Fla. Admin. Code R. 59A-4.1265

Current through Reg. 50, No. 235-239, December 10, 2024

Section 59A-4.1265 - Emergency Environmental Control for Nursing Homes

(1) DETAILED NURSING HOME EMERGENCY POWER PLAN. Each nursing home shall prepare a detailed plan ("plan"), to serve as a supplement to its Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, to address emergency power in the event of the loss of primary electrical power in that nursing home, which includes the following information:

(a) The acquisition of a sufficient alternate power source such as a generator(s), maintained at the nursing home, to ensure that current licensees of nursing homes will be equipped to ensure the protection of resident health, safety, welfare, and comfort for a minimum of ninety-six (96) hours in the event of the loss of primary electrical power. Safe indoor air temperatures in resident occupied areas shall be determined by the licensee to meet the clinical needs of residents, but shall not exceed eighty-one (81) degrees Fahrenheit.

1. The required temperature must be maintained in an area or areas determined by the nursing home of sufficient size to maintain all residents safely at all times and is appropriate for the care needs and life safety requirements. For planning purposes, no less than thirty (30) net square feet per resident must be provided. This may include areas that are less than the entire nursing home if the nursing home's comprehensive emergency management plan includes relocating residents to portions of the building where the health, safety, welfare, and comfort of the residents will be maintained as required by this rule. The plan shall include information regarding the area(s) within the nursing home where the required temperature will be maintained.

2. The alternate power source for the equipment necessary to maintain the safe indoor air temperature required by this rule may be provided by the essential electrical system required by the Florida Building Code for Nursing Home design and construction or onsite optional standby system as defined by NFPA 70 National Electrical Code supplying normal power to the nursing home maintained onsite at all times when the building is occupied. If an optional standby system is used, it must be connected and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. The alternate power source and fuel supply shall be located in an area(s) in accordance with local zoning and the Florida Building Code.

3. Each nursing home is unique in size; the types of care provided; the physical and mental capabilities and needs of residents; the type, frequency, and amount of services and care offered; and staffing characteristics. Accordingly, this rule does not limit the types of systems or equipment that may be used to maintain the safe indoor air temperature required by this rule for a minimum of ninety-six (96) hours in the event of the loss of primary electrical power. The plan shall include information regarding the systems and equipment that will be used by the nursing home required to operate the systems and equipment.

a. A nursing home in an evacuation zone pursuant to Chapter 252, F.S., must maintain an alternative power source and fuel as required by this subsection at all times when the facility is occupied but is permitted to utilize a mobile generator(s) to enable portability if evacuation is necessary.

b. Facilities located on a single campus with other facilities licensed by the Agency under common ownership, may share fuel, alternative power resources, and resident space available on the campus if such resources are sufficient to support the requirements of each facility's residents, as specified in this rule. Details regarding how resources will be shared and any necessary movement of residents must be clearly described in the emergency power plan.

c. A multistory facility, whose comprehensive emergency management plan is to move residents to a higher floor during a flood or surge event, must place its alternative power source and all necessary additional equipment so it can safely operate in a location protected from flooding or storm surge damage.

(b) The acquisition of sufficient fuel, and safe maintenance of that fuel onsite at the facility, to ensure that in the event of the loss of primary electrical power there is sufficient fuel available for the alternate power source required in paragraph (1)(a), to power life safety systems, critical systems, and equipment necessary to maintain safe indoor air temperatures as described in this rule for ninety-six (96) hours after the loss of electrical power during a declared state of emergency. The plan shall include information regarding fuel source and fuel storage.

1. A nursing home located in an area in a declared state of emergency area pursuant to Section 252.36, F.S., that may impact primary power delivery must secure ninety-six (96) hours of fuel. The nursing home may utilize portable fuel storage containers for the remaining fuel necessary for ninety-six (96) hours during the period of a declared state of emergency.

2. A nursing home must store a minimum of seventy-two (72) hours of fuel onsite.

3. Piped natural gas is an allowable fuel source and meets the onsite fuel requirement under this rule.

4. If local ordinances or other regulations that limit the amount of onsite fuel storage for the nursing home's location and the nursing home does not have access to piped natural gas, then the nursing home must develop a plan that includes maximum onsite fuel storage allowable by the ordinance or regulation and a reliable method to obtain the maximum additional fuel at least 24 hours prior to depletion of onsite fuel.

