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Florida creates website to track long-term care facilities with generators

Move comes after 12 heat-related deaths after Hurricane Irma in 2017

Twelve patients at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills died after Hurrricane Irma knocked out power to the facility in 2017.

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Florida has created a website to monitor generators at nursing homes and assisted-living facilities as Hurricane Dorian gets closer.

The state demanded safety improvements after 12 people died when Hurricane Irma knocked out power to a Hollywood nursing home in 2017.

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After the September 2017 heat-related deaths at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, then-Gov. Rick Scott set new emergency requirements mandating that long-term care facilities have a generator and adequate fuel to maintain a comfortable temperature for at least 96 hours after a power outage.

The facilities are also required to have an emergency power plan to make sure temperatures in resident-occupied areas don't exceed 81 degrees.

"I think that sends a very important message that if you are entrusted of care with these vulnerable population, it's really your responsibility to have a plan in case for what is going to happen," Gov. Ron DeSantis said.

The website provides a county-by-county breakdown on the number of facilities throughout the state. Users can toggle between the number of providers and beds.

South Florida leads the way with 875 providers in Miami-Dade County, 312 in Broward County and 240 in Palm Beach County.

All 67 counties in Florida are under a state of emergency as Dorian is forecast to make landfall somewhere along Florida's east coast as a powerful Category 3 or 4 storm.

CNN contributed to this report.


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