Update 12/14/22
Dear residents, family members, and associates,
Our Executive Team has met today tracking the forecasted path related to the Winter Storm Watch in Central Pennsylvania.
Our team has reviewed our Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan and ensured that we are well prepared for any events related to severe weather including, but not limited to:
- Identified associates that will stay over in the community if needed
- Checked our Generator Capacity
- Reviewed our Shelter in Place Procedures with all team members
- Reviewed our Winter Storm and Utility Outage Procedures with all team members
Based on the current forecasts from the National Weather Service, we are prepared to remain in our community and keep our residents protected against the upcoming Winter Storm risks. We have deployed our Emergency Response trailers nearby and they remain on standby.
Please monitor your email for further updates. Our Executive Team will continue to update you on developments.
If you have any general questions or would like to learn more about how Harmony has prepared for severe weather, visit HarmonySeniorServices.com to view our Severe Weather Strategy.
Sincerely serving you,
Updated 11/9/22
Harmony is committed to providing safety for our residents and associates, even in the most critical of weather conditions. Our first and foremost goal for our residents is safety and security while providing the comforts of home through our shelter-in-place procedures. Our safety plan ensures that all community entrances are secured, supplies are acquired, and associates are equipped to provide all necessary care. Our team has developed guidelines based on recommendations from local authorities and health organizations, as well as from our own extensive experience with extreme weather conditions. Our communities build upon these guidelines to create specialized hurricane preparedness plans for each community’s local needs.
Harmony’s Chief Operations Officer, Eric Stromski explains, “Our executive team has created an action plan with the goal to “shelter-in-place” as our buildings are constructed to withstand high winds and flooding. Unnecessary evacuations may cause stress for our residents and our commitment is to keep our residents safe and comfortable without unnecessary disruptions to their routines,”
In addition to the team of expert caregivers onsite, and our proactive emergency supplies of water, emergency meal planning, and other critical supplies, our residents can safely shelter in place.” Eric goes on to explain that one of the added advantages of living at a Harmony Community are the Emergency Response Trailers that include additional medical supplies, generators, remediation equipment, and array of supplies for every potential emergency scenario. “The peace of mind that comes with this level of preparedness is invaluable.”
In the case of a state-mandated evacuation, Harmony adheres to local authority standards and mandates. Harmony’s Operations Team coordinates the entire process ensuring that residents are moved to a safe location away from the path of the storm. Our community teams are proactively trained in the necessary policies and procedures required to keep our residents safe in an emergency. During an evacuation, residents, furry friends, and team members will be transitioned temporarily to a nearby community or predetermined place of refuge. Our goal is to transition residents from one Harmony community to another in order to provide a familiar, comfortable environment for residents to receive individualized care and programming from the very same Harmony team members.
We know that informed and consistent communication with residents and families is very important, and we work to keep family members informed as often as possible, which includes sharing general updates on our community Facebook pages, websites, and emailing families. In emergency situations please avoid calling Harmony's main telephone lines, as we need to keep those lines clear for contact with local authorities and Harmony team members working on-site. We have arranged for our home office call center to be available to make calls to impacted communities and provide updates to family members listed as the primary contact.
Harmony team members will do everything possible to help the community recover quickly after inclement weather such as a hurricane. Our recovery plan includes full checks of buildings and safety systems to ensure the building is ready to safely welcome residents back home. No matter the situation, Harmony team members will help residents weather the storm in as much comfort as possible.
For the most up-to-date information regarding please monitor your local news and National Hurricane Center https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/