Emergency plan rules in Michigan

The licensee must have a written emergency preparedness plan for fire, medical, weather, extended utility outage, or other emergencies, and a separate written fire safety plan. The plan must name the persons responsible and persons to notify, alarm and extinguisher locations, evacuation routes and the designated point of safety, procedures for evacuating residents of limited mobility or special needs and visitors, and any special assistance a resident needs.

Evacuation routes and the designated point of safety must be prominently posted in the facility and include a floor plan. Emergency transportation must be ensured through a recognized available community service or a vehicle owned by the licensee, administrator, or direct care staff on duty.

Staff must be instructed and retrained quarterly each calendar year, and new staff on hire, in their duties under the emergency preparedness plan and in the fire alarm and fire protection equipment. Training records are kept for 2 years.

Residents, volunteers and members of the household must be familiar with the emergency preparedness plan and the fire safety plan.

The licensee must report within 48 hours to the resident's written representative after a natural disaster or fire that results in evacuation of residents or discontinuation of services for more than 24 hours. If a resident who has eloped is not located within 30 minutes after the search begins, staff must contact law enforcement.

The licensee must maintain the hot water temperature for a resident's use at 105°F to 120°F at the fixture. The rule sets the range; it does not say how often to check it.

Resident-occupied rooms must be heated at no less than 68°F, and precautions must be taken to prevent prolonged resident exposure to noncirculating air at 90°F or above. The rule sets no checking interval.

A home must have a written plan and procedure to be followed in case of fire, explosion, loss of heat, loss of power, loss of water, or other emergency. The plan must be available to all employees working in the home.

Personnel must be trained to perform their assigned tasks in accordance with the disaster plan, and the home's staff training covers safety and fire prevention.

In an existing board-and-care home for the aged (Part B of R 29.1851), emergency egress and relocation drills must be held at least once per quarter per scheduled shift: daytime 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., evening 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., and night 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Staff must review the fire plan instruction at least every 2 months.

The heating system must provide at least 72 degrees Fahrenheit, measured 3 feet above the floor, in rooms used by residents. Emergency electrical service must provide at least battery-operated lighting sufficient to light corridors and exits.

An incident must be reported to the resident's authorized representative or designated health care professional no later than 48 hours after it occurs. If a resident who has eloped is not located within 30 minutes, staff must contact the local police authority.

After a fire, the local fire department must be notified immediately, and the Bureau of Fire Services must be notified no later than the end of the next business day.

The licensee must have an all-hazard emergency preparedness program and a written emergency response plan based on a risk assessment, its own or the county or municipal emergency management agency's. The plan covers equipment and power failures, interruptions in communications including cyber-attacks, loss of the facility, extraordinary staffing shortages, and interruptions in the supply of essentials such as food and water, medications and medical supplies including medical gases.

The plan's policies address the subsistence needs of patients receiving inpatient or residential services, evacuation, shelter in place, tracking patients and personnel, patient transfers for continuity of care, records, and continuity and recovery. A communication plan names who is notified, including the department and local response agencies, as appropriate to the event.

The licensee must review, update and approve the emergency response plan annually.

Personnel receive initial emergency response training, new and existing staff alike, and annual refresher training.

Each year the licensee must exercise its emergency response plan at least twice. One of the two exercises may be a paper-based table-top exercise.

After a fire, the local fire department must be notified immediately, and the Bureau of Fire Services must be notified no later than the end of the next business day.