Citation

Brown LM, Hyer K, Polivka-West L. Behav. Sci. Law 2007; 25(5): 655-675.

Affiliation

Department of Aging and Mental Health, Louis de Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, 1441 Tampa, FL 33612-3899, USA.lmbrown@fmhi.usf.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/bsl.785

PMID

17899530

Abstract

In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated several Gulf Coast states and caused many deaths. The hurricane- related deaths of 70 nursing home residents--34 believed drowned in St. Rita's Nursing Home in Louisiana and 36 from 12 other nursing homes--highlighted problems associated with poorly developed and executed disaster plans, uninformed evacuation decision-making, and generally inadequate response by providers and first responders (DHHS, 2006; Hyer, Brown, Berman, & Polivka-West, 2006). Such loss of human life perhaps could have been prevented and certainly lessened if, prior to the hurricanes, policies, regulations, and laws had been enacted, executable disaster guidelines been available, vendor contracts been honored, and sufficient planning taken place. This article discusses applicable federal and state laws and regulations that govern disaster preparedness with a particular focus on nursing homes. It highlights gaps in these laws and makes suggestions regarding future disaster planning.

Language: en