MIDDLETOWN—The City of Middletown has taken the owners of the Highland Rehabilitation Nursing Center to court after an unplanned evacuation of the nursing home during a humid thunderstorm.
On Friday Aug. 12, a duty nurse called the fire department about concerns that temperatures in excess of 100 degrees were on the third floor of the facility. The air conditioning had failed. Mayor Joseph DeStefano said he discussed an evacuation plan with county officials if repairs were not made by 5 p.m. on Aug. 13.
DeStefano was joined at City Hall on Aug. 16 by County Executive Steven Neuhaus, Fire Inspector Adam McCarey, Fire Chief Sam Barrone, and City Attorney Alexander Smith to announce steps required to bring the facility up to code.
(L-R) City Attorney Alex Smith, Fire Inspector Adam McCarey, County Executive Steven Neuhaus, Mayor Joseph DeStefano, and Fire Chief Sam Barrone at City Hall in Middletown on Aug. 16, 2016. Yvonne Marcotte/Epoch Times
