Fire Safety & Disaster Planning In-service Training Guide

Overview Procedures to follow in case of a fire or explosion Use of fire fighting equipment Evacuation of Residents Fire Drills Disaster Drills, including Tornado Drills

Statistics: According to the National Fire Protection Association (a fire prevention research group) nationwide, 2,300 nursing home fires are reported each year – or one for every seven nursing homes.

Purpose: The purpose of a Fire Policy and Procedure is to ensure all staff know how to respond in the event of a fire, and ensure the safety of all Residents and Staff Members Each facility has an individualized Policy and Procedure outlining a specific plan. Always follow your facility’s P & P.

Things to Know… Know the location of ALL Fire Pull Alarms; Fire Extinguishers; and Emergency Exits Know your home’s Evacuation Plan and the location everyone will gather once outside. Remain calm and Do Not Panic. Your residents can sense FEAR. Know your responsibilities as a team member.

Duties of Personnel Exact duties of various personnel or staff members should be defined in your facility’s Emergency Plan. Specific assignments may include notifying the Fire Department; notifying the Administrator; keeping a roster of all residents in case evacuation is necessary; someone to meet the fire department; or someone to answer the phones

Remember this Procedure: R.A.C.E. R = RESCUE. Rescue anyone in immediate danger. A = ALERT. Alert all staff by activating the nearest fire alarm and use the intercom to communicate the fire and location. The person in charge shall call 911. C = CONTAIN. Contain fire and smoke by closing all doors and windows in the area. E = EXTINGUISH. Extinguish if the fire is small enough. If you cannot extinguish evacuate that area of the building immediately.

Extinguishing a Fire P.A.S.S. – is the common acronym used to describe the 4-step process of operating a fire extinguisher. P = PULL. Pull the safety pin on the extinguisher. A = AIM. Aim the extinguisher at the base of the fire. S = SQUEEZE. Squeeze the handle to discharge the material. S = SWEEP. Use the sweeping motion with the extinguisher at the base of the fire from side to side.

DRILLS Test the efficiency, knowledge and response of all personnel in the event of an emergency. Drills should test your plan. Address any part of your plan that did not go correctly during the drill. This is the time to make sure it works! Involve residents in the drill as much as possible. Know the characteristics of how your residents respond during the drill.

FIRE DRILLS Fire Drills should always be taken seriously, and performed as if an actual fire were occurring. The more prepared you and your residents are, the more likely you will be able to react and respond quickly and appropriately. Involve your local fire department in your drills and invite them to get familiar with the layout of your home.

FIRE DRILL REQUIREMENTS Performed Quarterly On Each Shift Unannounced Not at shift change Not on the same day Must maintain documentation of all drills The Life Safety Code Toolkit developed by AIPP has forms need to document drills. Contact AIPP if you home needs a copy.

Disasters What other disasters or emergencies are we at risk for based on our geographic location and the nature of our business? Tornadoes Flooding Ice Storms Chemical Spills Missing Resident Irate Family Member Can you think of more? We have to have a plan that will address what to do if any of these emergencies occur. The only way to be prepared is to have a plan; exercise our plan; correct our things that do not work in the plan; exercise it again; fix it again; It never stops. We have to continuously work on our plan. It is pointless to have a great plan that is sitting on the shelf in the front office.

Disaster Planning A disaster can refer to various events. Disaster can be any event or situation that could potentially harm residents or staff members. Every facility must have a plan in place to activate in the event a disaster strikes. This plan may also be called a Policy and Procedure. Every facility’s plan will be different based on the types of residents we serve and where we are located.

Remember- The purpose of a Disaster Plan is to ensure all staff know how to respond appropriately in the event of a disaster, in order to ensure the safety of all Residents and Staff Members. Some disasters may involve evacuating the facility and some may require you to shelter in place. We have to be prepared for either!

Declaring Disaster… The facility Administrator, or highest ranking staff member on duty, is the person responsible for declaring the situation as a disaster and for determining whether you will evacuate or shelter in place. Once again, refer to your facility’s Emergency Preparedness Plan to identify specific duties for each staff member.

Disaster Drills At a minimum, Tornado Drills shall be conducted on each shift semi-annually. Other Disaster Drills shall be conducted on each shift at least annually. There may also be occasions that we practice disaster drills with our surrounding community to help us be better prepared in the event of a wide spread emergency or disaster.

Before we end, Let’s Review….. If the fire alarm goes off, what do you do? If you discover a resident is missing, what do you do? What would you do if you discovered a fire in a resident’s room? Where are fire alarms and fire extinguishers located on this unit? How do you use the fire extinguisher? All staff must be able to answer these questions.

Questions, Comments, Concerns? All of these should be addressed immediately to ensure safety to all individuals.

Closing Thought… Those who fail to plan….. ……..Plan to fail ! -Winston Churchill KNOW YOUR ROLE IN THE PLAN

THANK YOU! for all that you do to keep our residents and their home safe.