More than 800 La. hospital patients could be evacuated
By Eileen Sullivan
WASHINGTON — The Associated Press has learned that some 800 patients in a dozen Louisiana hospitals may have to be evacuated in the next three days because the facilities do not have air conditioning.
Trey Williams, a spokesman for the Louisiana governor's office said from Baton Rouge Tuesday that seven nursing homes may also have to evacuate for the same reason.
The hospitals and nursing homes decided to shelter in place instead of evacuate. While the facilities have back-up generators, the emergency power does not run air conditioning systems, he said.
It is about 85 degrees in the New Orleans area with 82 percent humidity, according to the National Weather Service.
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