N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 18 § 488.12 - Disaster and emergency procedures

(a) The operator must have a written plan, approved by the department, which details the procedures to be followed for the proper protection of residents and staff in the event of an actual or threatened emergency or disaster which interrupts normal service.

(b) Emergency procedures must include:

(1) protection of residents from harm to person and property;

(2) monitoring emergency call systems within the buildings when available;

(3) handling individual emergencies, or need for assistance, including arranging for medical or other services;

(4) conducting and supervising evacuation drills; and

(5) implementing the disaster and emergency plan.

(c) The disaster and emergency plan must include but not be limited to:

(1) procedures and designated staff responsibilities for execution or any part of the plan;

(2) procedures for full and partial evacuation of the enriched housing program including:

(i) designation of staff responsible for the conduct and supervision of evacuations;

(ii) a schedule and procedures for training all staff in evacuation procedures;

(iii) procedures for the conduct of semi-annual fire drills for staff and residents; and

(iv) specific and current procedures for the evacuation of any residents with need for individual procedures;

(3) preliminary plans for relocation of residents, if necessary;

(4) procedures for the coordination of the enriched housing program disaster and emergency plan with such community resources and local disaster and emergency planning organizations as may be available to provide temporary shelter, food and clothing, and other essential services;

(5) plans for the maintenance of service in the event of reductions in personnel;

(6) procedures for obtaining emergency medical services;

(7) procedures for establishing links with community health care providers;

(8) a list of personnel assigned to handle emergencies available to residents on site or by telephone 24 hours a day;

(9) requirement for easy access to a telephone by all residents; and

(10) requirement that at each telephone in a dwelling unit the following information must be posted in large lettering:

(i) the operator's emergency coverage number to call in case of crisis;

(ii) the address of the dwelling unit;

(iii) the telephone number of the dwelling unit;

(iv) the name of each resident in the dwelling unit;

(v) the name and telephone number of the physician or customary primary health care provider of each resident in the dwelling unit; and

(vi) the name and telephone number of the nearest relative of each resident in the dwelling unit.

(d) The operator must conduct training for each new and current employee and volunteer in both the overall disaster and emergency plan and the individual's specific responsibility in its execution, and must review with staff their performance after the conduct of each fire drill.

(e) Evacuation procedure must be conspicuously posted in each resident's apartment and in all congregate areas.

(f) Emergency contact numbers and procedures must be available to staff and residents.

(g) At least once every six months residents and staff must participate in a fire drill.

(h) The operator must arrange, at least annually, to have the local fire authorities, certified service agency or department staff observe one fire drill in which residents participate.

(i) The operator must maintain a record of all fire drills, including the date, and time of the drill, a description of the drill, and the number of residents participating.

(j) Anytime it is necessary to implement any element of the disaster and emergency plan the appropriate regional office of the department must be notified by the next working day.

(k) Notwithstanding subdivisions (g) and (h) of this section, the operator is not required to conduct a full fire drill for enriched housing residents in buildings in which the housing management does not permit evacuation drills. In such circumstances, the operator must:

(1) document that fire drills are not permitted within the building and that the fire evacuation procedures are conducted in accordance with local fire department policy;

(2) describe procedures for fire evacuation and training in the disaster and emergency plan approved by the department;

(3) provide and document individual training on fire safety procedures for new residents; and

(4) repeat training for each resident every six months.

(l) Any time there is a work stoppage, a fire within the building that affects the program, the failure of any of the fire prevention or detection systems, a lack of hot water, interruption or shut off of essential services or any circumstance necessitating the implementation of the disaster and emergency plan, the appropriate regional office of the department will be notified by the next business day.

(m) The operator of an enriched housing program shall obtain from the department's Health Provider Network (HPN), HPN accounts for each program he or she operates and ensure that sufficient, knowledgeable staff will be available to and shall maintain and keep current such accounts. At a minimum, 24-hour, seven-day-a-week contacts for emergency communication and alerts, must be designated by each program in the HPN communications directory. A policy defining the enriched housing program's HPN coverage consistent with the enriched housing program's hours of operation shall be created and reviewed by the enriched housing program no less than annually. Maintenance of each enriched housing program's HPN accounts shall consist of, at a minimum, the following:

(1) sufficient designation of the enriched housing program's HPN coordinator(s) to allow for HPN individual user application;

(2) designation by the enriched housing program operator of sufficient staff users of the HPN accounts to ensure rapid response to requests for information by the State and/or local Department of Health;

(3) adherence to the requirements of the HPN user contract; and

(4) current and complete updates of the communications directory reflecting changes that include, but are not limited to, general information and personnel role changes as soon as they occur, and at a minimum, on a monthly basis.

Notes

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 18 § 488.12

Amended New York State Register February 10, 2016/Volume XXXVIII, Issue 06, eff. 2/10/2016