Section 102.30  Fire Protection in Department Centers/Programs

The Department adopts the rules of the Office of the State Fire Marshal at 41 Ill. Adm. Code 100 (Fire Prevention and Safety), 41 Ill. Adm. Code 140 (Policy and Procedures Manual for Fire Protection Personnel), 41 Ill. Adm. Code 160 (Storage, Transportation, Sale and Use of Gasoline and Volatile Oils: Rules and Regulations Relating to General Storage), 41 Ill. Adm. Code 170 (Storage, Transportation, Sale and Use of Petroleum and Other Regulated Substances), 41 Ill. Adm. Code 180 (Storage, Transportation, Sale and Use of Gasoline and Volatile Oils), 41 Ill. Adm. Code 200 (Storage, Transportation, Sale and Use of Liquified Petroleum Gas), 41 Ill. Adm. Code 250 (Fire Equipment Distributor and Employee Standards), and 41 Ill. Adm. Code 300 (Furniture Fire Safety Regulations).

a)         General provisions

            Each Department center/program shall have a master fire plan that shall include, at a minimum, that:

1)         fire regulations are posted and communicated;

2)         sprinkler systems, fire hoses, fire detection and alarm devices, and other fire safety equipment, are maintained in a fully functional condition at all times;

3)         fire detection and protection systems are inspected, tested and serviced as required for compliance with the standards of the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Illinois Department of Public Health;

4)         interim life safety measures are implementing to compensate for the temporary interruption of fire safety systems and installations during periods of system failure and construction;

5)         evacuation procedures protect the safety and well-being of all persons at all times;

6)         employees are instructed in fire notification procedures and the use of alarm and signal systems;

7)         situations when employees are to attempt to contain fires are identified;

8)         there is advance planning for evacuation of non-ambulatory individuals in a prompt and safe manner; and

9)         there is a displacement plan for the temporary housing of individuals and staff in the event there is a fire that hinders the center's/program's ability to provide for safe occupancy in any portion of the center/program.

b)         Training

            All employees shall be trained in:

1)         Procedures to be followed in the master fire plan.

2)         The general principles of portable fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting.

c)         Evacuation

1)         Fire exiting drills shall be held at intervals to be set by the Director or Administrator, but shall be conducted at least once per shift, quarterly.  Fire exiting drills do not require building evacuation.

2)         Primary and secondary evacuation routes and the location of fire alarm activation stations and portable fire extinguishers shall be posted in all occupied structures.

3)         In the event of fire or other emergencies, employees who serve non-ambulatory individuals shall be assisted by employees from other units who have been assigned to provide evacuation assistance.

4)         Security staff and local law enforcement authorities, if requested, shall assist in the evacuation of individuals who present a risk of unauthorized absence or serious harm to others.

d)         Prevention

1)         Smoking shall not be permitted in areas other than those designated as smoking areas by the Director or Administrator.

2)         The burning of candles, incense, and similar items with open flames/embers shall not be permitted inside buildings where centers/programs are located.  This does not prohibit the use of such items as part of religious services.

e)         Hazard surveillance

1)         Every center/program shall develop a system of self-inspections to identify and eliminate fire hazards.

2)         Employees shall report to their supervisors any potential fire hazards they identify.  Information regarding the identified hazard shall be provided to the center/program safety officer or other person designated to act on such findings.

3)         The center/program safety officer or other designated person shall conduct regularly scheduled inspections of all areas of the center/program.

4)         In addition to life safety inspections conducted by other State agencies, the Department's environmental health and safety manager is responsible for conducting periodic hazard surveillance rounds of treatment and sleeping areas.

f)         Reporting

1)         The center/program shall maintain records and reports of fire safety inspections, fire drills and fire evacuations.  The center/program shall document specific actions taken to correct deficiencies noted in these reports. Inspection reports from external sources and the plan for correcting the reported deficiencies shall be forwarded to the Department's Office of Environmental Health and Safety on the same date it is submitted to the inspecting agency.

2)         Each center/program shall prepare, within 24 hours after each fire-related incident or injury, a fire incident report form, provided by the State Fire Marshal, and shall submit the form the 15th day of the following month to the Deputy State Fire Marshal for Fire Prevention of the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Department's Office of Environmental Health and Safety.

3)         Each center/program shall prepare an annual narrative report of the fires at the center/program during the previous calendar year.  This summary report shall contain such information as the total number of fires by unit, total dollar amount of damages, any injuries or deaths that occurred, the primary cause of the fires, and any steps taken to reduce the number of fires or to increase fire safety.  The Director or Administrator shall forward these reports to the Department's Office of Environmental Health and Safety.

(Source:  Amended at 26 Ill. Reg. 8520, effective May 30, 2002)