Senior trapped in apartment for 3 days during power outage
A Fredericton woman who was trapped in her fourth-floor apartment for three days during widespread power outages this month says more needs to be done to look out for vulnerable seniors during a crisis.
Frankie Gillespie lives in a seniors residence that was without power for several days after a windstorm left more than 100 thousand homes and businesses with electricity.
Her building's elevator stopped working as soon as the power went off the night of Nov. 3.
Even the emergency lighting in the hallways went out after 20 or 30 minutes, according to Gillespie, and she and other residents were completely in the dark.
"It's scary," said the retired government worker.
"The power goes out and the elevator doesn't work. You're stranded."
The 76-year-old, who uses a walker to get around, couldn't use the stairs to leave the building.
She was stuck until family members could help get her down the stairs, using cellphones as flashlights.
Owned by Killam Apartments REIT, the building on Fredericton's north side is advertised as a seniors residence on the company's website. Gillespie said the Lexington Landing building caters exclusively to seniors.
"And there are a lot of ladies living alone."
Despite being stuck without heat, light or a way out, Gillespie considers herself lucky. She lives with her daughter, who was unable to move her mother by herself but had a cellphone and could leave to bring back food.
Others in the building, some as old as 90, were less lucky when the lights and the elevator went out, Gillespie said.
"One woman really looked afraid," she said. "She was all wrapped up in a blanket and she was cold. But what can they do? Now, I was lucky because I have family."
During the three dark days, Gillespie said, no one from the company that owns the building checked to see if they were OK.
"Killam didn't do anything," she said. "None of the building managers, nor the maintenance men came to knock on the door and say 'Are you OK?' I could have been laying on the floor, because I've fallen about six times.
"So, I don't know, I guess that's my complaint. It looks like I'm going to have to move."
CBC News made multiple attempts over several days to contact someone with Killam Apartments REIT in New Brunswick as well as its head of operations in Halifax. Despite messages and emails, no one could be reached for comment.
Previous emergency situations have highlighted a lack of support for people considered vulnerable. The ice storm of 2017 left 133,000 New Brunswick homes and businesses without electricity, some for up to 11 days.
A government review of the response to that storm recommended that municipalities "consider the feasibility of creating and maintaining a self-reported register of vulnerable persons who may want to be on record as possibly requiring assistance in times of emergency."
The review also recommended the Department of Social Development try to get permission from clients to share their personal information with responders during emergencies.
According to the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization different organizations keep different lists of vulnerable people.
"The Department of Social Development has a list of nursing homes, special care homes and NB Housing units for seniors," Geoffrey Downey, a spokesperson for Public Safety, said in an email to CBC News.
"We rely on local fire departments and community groups that often do know who in their community could be vulnerable during these times."
He said the department believes it's important to maintain such lists and "will be discussing this in more detail with our municipal partners.
NB Power also keeps a list of people who self-identify as vulnerable and need power for medical reasons, he said.
The Fredericton Fire Department doesn't keep a list of vulnerable people, said assistant deputy chief David McKinley, but such a list is supposed be part of a building's fire safety plan.
Gillespie said she had no idea such lists existed, and after her ordeal, doubts she or anyone else in her building is on one.
Although she had no difficulties with the building's owner or management before, the days spent trapped left her spooked, she said.
"I think I'm going to have to move," said Gillespie. "If I can find something on the ground floor, maybe I would stay here."
