1501. Arrangements for Fire Department Response/Protection (I).
A.Each facility shall develop, in coordination with its supporting fire department and/or disaster
preparedness agency, suitable written plans for actions to be taken in the event of a fire, i.e., fire plan and
evacuation plan.
B.Facilities located outside of a service area or range of a public fire department shall arrange for the
nearest fire department to respond in case of fire by written agreement with that fire department. A copy of
the agreement shall be kept on file in the facility and a copy shall be forwarded to the Department. If the
agreement is changed, a copy shall be forwarded to the Department.
1502. Tests and Inspections (I).
Fire protection and suppression systems shall be maintained and tested in accordance with the provisions
of the codes officially adopted by the South Carolina Building Codes Council and the South Carolina State
Fire Marshal applicable to community residential care facilities.
1503. Fire Response Training (I).
A.Fire response training shall address at a minimum, the following:
1. Fire plan, including the training of staff members/volunteers;
2. Reporting a fire;
3. Use of the fire alarm system, if applicable;
4. Location and use of fire-fighting equipment;
5. Methods of fire containment;
6. Specific responsibilities, tasks, or duties of each individual.
B.A plan for the evacuation of residents, staff members, and visitors, to include evacuation routes and
procedures, in case of fire or other emergencies, shall be established and posted in conspicuous public areas
throughout the facility.
C.All residents capable of assisting in their evacuation shall be trained in the proper actions to take in
the event of a fire, e.g., actions to take if the primary escape route is blocked.
D.Residents shall be made familiar with the fire plan and evacuation plan upon admission and a copy of
the evacuation floor diagram shall be provided to each resident and/or the resident’s responsible party.
1504. Fire Drills (I).
A.An unannounced fire drill shall be conducted at least quarterly for all shifts. Each staff
member/volunteer shall participate in a fire drill at least once each year. Records of drills shall be
maintained at the facility, indicating the date, time, shift, description, and evaluation of the drill, and the
names of staff members/volunteers and residents directly involved in responding to the drill. If fire drill
requirements are mandated by statute or regulation, then provisions of the statute or regulation shall be
complied with and shall supersede the provisions of Section 1504.
B.Drills shall be designed and conducted in consideration of and reflecting the content of the fire
response training described in Section 1503 above.
C.All residents shall participate in fire drills. In instances when a resident refuses to participate in a drill,
efforts shall be made to encourage participation, e.g., counseling, implementation of incentives rewarding
residents for participation, specific staff/volunteer to resident assignments to promote resident participation.
Continued refusal may necessitate the implementation of the discharge planning process to place the resident
in a setting more appropriate to their needs and abilities.
D.In conducting fire drills, all residents shall evacuate to the outside of the building to a selected assembly
point; drills shall be designed to ensure that residents attain the experience of exiting through all exits.