By Maria Chen, CSA · June 23, 2026
Why this matters more here
South Florida's hurricane season runs June through November, and seniors are among the most vulnerable during storms and the long, hot power outages that follow. After tragedies in past storms, Florida now requires assisted living facilities and nursing homes to have emergency power capable of maintaining safe indoor temperatures. But requirements on paper and reality on the ground can differ — so ask.
Power and cooling
Does the generator run the air conditioning and medical equipment (oxygen, refrigerated medications), or only emergency lighting? How many hours of fuel are on site, and what's the refueling plan? Where are residents located if the building loses cooling? These are the questions that matter most.
Evacuation and communication
Is the community in an evacuation zone? What's the evacuation plan, where would residents go, and how are they transported? How will the community communicate with families before, during, and after a storm? Is there a plan for staffing when employees have their own families to protect?
Medications and records
How are several days of medications secured ahead of a storm? Are care records backed up and portable in case of evacuation? A community that answers these confidently has lived through storms; one that fumbles them is a red flag. We factor storm readiness into every South Florida match — ask us.
What a strong storm season looks like in practice
A community that takes storms seriously runs on preparation, not improvisation. Well before a named storm, they top off generator fuel and confirm refueling contracts, stage several days of medications and shelf-stable food and water, test the generator under load, and review their plan with staff. As a storm approaches, they communicate proactively with families — where residents will be, how to reach the community, and whether an evacuation is planned — rather than leaving relatives to guess. During and after, they keep cooling running, monitor vulnerable residents closely, and have a staffing plan that accounts for employees managing their own families. Ask to see evidence of this rhythm: a written emergency plan, the date of the last generator load test, and how they communicated during the most recent storm. Communities that have weathered real hurricanes answer these questions easily; vague answers are a warning sign. We factor a community's storm readiness into every South Florida recommendation, because in this region it is part of basic safety, not an extra.