A fire that appears to have started in the roof/attic of a Wisconsin nursing home resulted in the residents being safely evacuated, first to a nearby church, and then to several other facilities and hospitals in the area.
The fire chief praised the facility’s staff members in this statement to reporters: “All the residents inside were evacuated. We had 100 percent accountability within 15 minutes in which the crew of the facility did a fantastic job of helping get those residents that were non-ambulatory out of the facility and into a safe area.”
Five area fire departments responded to the fire, and firefighters encountered heavy flames in the facility’s attic, causing the collapse of the ceiling’s drywall. The firefighters used aerial water sprays to tackle the fire from above the roof line and get the fire under control.
The cause of the fire is unknown; however, it was reported that a roofing company had been working on the roof the day before the fire started. How much damage was caused in terms of dollars has not been determined.
Compliance Perspective
Failure to have an effective Emergency Preparedness Plan covering a fire emergency and the total evacuation of a facility, and failure to require contractors performing construction and repair to the facility to be bonded and provide proof of liability insurance for damages (e.g., a fire) related to their construction or repair work, could place residents in immediate jeopardy and may be considered a violation of state and federal regulations.
Discussion Points:
- Review policies and procedures regarding the facility’s Emergency Preparedness Plan, screening of vendors, and contracts to ensure bonding and insurance liability coverage.
- Train staff on the Emergency Preparedness Plan’s protocols for the safe evacuation of all residents.
- Periodically audit by having evacuation drills to ensure that staff members are proficient in safely moving residents from the building, whether ambulatory or not.
