Posted on September 19, 2017 by timesleader
Wilkes-Barre fire chief to testify at disaster preparedness hearing in D.C.
Wilkes-Barre City Fire Chief Jay Delaney will testify Wednesday at a hearing in Washington, D.C., on disaster preparedness for seniors.
The hearing comes on the heels of residents dying in a Florida nursing home after Hurricane Irma and flooding at a Texas assisted living center due to Hurricane Harvey.
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, the ranking member on the Senate Special Committee on Aging, will hold the hearing to examine policies and procedures for evacuation, relocation and what's known as sheltering in place.
Eight seniors died due to a lack of air conditioning at a nursing home in Hollywood, Fla., after Irma knocked out power to millions. Several weeks before that, a now-viral photo showed residents in an assisted living center in Dickinson, Texas, waiting in waist-deep water to be rescued during Harvey.
Delaney, who also serves as the city's emergency coordinator, will testify about the importance of early warning and surveillance tools in preparing for and responding to disasters.
Other witnesses include:
. Karen DeSalvo, former health commissioner of New Orleans, La.
. Kathryn Hyer, Ph.D., of the Florida Policy Exchange Center on Aging, University of South Florida.
. Paul Timmons Jr., CEO and president, Portlight Inclusive Disaster Strategies, Charleston, S.C.
The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
The hearing will be broadcast live at
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