OUT.
73,000 PEOPLE IN NURSING
HOMES ACROSS THE STATE OF
FLORIDA.
AT THE TIME THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS
INCIDENT OCCURRED 150 OTHER
NURSING HOMES DID NOT HAVE
POWER.
WE HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK.
2 Young Children, Mother Found Dead In Murder-Suicide Facing South Florida: Nursing Home Deaths & Hurricane Irma Recovery Part II Criminal investigation into Florida nursing home after eight deaths Guajataca Dam Failing In Puerto Rico, Forcing ‘Extremely Dangerous’ Situation Jim DeFede Speaks With State Legislature On Nursing Home Deaths Long road to recovery for Florida & Texas BSO: Man Killed For Trying To Protect Elderly Man A Breezy & Stormy Weekend Dam Failing In Puerto Rico As Residents In Area Are Evacuated Power Of Social Media Lands Suspected Generator Thief Behind Bars

Facing South Florida: Nursing Home Deaths & Hurricane Irma Recovery Part I

Latest Posts