Emergency plan rules in New Mexico

The facility must keep an emergency preparedness program: a written plan based on an all-hazards risk assessment, policies and procedures, a communication plan, and a training and testing program. Each must be reviewed and updated at least annually. The policies and procedures cover food, water, medical and pharmaceutical supplies, tracking of on-duty staff and sheltered residents, evacuation, shelter in place, medical documentation, volunteers and staffing, and arrangements with other facilities.

The facility must keep written emergency plans, policies and procedures for medical emergencies, power failure, fire and natural disaster. The plans name the persons to be notified, emergency equipment, evacuation routes, refuge areas, staff responsibilities, and the transportation resources available to move residents, and they address both facility-only and area-wide emergencies.

The facility must conduct exercises to test the emergency plan at least twice per year, and run unannounced staff drills using the emergency procedures. One exercise each year must be a full-scale community-based exercise or a facility-based functional exercise; the other may be a second full-scale exercise, a mock disaster drill or a tabletop exercise. All drills, exercises and emergency events must be documented.

The policies and procedures must provide alternate energy sources for maintaining temperatures, emergency lighting, fire detection, extinguishing and alarm systems, and sewage and waste disposal. A facility with residents who depend on electrically powered medical equipment must address power outages in its plan.

Staff, service providers and volunteers receive emergency preparedness training at hire and at least annually; the training is documented and staff must demonstrate knowledge. The initial 12-hour in-service training for staff covers emergency procedures, fire safety and evacuation.

Incidents, including any incident that threatens health or safety, are reported to the licensing authority complaint hotline within 24 hours, or by the next business day on a weekend or holiday. The communication plan must provide for sharing occupancy and needs information with the state licensing agency, the long-term care ombudsman and emergency management agencies.

7.8.2 NMAC, Requirements for Adult Residential Care Facilities, was repealed effective July 1, 2024 and replaced by the Health Care Authority's 8.370.14 NMAC. That 2024 version of 8.370.14 NMAC was itself repealed and replaced effective December 23, 2025. A plan, policy manual or vendor template citing 7.8.2 NMAC, or the 2024 text of 8.370.14 NMAC, is citing a rule no longer in force.