An amendment to the Harris County Fire Code requiring nursing homes and assisted living facilities to have backup power systems went into effect Jan. 1, making the county the first to take action to protect vulnerable residents during disasters.
In a news conference Wednesday, Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones and Chief Laurie Christensen announced a new regulation for all facilities in unincorporated areas of the county.
“This was a challenge,” Christensen said of developing the new regulation. “We are the first in Texas to adopt this as a standard in our fire code. I’m excited to see Harris County leading the way.”…