NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A senior health care facility in Norfolk has evacuated residents ahead of Hurricane Florence.
10 On Your Side was there as 200 residents from Consulate Healthcare were loaded onto buses and ambulances.
A Consulate Healthcare spokesperson says the building is in Zone A and under mandatory evacuation.
Michelle Sloan, who is a licensed practical nurse with Kindred Hospice, was at the facility checking on patients before they were moved.
“We do need to move them. They are doing that with comfortable measures in place. It is important we do move them to a better location so they can return when it is better,” she said.
Sloan says she and other Kindred Hospice staff have been busy over the past couple days checking on patients in facilities and at home.
“We’re trying to get all of our patients in and be successful with that before the storm comes. We do work for a great team and we’re all coming together to make sure our patients are covered,working extra hours. Our on-call stepped up and came on board during the day to make sure families are more comfortable,” she said.
Consulate Health Care says the patients are going to six sister facilities in the area and their return depends on the storm.
They’ll take three things into consideration:
- Are roads safe?
- Is the building structurally sound?
- Does the build have power?
Sloan says families should take advantage of their 24/7 hotline if there are any questions about Kindred Hospice Patients.
“We all have our measures in place at the time our families are comfortable. Yes, they are nervous. They do know to call us anytime, the fire department, but people are really pitching in to help,” Sloan said.
