96-Hour Power Compliance for Florida Skilled Nursing Facilities

In the dynamic landscape of healthcare, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards is crucial. And for healthcare facilities in Florida, adherence to 58A-ER1-7, the emergency rule set by the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), is paramount. This regulation mandates specific emergency preparedness measures, including a critical requirement for facilities to maintain power for at least 96 hours during natural disasters and other emergencies. Agility Recovery, a leader in business continuity and disaster recovery solutions, plays a pivotal role in helping healthcare facilities achieve and maintain compliance with this stringent power requirement.

How 58A-ER1-7 Protects Patients  

The origins of 58A-ER1-7 can be traced back to the tragic events following Hurricane Irma in 2017. The storm, which caused widespread destruction across Florida, led to the deaths of several residents at a nursing home in Hollywood Hills due to power loss and subsequent heat exposure. This incident highlighted the critical need for robust emergency power systems in healthcare facilities. 

In response, the state of Florida implemented emergency rules to ensure that all healthcare facilities could maintain safe and continuous operations during and after such disasters. The 96-hour power requirement was designed to prevent a recurrence of such tragedies and to safeguard the well-being of vulnerable patients.

Agility Recovery: Your Partner in Power Compliance

Agility Recovery offers a suite of services designed to help healthcare facilities meet the stringent 96-hour power requirement of 58A-ER1-7. Here’s how:

1. Comprehensive Power Assessments

Agility Recovery begins by helping facilities assess their current power capabilities and identify any gaps in compliance. This includes analyzing existing backup power systems, fuel storage capacities, and power distribution infrastructure.

2. Provision of Backup Generators

To ensure compliance with the 96-hour power mandate, Agility Recovery delivers backup generators capable of sustaining critical operations, including life-support systems, medical equipment, and essential utilities, for the required duration. Having a reliable backup to your onsite backup generator ensures your facility’s resilience against major regional events and equipment failure. 

3. Fuel Management Solutions

Maintaining a sufficient fuel supply is crucial for meeting the 96-hour requirement. Agility Recovery offers comprehensive fuel management solutions, including on-site fuel storage and regular refueling services. Our solutions not only ensure that healthcare facilities have a reliable and continuous fuel supply during emergencies, but also help save on recovery costs. While local suppliers suffer shortages and price surges, Agility assures access to the resources you need at a pre-negotiated rate. 

4. Testing and Maintenance Services

Agility Recovery provides licensed maintenance services for backup power systems. This includes regular testing and servicing to ensure that all equipment is in optimal condition and ready to activate immediately in the event of a power outage.

Case Study: Agility Recovery in Action

A healthcare facility in Florida partnered with Agility Recovery to enhance their emergency power preparedness. Agility conducted a thorough assessment of the facility’s power systems and identified areas for improvement. We helped to expand their backup power resilience established a fuel management plan, and conducted power recovery testing exercises with their operations team to ensure employees had a clear understanding of the recovery process, as well as their individual roles in a power loss event. When Hurricane Ian struck, the facility was fully prepared to maintain operations and patient safety throughout the storm. The successful response not only ensured compliance with the 96-hour power requirement but also reinforced the facility's reputation for reliability and care.

The Agility Advantage

Choosing Agility Recovery as your partner in power compliance offers several advantages:

• Expertise and Experience: With decades of experience in disaster recovery, Agility brings unparalleled expertise to healthcare facilities.

• Tailored Solutions: Agility provides customized power solutions to meet the unique needs of each member facility.

• 24/7/365 Support: Your Agility Recovery team is standing by 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to provide support and execute your power recovery plan.

• Proven Track Record: Our 100% recovery success rate allows healthcare facilities to rest easy knowing that Agility is here to manage their end-to-end power recovery strategy.

Ready to Get Started?

Compliance with the 96-hour power requirement of 58A-ER1-7 is not just a regulatory necessity; it’s a commitment to the safety and well-being of patients and staff. Agility Recovery’s comprehensive power solutions and expertise make us the preferred recovery partner for healthcare facilities in Florida. As an Agility member, healthcare providers can achieve power compliance with confidence, ensuring they are prepared for any emergency that comes their way.

For more information on how Agility Recovery can help your healthcare facility achieve compliance with the 96-hour power requirement of 58A-ER1-7, contact us today.