Section 146.295  Emergency Contingency Plan

For the purpose of this Section, "emergency" means  an event, as a result of a mechanical failure or natural force such as water, wind, fire or loss of electrical power, that poses a threat to the safety and welfare of residents, personnel, and others present in the SLF.

a)         Each SLF shall have a written plan, which shall be part of the SLF's Quality Assurance Plan, for protection of all persons in the event of mechanical failure or natural force emergency, for keeping persons in place, for evacuating persons to areas of refuge, and for evacuating persons from the building when necessary. The plan shall:

1)         address the physical and cognitive needs of residents and include special staff response, including the procedures needed to ensure the safety of any resident.  The plan shall be amended or revised whenever any resident with unusual needs is admitted;

2)         provide for the temporary relocation of residents for any emergency requiring relocation;

3)         provide for the movement of residents to safe locations within the SLF in the event of a tornado warning or severe thunder storm warning issued by the National Weather Service;

4)         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, inside the residents' living, dining, activities, or sleeping areas of the SLF exceeds a heat index/apparent temperature of 80ºF, or falls below 55ºF, for 12 hours or more;

5)         address power outages, including how residents call for help, how resident safety is monitored, and how food spoilage is checked while power is out;

6)         include contingencies in the event of flooding, if located in a flood plain; and

7)         be reviewed by local emergency response entities, such as fire department, ambulance and EMT services.  The emergency response entities shall direct recommendations to the SLF concerning the SLF's plan and any issues that could be life threatening, and the SLFs shall make changes to the plan, as appropriate.

b)         All personnel employed on the premises shall be instructed in the emergency contingency plan and the use of fire extinguishers.

c)         A diagram of emergency evacuation routes shall be posted in at least all corridors and common areas and all personnel employed on the premises shall be aware of the route.

d)         There shall be a means of notification to the SLF when the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning covering the area in which the SLF is located.  The notification mechanism must be other than commercial radio or television.  Notification measures include being within range of local tornado warning sirens, an operable National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radio in the SLF, or arrangements with local public safety agencies (police, fire, ESDA) to be notified if a warning is issued.

e)         Each resident shall be oriented to the emergency plans within ten days after the resident's admission.  Orientation shall include assisting residents in identifying and using emergency exits.  Documentation of the orientation shall be signed and dated by the resident or the resident's representative.

f)         The SLF shall conduct at least two drills per year. At least one drill shall cover evacuation during a fire and the other shall cover evacuation during a tornado.

g)         The SLF shall evaluate the effectiveness of emergency plans, procedures and training.

h)         Drills shall include residents, SLF personnel, and other persons in the SLF.

r)          Drills shall include making a general announcement throughout the SLF that a drill is being conducted or sounding an emergency alarm.  Drills may be announced in advance to residents.

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

k)         A written evaluation of each drill shall be submitted to the SLF manager and the Quality Assurance Committee and shall be maintained for one year from the date of the drill.  The evaluation shall include the date and time of the drill, names of employees participating in the drill, and identification of any residents who received assistance for evacuation.

l)          Upon the occurrence of an emergency resulting from a mechanical failure or natural force requiring hospital service, police, fire department or coroner, the SLF manager or designee must provide a preliminary report to the Department by fax within 24 hours after the occurrence.  This includes, but is not limited to, loss of electrical power in excess of an hour, physical injury suffered by residents during a mechanical failure or force of nature, evacuation of residents for any reason, and fire alarm activation that results in an on-site response by the local fire department.  It does not include fire department response that is the result of resident cooking mishaps that only cause minimal smoke limited to a resident's apartment or false alarm as determined by the local fire department.  This preliminary report shall include, at a minimum:

1)         name and location of the SLF;

2)         type of emergency;

3)         number of injuries or deaths to residents;

4)         names of residents involved in the emergency;

5)         number of units not usable due to the occurrence;

6)         estimate of the extent of damages to the SLF;

7)         type of assistance needed, if any;

8)         location of displaced residents, if any; and

9)         other State or local agencies notified about the problem.

m)        The SLF manager or designee shall submit a final report to the Department that includes how the emergency was handled, final outcome, who was involved, and what steps are being taken to prevent the situation in the future.

(Source:  Amended at 33 Ill. Reg. 11803, effective August 1, 2009)