What does a South Dakota surveyor ask for on emergency preparedness?

Your fire and evacuation drill records for the period (S.D. Admin. R. art. 44:70 (assisted living centers); fire protection at ch. 44:70:03). Judged against time-to-escape (S.D. Admin. R. ch. 44:70:03). Source: South Dakota Department of Health — Health Facility Licensure. Last checked July 2026.

South Dakota survey readiness

What South Dakota Department of Health — Health Facility Licensure can ask you for, each line cited — and the ones you can't yet produce.

The building

South Dakota requirements loaded — the rules below are South Dakota’s own.

Facility name *Survey expected

State *

0 of 29 ready.

29 of the outstanding items are the ones a survey opens with.

South Dakota — Assisted Living Center

What South Dakota Department of Health — Health Facility Licensure can ask for, each cited. Checked July 2026.

Must be done, on a scheduleWhen did it last happen, and was that inside the interval?

Your fire and evacuation drill records for the period

Drills at the required frequency: Fire drills quarterly for each shift — but if the facility does NOT operate three shifts, it must instead run MONTHLY drills so that all personnel are trained. Fewer shifts means more frequent drills, which is the opposite of the intuition.

S.D. Admin. R. art. 44:70 (assisted living centers); fire protection at ch. 44:70:03 · South Dakota Department of Health — Health Facility Licensure

Where the evidence isLast done

Produce this →

Judged against time-to-escape

The facility must be constructed, arranged, equipped, maintained and operated to avoid undue danger to occupants from fire, smoke, fumes or resulting panic during the period of time reasonably necessary for escape. South Dakota frames the standard around how long escape actually takes from this building, which is what makes the drill timing evidence matter.

S.D. Admin. R. ch. 44:70:03 · South Dakota Department of Health — Health Facility Licensure

Where the evidence isLast done

Produce this →

Records to retainHow far back can you produce the records?

Your fire and evacuation drill records for the period

S.D. Admin. R. art. 44:70 (assisted living centers); fire protection at ch. 44:70:03 · South Dakota Department of Health — Health Facility Licensure

Where the evidence isLast done

Produce this →

What South Dakota requires

Assisted Living Center — Assisted living / residential care

Your fire and evacuation drill records for the period. Drills at the required frequency: Fire drills quarterly for each shift — but if the facility does NOT operate three shifts, it must instead run MONTHLY drills so that all personnel are trained. Fewer shifts means more frequent drills, which is the opposite of the intuition. S.D. Admin. R. art. 44:70 (assisted living centers); fire protection at ch. 44:70:03
Judged against time-to-escape. The facility must be constructed, arranged, equipped, maintained and operated to avoid undue danger to occupants from fire, smoke, fumes or resulting panic during the period of time reasonably necessary for escape. South Dakota frames the standard around how long escape actually takes from this building, which is what makes the drill timing evidence matter. S.D. Admin. R. ch. 44:70:03

South Dakota Department of Health — Health Facility Licensure · checked July 2026

The evidence, and where it comes from

Every item above needs something you can hand over. The South Dakota fire drill log produces the drill record at the frequency this state sets, the emergency plan builder writes the plan itself from the same research, and the compliance calendar puts the life-safety tests on dates. Anything you record against the building shows up on the checklist already ticked.

A self-assessment against published rules, not a compliance determination. CompliMaint issues nothing — South Dakota Department of Health — Health Facility Licensure and your authority having jurisdiction do. Requirements we could not verify are absent rather than guessed at.