Long-Term Care Survey Alert

Published on Tue Nov 04, 2003 PDF

The NFPA says to follow these steps.

There's not a minute to waste when a fire breaks out in a nursing facility. The National Fire Protection Association recommends nursing facilities take these steps to contain the fire and prevent injury to residents and staff:

Call out the code to alert staff. (The NFPA recommends facilities have a clearly designated code word to alert staff to fire.)

Activate the fire alarm.

Evacuate everyone in immediate danger.

Close doors to contain smoke and fire.

Once the fire is contained to the room of origin behind closed doors, never reopen the door or reenter the room to extinguish the fire.

Close all doors to patient rooms.

In evacuating, make sure no patient is left behind.

Source: NFPA Public Education Division. Reprinted by permission.