ROBYN SASSEN
According to Beverley Price, who has a mother in OPH and was visiting at the time, “the residents were put at risk; only one lift (of three) was working; the home is electricity- dependent”. The entire telephone system was not working due to the power outage.
In an e-mail to the SAJR and community leaders, she pointed at the lack of a “line of command” in the situation. After the home’s generator kicked in, fumes began infiltrating residents’ rooms. Price called the fire brigade, who reported that the generator’s exhaust pipe faced the wrong way. Price – a former audiologist – also commented on the dangerous level of generator noise (she estimated it at 110 – 120db).
Chevrah Kadisha CEO Michael Sieff responded with alacrity. After a disaster-management meeting with his staff, he concurred: “Our operations team knew about the generator’s ventilation and noise problems. Because the cost of new generators is R1,2 million, they had taken interim steps to alleviate the situation.
“Although our care workers, maintenance and security staff were on site and helpful, proper protocols were not followed completely. With Eskom’s services being so unreliable, it is clear we cannot delay and must find the money to replace the generator as soon as possible.
“Our building and infrastructures are in constant need of prohibitively costly upgrades. Nevertheless, the safety and comfort of our elderly residents is our priority – as it is yours.”
Adds Price, “I suggest a special focus project for our elderly be inaugurated by the Jewish community.” She feels the community seems to have betrayed its own elderly. “I suggest a Mashgiach Lakshishim (custodian of old people) be instituted.”
