Sick, frail, elderly suffer as S. Florida deals with Wilma's aftermath

Dback Jon · October 30th, 2005, 09:23 AM

MIAMI – Still largely without power and fuel, South Florida confronted a new issue yesterday in the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma: storm-related injuries, jammed emergency rooms and deteriorating conditions for the ill, the frail and the elderly.

"If the power isn't restored to the high-rises soon, we're going to be seeing some real medical problems in the elderly, and quite possibly some dead," said Michael Weston, fire/rescue medical director for Broward County.

Scores of frail people have been unable to leave their upper-level apartments since the storm struck Monday because elevators are out of service. Others were beginning to feel the effects of rising temperatures without air conditioning.

Around the region, particularly in Broward County, north of Miami, some people dependent on oxygen flocked to emergency rooms after depleting supplies at home. Hospitals reported injuries from car accidents at unregulated intersections, falls from ladders and burns from barbecues.

wallyburger · October 31st, 2005, 04:23 AM

Yup. My girlfriend who is the charge nurse at a major hospital in Broward County, had to turn her Same Day Surgery unit into an Emergency room annex to handle the overflow which is huge. 7 days a week 12 hours per shift. She is a trooper.

Her average wheel in patient is about 85 and in a deteriorating state.

40yearfan · November 2nd, 2005, 11:51 AM

Amazing how we are not rushing down to Florida with $85,000,000,000.00 in our hands to rebuild the whole area. They always talk about the people in Florida being too stupid to vote, but by God, they didn't have riots and crime with their hurricane.

They helped each other and are doing the clean up themselves. My kudos to them and their families. It's good to know some people in this country still take responsibilty for themselves and don't look to the government every time they get a hangnail.

Edit:

My question is where are all the donations that were given during the NO debacle? Why isn't someone doing the same for these people? Are they less of Americans?

wallyburger · November 2nd, 2005, 12:38 PM

Those are kind words 41.

Truth be known, we don't have it nearly as bad as Katrina victims. Ours was wind damage without heavy rains and or floods. We have lots of inconveniences, but not the infrastructural damage they did.