Seniors go without power in Florida heat after outage in West Palm Beach apartment complex
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — An apartment complex in West Palm Beach servicing seniors and those with disabilities lost power to one of their buildings Wednesday night, according to residents.
Management was unclear on how long the outage would last, blaming it on the building's age.
On Thursday, seniors at Christian Manor were asked to stay one more night as a woman who residents identified as a manager took a headcount to make a hotel reservation for the following day.
“I’m a heart patient and I have eight stents and I don’t think I should be in the heat this many hours,” Barbara Surdi said. “I may sleep in my car. I have a flashlight.”
Residents went to common areas to avoid the sweltering summer heat. Many crowded outlets to power much needed medical devices and charge phones.
“I have to use up my [oxygen] tanks and hope they have the power back on before they run out,” said Bruce Foland, who needs power for his oxygen machine.
Another woman sitting on a walker in a common area said she’s forced to stay with a friend in one of the complex’s other three buildings because, without a powered elevator, she won’t be able to reach her second floor apartment.
“You’ve got to understand this is an very old building,” said a woman who residents identified as the manager. “The power, the main power, the breaker panel is gone. So I have to find who is going to replace it.”
Florida Power and Light confirmed a ticket was filed for a power outage at the complex’s address on Thursday. But technicians determined the problem was with the facilities’ equipment and not FPL, a spokesperson said.
Based on a review of the facility’s website and conversations with residents, Christian Manor appears to be an independent living center and thus, not required by Florida law to have a generator on site.
The woman identified as the complex’s manager told CBS12 News she will likely have residents in a hotel by Friday. Seniors in the complex said they’re worried about groceries and expensive medication going bad.
“I've got $500 worth of of insulin that’s going to go bad in my refrigerator,” Foland said.
“We shop once a month with social security and food stamps," Beryl Hill said. "We can't afford to replace our food."
