A week ago a nursing home patient in Chicago caught on fire as he smoked a cigarette. The man burnt to death after his lighter caught his clothes on fire.
As soon as staff members noticed the patient was on fire, they tried to assist him by spraying a fire extinguisher on his body. Unfortunately, it was too late for assistance. The man’s body smoldered in a designated smoking area of the healthcare center.
It took less than 5 minutes for the patient to lose his life.
What are the best fire safety practices for nursing homes? How can you save life and property at a moments notice?
Fireline is here to provide you valuable information on nursing home fire safety.
If a patient catches on fire, staffers should be trained to cool down the patient’s body to reduce the progress of burns. When the body is unable to cool down, the burn process progresses faster.
It’s important that healthcare centers fire and life safety equipment and emergency plans are compliant with applicable codes/ standards to reduce the risk of a fire as much as possible. It is also important that staffers be trained on how to handle fire emergencies, particularly when automatic fire sprinkler systems and fire alarms fail.
To meet standards, nursing homes should have:
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An emergency preparedness policy
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Regular Fire Drills
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Smoke Detectors
Fireline can keep your nursing home compliant by providing maintenance services for your fire alarm systems. Regular maintenance of fire alarm systems can prevent loss of life, minimize property damage and keep your nursing home up to building code. Fireline can also complete a hazard analysis for your nursing home to establish an effective fire emergency plan.
In a fire emergency plan, procedures should be set in place to address issues related to internal fires, external fires, and swift evacuation.
An evacuation floor plan should be visible on every level of the nursing home. Ideal places to display a floor plan are nurse stations. The floor plan should display emergency exits, smoke barriers and where utility shutoffs are located.
If any patient catches on fire at your nursing home, staffers should immediately aid the patient. Anytime a fire alarm signals, the staff should implement the fire safety plan.
Next, find a way to confine the fire. Fireline can design and install firestop systems to increase evacuation time that saves lives and property simultaneously.
Do not forget to designate an evacuation meet up site to account for all patients and staff members. This will help fire fighters inspect the building properly.
Every year at least 16 people die in Nursing home fires and 130 people suffer from physical injuries. Cooking activities are the most common cause of nursing home fires followed by electrical fire hazards.
For a fire to occur, something must burn, have oxygen, and heat.
For Fire Alarms, Sprinkler systems, Exit & Emergency Lights and Special Hazards Systems , hire Fireline to design and install fire safety systems.
Call the Fireline Corporation today at 800-553-3405 or click here for all your fire protection system needs. Ask us about our fire alarm systems and Fire Extinguisher Service.
Fireline a Maryland corporation founded in 1947 by John S. Waters. Fireline remains a pioneer in the fledgling fire equipment distribution business and we have grown to encompass all facets of fire protection. We can design, install, inspect, or service any type of fire protection system. From fire alarm to fire extinguishers, we do it all.
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Source:
http://www.oregon.gov/osp/SFM/docs/Fire_Life_Safety/FireLifeSafetyPracticesNH_Hospices.pdf
http://www.hcpro.com/SAF-233258-174/NFPA-Nursing-home-fires-kill-an-average-of-16-annually.html
http://www.nursingassistanteducation.com/site/courses/eng/nae-fs-nhhnat-eng.php