Utah Admin. Code 432-200-12

Current through Bulletin 2024-23, December 1, 2024

Section R432-200-12 - Emergency and Disaster

(1) The licensee shall ensure the safety and well-being of residents in the event of an emergency or disaster. An emergency or disaster may include utility interruption, explosion, fire, earthquake, bomb threat, flood, windstorm, or epidemic.

(2) The licensee and the administrator shall be responsible for the development of a plan, coordinated with state and local emergency or disaster authorities, to respond to emergencies and disasters and shall:

(a) distribute the written plan to each facility staff to ensure prompt and efficient implementation;

(b) review and update the plan at least annually to conform with local emergency plans; and

(c) make the plan available for review by the department.

(3)

(a) The licensee shall ensure that staff and residents receive education, training, and drills to respond in an emergency.

(b) The licensee shall document drills and training, and comply with applicable laws and regulations.

(c) The licensee shall post the name of the person in charge and names and telephone numbers of emergency medical personnel, agencies, and emergency transport systems.

(4) The licensee shall ensure that emergency response procedures address:

(a) evacuation of occupants to a safe place within the facility or to another location;

(b) delivery of essential care and services to facility occupants by alternate means;

(c) when housing additional individuals in the facility during and emergency, delivery of essential care and services;

(d) delivery of essential care and services to facility occupants when staff is reduced by an emergency;

(e) maintenance of safe ambient air temperatures within the facility;

(f) emergency heating plans shall have the approval of the local fire department; and

(g) actions for the person in charge to immediately take when the ambient air temperature reaches 58 degrees Fahrenheit or 14 degrees Celsius or less, as these temperatures constitute an imminent danger to the health and safety of the residents in the facility.

(5) The licensee shall ensure that the emergency plan delineates:

(a) the person with decision-making authority for fiscal, medical, and personnel management;

(b) on-hand personnel, equipment, and supplies and how to acquire additional help, supplies, and equipment after an emergency or disaster;

(c) assignment of personnel to specific tasks during an emergency;

(d) methods of communicating with local emergency agencies, authorities, and other appropriate individuals;

(e) names and phone numbers of the individuals to be notified in an emergency in the order of priority that are accessible to staff at each nurse's station;

(f) methods of transporting and evacuating residents and staff to other locations; and

(g) conversion of facility for emergency use.

(6) The licensee shall maintain documentation of:

(a) emergency events and responses;

(b) a record of residents and staff evacuated from the facility to another location; and

(c) any resident emergencies in the individual resident record.

(7) The licensee shall hold semi-annual drills for any residents and staff.

(8) The licensee shall provide regular in-service training on disaster preparedness.

(9)

(a) The licensee and administrator shall develop a written fire-emergency and evacuation plan in consultation with qualified fire safety personnel.

(b) The licensee shall post an evacuation plan delineating evacuation routes, location of fire alarm boxes, fire extinguishers, and emergency telephone numbers of the local fire department throughout the facility.

(c) The licensee shall include fire containment procedures and how to use alarms and signals in the written fire-emergency plan.

(d) The licensee shall hold fire and internal disaster drills at least quarterly, and under varied conditions for each shift.

(e) The evacuation of residents during a drill is optional except in a facility caring for residents who are capable of self-preservation.

(f) The evacuation of residents during a drill on the night shift is optional.

Utah Admin. Code R432-200-12

Amended by Utah State Bulletin Number 2022-04, effective 1/31/2022

Amended by Utah State Bulletin Number 2024-03, effective 1/22/2024