Fire drills had not been held in the Residential Center for some time. Exit floorplans
were posted in the building, however, in at least one instance, the floorplan as illustrated
on the posted exit plan was reversed. Some residents were not aware of the location
of fire extinguishers or pull stations and neither were illustrated on the floorplans. Many
residents were unaware of the existence of the third stairway in the northwest corner of the
building. New resident orientation only briefly covered the subject of fire safety, and was
mostly limited to restating the no-smoking policy. There was no written Emergency Plan.
NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, Chapter 311 calls for the preparation and periodic
updating of an Emergency Response Plan for Board and Care facilities. The plan should
outline the responsibilities of staff members in the event of a fire, and list the fire protection
features necessary for the successful implementation of the plan.
NFPA 101 also requires at least 6 fire drills per year, to be held bimonthly.
During each drill, residents and staff are expected to simulate an actual emergency situation,
exiting the building through recognized fire exits. Routine fire drills in this building
would have familiarized the residents with the NW stairway. In addition, simulating
an emergency situation would have alerted the Center’s staff to the condition of the disabled
fire alarm system.
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