295.2040 Disaster Preparedness

In the Illinois Administrative Code, Section 295.2040 includes several requirements for assisted living and shared housing providers to comply with related to disaster preparedness. 

What does a disaster include?

The administrative code defines a disaster as an occurrence, as a result of a natural force or mechanical failure such as water, wind, fire, lack of essential resources that poses a threat to the safety and welfare of residents, personnel, and others present in the establishment.

Developing an Emergency Plan: 

The first section of the administrative code requires that each establishment has a written plan for protection of all persons in the event of disasters including sheltering in place, evacuating to an area of refuge, or evacuating entirely when necessary. The plan must include the physical and cognitive needs of the residents in your care (or typical population) and how your staff should respond in these situations including what procedures are necessary to ensure resident safety. The plan must be amended or revised whenever a resident with unusual needs is admitted. Additionally, the plan must:

• Provide for temporary relocation for a disaster that requires it. Did you know that as part of your LeadingAge Illinois membership you can join in a free memorandum of understanding with other LeadingAge Illinois members from across the state? This can help easily comply with this requirement. If you’re interested, please contact Kellie Van Ree.
• Provide for the movement of residents to safe locations during a tornado warning or severe thunderstorm warning issued by the National Weather Service (NWS). A recommendation from LeadingAge Illinois would be to include a caveat that whenever the staff feel that moving residents to a safe location is necessary they can do so as storms may intensify rapidly prior to the NWS issuing any type of warning. Staff should also do what is the most cautious to ensure that the residents safety is at the forefront.
• Provide for temporary relocation of residents any time the temperature of the residents’ bedroom falls below 55 degrees for 12 hours or more as a result of a mechanical problem or loss of power.
• Provide for the health, safety, welfare, and comfort of all residents when the heat index/apparent temperature as established by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) inside the living, dining, activities, or sleeping areas of the establishment exceed 80 degrees.
• Address power outages
• Include contingencies for flooding, if located on a flood plain.

Additional requirements for severe weather conditions or loss of essential services include:

Ensuring that you have a means of notification to the establishment when the NWS issues a tornado or severe thunderstorm warning covering the area where you’re located. The notification must be something other than a commercial radio or television which includes being within range of local tornado sirens, a NOAA weather radio, arrangements with local public safety agencies that will notify the establishment if a warning is issued.

You must conduct a tornado drill on each shift during the month of February annually for employees. These drills shall include residents, personnel, and other persons in the establishment and include making a general announcement through the establishment that a drill is being conducted or by sounding an alarm. These drills may be announced in advance to residents. A written evaluation of each drill shall be submitted to the manager and shall be maintained for at least a year from the date of the drill. The documentation must include the date and time of the drill, names of employees who participated, and identification of any residents who received assistance for evacuation (which is likely more relevant when we discuss fire procedures).

Fire and Evacuation Procedures:

All personnel who are employed with you must be trained on the use of fire extinguishers. Note that if you have a kitchen/hood suppression system and K-type extinguisher these have different education than a typical Type ABC extinguisher.

A diagram of evacuation routes must be posted along with all personnel educated on the route of evacuation.

Each resident must be educated and oriented to the emergency and evacuation plans within 10 days of their arrival. This includes assisting them with identifying and using emergency exits. You must document this and it shall be signed and dated by the resident or their representative.

You must conduct at least six drills per year on a bimonthly basis with at least two of these drills conducted overnight when residents are sleeping. The drills must be held under varying conditions and ensure that all personnel on all shifts are trained to perform assigned tasks, they are familiar with the use of firefighting equipment, and the effectiveness of your disaster plans, procedures, and training are evaluated. *See also Assisted Living Emergency Drills & Evacuation.

Drills shall involve the actual evacuation of residents to an assembly point as specified in the emergency plan and provide residents with experience using various means to evacuate.

Reporting:

In the event that your establishment requires hospital, police, fire, or the coroner, the manager or their designee must provide a preliminary report to the Department by using the complaint registry, by fax, or electronic means. If the disaster doesn’t require immediate department assistance, the preliminary report may be made within 72 hours of the occurrence and include at least the following information with a full written account within seven days of the occurrence:

• Name and location of the establishment
• Type of disaster
• Number of injuries or deaths to residents
• Number of units that are unusable due to the occurrence
• Estimate of the extent of damage
• Type of assistance needed
• Other State or local agencies notified
• In the full written account include additional information and a statement of action taken after the preliminary report was filed