Assisted living facilities face power outages amid preventative measures against fires.
For the first time, Xcel Energy proactively switched off electricity in Colorado as a wildfire prevention measure, according to a company representative. Dubbed public safety power shut-offs, this method is gaining popularity in California and spreading elsewhere to prevent downed and damaged power lines from starting fires and intensifying the West's increasingly frequent and intense wildfires.
Residents and staff at Frasier, a senior living community in Boulder, learned about the planned outage from news reports. Initially, an official from Frasier contacted the utility, who said the estate's power wouldn't be affected. However, the utility called back later to report that the home's electricity would be cut off. Frasier had 75 minutes before Xcel Energy turned off the power supply on April 6th.
Frasier immediately started preparing the 20-acre campus housing nearly 500 residents. Generators ensured that oxygen machines, most refrigerators and freezers, hallway lights, and Wi-Fi for phones and computers continued to function. However, the heating system and some lights remained off as the temperature dropped below 30°F.
Power was restored to Frasier after 28 hours. Staff members provided care to nursing home and assisted living residents, many of whom have dementia.
"These are the individuals who depend on us for everything - their meals, well-being, and medication," said Tomas Mendez, the facility's vice president of operations.
Not knowing when electricity would be restored, even during the second day of the crisis, added stress and additional costs, including refueling two generators.
"While we were lucky there were no injuries or significant issues, it's likely that these could occur with power outages - expected or unexpected. This puts all residents at risk," Mendez said.
As preemptive power cuts become more common, nursing homes must assess their preparedness. Industry experts and academics argue that better communication between utilities and nursing homes, and integrating them into regional disaster plans, is crucial to safeguard residents.
"We need to prioritize these residents so that, when the power goes out, they are the first to have it restored," stated David Dosa, Chief of Geriatrics and Professor of Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts.
During the windstorm on April 6th, Xcel Energy prioritized restoring power to hospitals and nursing homes. While allocating resources to restore power to essential services was a top priority, the utility acknowledged that public safety power shut-offs could be improved. Xcel Energy plans to collaborate with local partners and the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to help health facilities better prepare for extended power outages.
As the forecast called for wind gusts up to 100 mph on April 6th, Xcel Energy implemented a public safety power shut-off. Approximately 275,000 customers were left without power.
After the Marshall Fire, which left two people dead and damaged over 1,000 homes in Boulder, Louisville, and Superior two and a half years ago, authorities adapted. Windstorms agitated an Xcel Energy power line that detached from its pole in hurricane-force winds, resulting in one of the fires.
"A preemptive shutdown is daunting because you don't have a definite end in mind. They don't provide a timeframe," noted Jenny Albertson, director of quality and regulatory affairs for the Colorado Health Care Association and Center for Assisted Living.
Over 50% of nursing homes in the West are within 3.1 miles of an area with elevated wildfire risk, as per a study released last year. But nursing homes with the highest wildfire risk in the Mountain West and Pacific Northwest had poorer compliance with federal emergency preparedness standards than their less risky counterparts.
Under federal regulations, nursing homes must have emergency response plans that include an emergency power supply or building evacuation. These plans may not consider contingencies for public safety power shut-offs, which are becoming increasingly common yet are still relatively new. And west coast nursing homes are racing to meet those regulations.
In California, lawmakers aim to bring emergency power in nursing homes up to code by 2023, which the California Association of Health Facilities estimates will cost more than $1 billion. However, the state hasn't allocated funds for these facilities to comply. The association is urging state officials to postpone the law's implementation for five years, until January 1, 2029.
"Most nursing homes already operate on a tight budget, and it's extremely expensive to update an older building to meet new regulations," Dosa explained.
Frasier's three buildings for its 300 residents in independent living apartments have their own generators, supplemented by two for assisted living and skilled nursing. However, none is connected to emergency air conditioning or heat as these systems require too much energy.
Tackling residents' comfort during sub-zero temperatures and 90°F days in Boulder is one of the challenges as authorities explore an energy-conscious future with preemptive power outages.
Audits conducted by the federal government revealed inadequacies in emergency preparedness at nursing homes in both California and Colorado. In Colorado, about 40% of the nursing homes assessed had issues concerning emergency supplies and power. Deficiencies included three homes that didn't have backup energy sources, such as generators, and four homes that lacking proper documentation to prove generators had been tested, maintained, and inspected.
Debra Saliba, who is the Director of UCLA's Anna and Harry Borun Center for Gerontological Research, emphasized the importance of including nursing homes in emergency response plans in order to better prepare them for power outages. Her research after the 1994 magnitude 6.7 earthquake in the Los Angeles area led the local county to incorporate nursing homes into their disaster planning.
Nursing homes are frequently overlooked during emergencies because they are not perceived as medical institutions like hospitals or dialysis centers, said Saliba.
Albertson is currently collaborating with hospitals and community emergency response teams in Colorado to create and implement disaster preparedness plans that include nursing homes. Having knowledge about Xcel Energy's priorities for restoring power to health facilities would help her further refine these plans, she said.
According to Bryant, Xcel Energy's priority system for health facilities only addresses how long it will take to restore power but doesn't specify if the electricity will be turned off during a public safety power shutdown.
Soltis, the Director of Communications at Frasier, a nursing home, mentioned that they had enough blankets, flashlights, and batteries during the recent outage, but they are considering investing in headlamps for caregivers. Additionally, residents at the independent living facility were encouraged to acquire their own backup power for their mobile phones and other gadgets during a community town hall meeting.
Soltis expressed the hope that Frasier would be spared during the next round of public safety power shutdowns or, at the least, be given more time to react. "With weather and climate change, this is definitely not the last time this will occur," she said.
KFF Health News is a national newsroom dedicated to producing comprehensive journalism on health issues and is one of the core operating units at KFF, a nonprofit organization that provides health policy research, polling, and journalism.
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The utility called back to Frasier to report that their electricity would be cut off despite the initial assurance from an official. During the outage, Frasier's heating system and some lights remained off due to energy constraints.
