When the deadly Eaton Fire approached an elder care facility in Altadena, Calif., staff weren’t properly trained on evacuation and safety practices, and two people were left behind on the property. State licensing authorities later cited the facility for failing to follow procedures. With support from the Fund, Aaron Schrank at LAist investigated what went wrong at that facility, as part of a much larger pattern. He reviewed state-mandated emergency plans from more than 70 assisted-living facilities evacuated during the Los Angeles fires and found that over 90% were outdated and more than one-third were last approved a decade ago or longer, despite a state law that requires yearly updates and approvals.
Grantee investigates poor emergency planning at Los Angeles nursing homes in wake of Altadena fire
