Multiple residents were displaced after an HVAC unit caught on fire at a Texas nursing home and the flames made their way inside. Facility staff pulled the fire alarms and called to report the fire. When firefighters arrived, there was heavy smoke and flames coming out of the building. Dozens of residents had already been evacuated by staff.
A second alarm response was requested as firefighters rescued multiple residents from the burning facility. Departments from nine different cities responded to assist in the evacuation and care of the residents. Five residents were transported to local hospitals because they needed specialized care. Fire officials said some residents and officers were treated for smoke inhalation.
One hallway in the facility was damaged due to the sprinkler system activation and will need repairs. Those who live in the damaged area were moved to other rooms in the facility until the repairs are complete.
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 fire 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.*
