They are all guilty. I can not see giving the nursing home people a pass when every other nursing home in the parish evacuated their patients and from what I hear with no loss of life in the process. If you run a nursing home on a coast that has hurricanes on a regular basis evacuating the patients is part of doing business. If it is too much hassle have a business somewhere else.
Telling families they "can" come get their relative is a lot different from saying "Come and get them because we are not going to evacuate" From interviews with family members I have heard they were assured their loved one would be evacuated. If the patient was ambulatory it would be easy for families to get them. If they had special needs they did not have equipment of training to deal with they were not unreasonable or lax in thinking the nursing home would keep their word.
I am on the coast...of Florida.
Nursing & assisted living homes have a responsibility and duty to pay close attention to the weather, and from what I've seen around here, they do!
Last year, during the numerous hurricanes we experienced....(category 2 & 3...a powerful 3 to 4)...each facility took action as they saw fit.
One downtown hunkered down and they were all fine.
Another bussed their patients to Atlanta...
..and another evacuated, only to discover their facility held up well, and probably won't evacuate again....(unless it's a direct hit)
But we've experienced hurricanes that linger w/winds for 12 hours or longer.
We've experienced hurricanes that while not a direct hit, were close enough to feel like it.
..and this was only last year.
But what our city/state had that New Orleans didn't......
..clear, concise direction from the local authorities and the Governor Jeb Bush!!!
These nursing/assisted living facilites rely on good direction and in a timely manner.
New Orleans did not have this....
...yes, these owners may be culpable....
..but if Blanco and Nagin get a pass......It will be plain criminal!