[FLARES] Nursing Homes, Emergency Comms and the Fla Administrative Code

[Keith Kotch]

I just received a request from a local Nursing Home that is asking for a
written agreement to provide emergency communications in the event such
a need arises.

Apparently the Florida Administrative Code, specifically Chapter 59A-4
(Minimum Standards For Nursing Homes), Section 133 (18)11, mandates that
all new facilities provide for external electronic communications
independent of terrestrial telephone lines, cellular, radio or microwave
towers and suggests on-site radio transmitter, satellite communication
systems or a "written agreement with an amateur radio operator volunteer
group(s)." 

Further wording states, "This agreement shall provide for a volunteer
operator and communication equipment to be re-located into the facility
in the event of a disaster until communications are restored."

I had never heard of this before.  Have any of you run across this and
how did you deal with it?

I'm not about to enter into any written agreement such as this.  I could
promote the suggestion that the nursing home get some of their staff
licensed and install their own amateur radio equipment so as to have it
available but I'm not going to and am not able to commit Amateur
resources to such a location when it's enough of a problem maintaining
an ability to fully support our local DEM, Red Cross, etc.

Keith, KF4BXT
Seminole County ARES EC