by Michael Weiss
A recent study released from the Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and LeapFrog, a Washington D.C based non-profit, noted New York Hospitals as having mixed safety grades in relation to the COVID-19 Pandemic, placing New York among the lowest rated states nationally. With only 19 Hospitals receiving the highest grade of A, making up only %13 of total New York Hospitals. According to LOHUD 34 Hospitals in New York received the second lowest grade of D, while none received an F. The review looked at a variety of health related issues from infectious disease prevention to surgical errors. New York ranked 44th compared to all states which although disappointing was actually an improvement from the previous 47th place that New York held in the Fall. The Hudson Valley had 20 Hospitals rated with an overall C Median, although we had 4 A ranked and 4 D Ranked Hospitals.
Recently numerous fires relating to both brush fires and building fires have been spreading throughout the county and the state. In response to the dry weather patterns the state issued a no burn ban last week and it is planned to be over starting tomorrow May 14th. This has some rightfully worried as it doesn’t seem like the fires will be slowing down. We reported on a fire this past Wednesday in which an old home had erupted in flames in Wesley Hills causing 8 separate fire companies to assist Hillcrest Fire Company in dispersing the flames. The BCI unit of the Rockland County Sheriff was to continue the investigation.
Another reason fires have been spreading in the state is because of faulty space heaters. News 12 reported on Wednesday of a Bronx fire in January that killed 17 people in which officials stated the cause to have been a faulty space heater. On Monday, the state senate unanimously voted to pass new legislation to further prevent fires caused by space heaters in the future. The new legislation would require electric portable heaters to have a thermostat, automatic shut-off features, and to be certified. Other legislation is expected to pass that would propose more oversight and enforcement, specifically more frequent building code updates, increased violation fines, and more frequent fire hydrant tests.