Harris County has taken a decisive step to safeguard its senior residents from the vagaries of extreme weather conditions, with a new mandate for backup power sources at assisted living and nursing homes. FOX 26 Houston reports that this requirement is part of amendments to the Harris County Fire Code, effective since January 1.
"We need to make sure we have the regulations in play to protect, especially our seniors and our most vulnerable residents," Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones told FOX 26. The move was largely driven by the devastating winter storm of 2021 and more recent weather calamities, such as Hurricane Beryl, which resulted in critical power outages affecting local elder care facilities. However, efforts to establish such mandates at a statewide level in Texas have yet to find success.
The cost of compliance with the new regulations is estimated to vary from $20,000 to several hundred thousand dollars, a range that considers the diverse capacities and needs of the facilities in the region. This investment in backup power is not just a precaution, but a response to a demonstrable disparity between life and death, with historical cases of over 100 seniors perishing due to power loss amidst freezing temperatures nearly four years ago.
Furthermore, as delineated by ABC 13, a recent study from Harris County Public Health, found a staggering 329% increase in such emergency room visits since 2019. This mandate is not just a precaution, but a critical response to this rising healthcare crisis. "We are notifying and educating. There are things we can do through citations. That's not our goal. Won't shut places down for not having a generator so as not to displace residents," shared Harris County Fire Marshal Chief Laurie Christensen, emphasizing the county's commitment to education and compliance as opposed to punitive measures.
