Dozens of residents at a Pennsylvania assisted living facility were evacuated due to a water main break on April 13, 2024. The facility contacted police after discovering the break just before 5 a.m. The water caused flooding on the first floor and resulted in a power outage. As a precaution, 43 residents were safely evacuated from the facility, with no reported injuries during the incident.
Thirty of the residents were transported to a nearby senior center equipped with beds and a kitchen. Family members were promptly notified, and informed that they had the option to bring their loved ones home or allow them to stay at the temporary facility. Residents could also choose to relocate within the facility itself. According to the police, it could take several weeks for the facility to fully reopen.
In another incident, a dangerous carbon monoxide leak at a Maryland nursing home led to emergency crews and staff members evacuating residents on April 15, 2024. The Prince George’s County Fire/EMS team evaluated 18 residents and 10 staff members. While two residents were taken to the hospital for evaluation, their symptoms were not considered life-threatening. Hazmat teams inspected the facility to find the cause of the leak so it could be repaired.
Compliance Perspective
Issue
Facility staff should be well versed in life safety and emergency preparedness requirements. The Emergency Preparedness Plan and Life Safety code specifications should be reviewed by facility leaders who must ensure that staff are aware of and meeting the requirements. It is critical that the facility’s Emergency Preparedness Plan is reviewed periodically and implemented promptly should any emergency arise. An effective Emergency Preparedness Plan should cover various emergencies and include detailed guidelines for the total evacuation of a facility to a safe location, transport of required equipment, secure handling of medications and medical records to transfer locations, and much more. Refer to the CMS State Operations Manual, Appendix Z, available here.
Discussion Points
- Review your Emergency Preparedness Plan and update as necessary. Review the most current Life Safety codes and ensure that your building meets those requirements. Make sure the Plan is available to staff so they can easily access the guidelines for the various components should an emergency occur.
- Train all staff on your Emergency Preparedness Plan. Conduct drills for the various disaster response plans to ensure staff competency with each. Ensure that the facility Maintenance Director is aware of current Life Safety codes and provide training as needed. Document that these trainings and drills occurred, and file the signed documents in each employee’s education file.
- Periodically conduct environmental audits to ensure that Life Safety codes are being followed. Audit staff to ensure that they are aware of their roles during each category of emergency per your Emergency Preparedness Plan. Audit to ensure that thorough documentation of each drill is on file and available for surveyor access when requested, to include participation in an annual area-wide drill with your local emergency response teams.
*This news alert has been prepared by Med-Net Concepts, LLC for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice.*
