Hurricane Ida heat deaths prompt renewed look at emergency planning for vulnerable populations.
Jan Wesner ChildsOccupants prepare to depart the Renaissance Place senior living apartments in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, in New Orleans. They were among hundreds of elderly and disabled residents evacuated from government-subsidized deemed unsafe in the immediate days after the storm.At least five residents of low-income housing for elderly or disabled residents died after the storm.Eight buildings were evacuated due to unsafe conditions.
Several officials and experts interviewed by weather.com after the New Orleans deaths paint a complicated picture of how the system works and what might be done to change it. Burns said HUD was "actively monitoring the tragic situation in New Orleans" and would continue to work with the health department "on these and other properties to ensure the health, safety and well-being of residents."
City personnel set out to check about 30 buildings, in some cases going door-to-door and forcing their way in. Spot checks were conducted on others. Issues included no working elevators, no lights in stairwells and no way for some people to get down from the upper floors of the buildings. But, she added, those directives can only be put into action if an evacuation is ordered by the city.
Jeff Schlegelmilch, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University's Earth Institute, said responsibility lies first with those who run the buildings and extends to local jurisdictions and, when possible, a network of family or friends. The registry is a voluntary sign-up run by the health department that lets officials know where people live who rely on things like electricity-dependent healthcare support such as oxygen or ventilators so that they can receive assistance evacuating before a storm.
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