(c) The acquisition of services necessary to install, maintain, and test the equipment and its functions to ensure the safe and sufficient operation of the alternate power source installed in the nursing home.

(2) SUBMISSION OF THE PLAN.

(a) Each nursing home licensed prior to the effective date of this rule shall submit its plan to the local emergency management agency for review and approval within thirty (30) days of the effective date of the rule. Nursing Home plans previously received and approved under Emergency Rule 59AER17-1, F.A.C., will require resubmission only if changes are made.

(b) Each new nursing home shall submit the plan required under this rule prior to obtaining a license.

(c) Each existing nursing home that undergoes additions, modifications, alterations, refurbishment, reconstruction or renovations that require modification of the systems or equipment affecting the nursing home's compliance with this rule shall amend its plan and submit it to the local emergency management agency for review and approval.

(3) PLAN REVIEW. Architectural and engineering plans are subject to review by the Agency's Office of Plans and Construction. The local emergency management agency shall review the emergency power plan for compliance with the subsection and may rely on the technical review of the Office of Plans and Construction. Once the review is complete, the local emergency management agency shall:

(a) Report deficiencies in the plan to the nursing home for resolution. The nursing home must resubmit the plan within ten (10) business days.

(b) Report approval or denial of the plan to the Agency and the nursing home.

(4) APPROVED PLANS.

(a) Each nursing home must maintain a copy of its plan in a manner that makes the plan readily available at the licensee's physical address for review by the authority having jurisdiction. If the plan is maintained in an electronic format, nursing home staff must be readily available to access and produce the plan. For purposes of this section, "readily available" means the ability to immediately produce the plan, either in electronic or paper format, upon request.

(b) Within two (2) business days of the approval of the plan from the local emergency management agency, the nursing home shall submit in writing proof of the approval to the Agency for Health Care Administration.

(c) The nursing home shall submit a consumer friendly summary of the emergency power plan to the Agency. The Agency shall post the summary and notice of the approval and implementation of the nursing home emergency power plans on its website within ten (10) business days of the plan's approval by the local emergency management agency and update within ten (10) business days of implementation.

(5) IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN.

(a) Each nursing home licensed prior to the effective date of this rule shall, no later than June 1, 2018 have implemented the plan required under this rule.

(b) The Agency shall grant an extension up to January 1, 2019 to providers in compliance with paragraph (c), below, and who can show delays caused by necessary construction, delivery of ordered equipment, zoning or other regulatory approval processes. Nursing homes granted an extension must keep the Agency apprised of progress on a monthly basis to ensure there are no unnecessary delays.

(c) During the extension period, a nursing home must make arrangements pending full implementation of its plan that the residents are housed in an area that meets the safe indoor air temperature requirements of paragraph (1)(a), for a minimum of ninety-six (96) hours.

1. A nursing home not located in an evacuation zone must either have an alternative power source onsite or have a contract in place for delivery of an alternative power source and fuel when requested. Within twenty-four (24) hours of the issuance of a state of emergency for an event that may impact primary power delivery for the area of the nursing home, it must have the alternative power source and no less than ninety-six (96) hours of fuel stored onsite.

2. A nursing home located in an evacuation zone pursuant to Chapter 252, F.S., must either:

a. Fully and safely evacuate its residents prior to the arrival of the event, or

b. Have an alternative power source and no less than ninety-six (96) hours of fuel stored onsite, within twenty-four (24) hours of the issuance of a state of emergency for the area of the nursing home,

(d) Each new nursing home shall implement the plan prior to obtaining a license.

(e) Each nursing home that undergoes any additions, modifications, alterations, refurbishment, reconstruction or renovations that require modification of the systems or equipment affecting the nursing home's compliance with this rule shall implement its amended plan subsequent with the completion of construction.

(f) The Agency may request cooperation from the State Fire Marshal to conduct inspections to ensure implementation of the plan in compliance with this rule.

(6) POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

(a) Each nursing home shall develop and implement written policies and procedures to ensure that each nursing home can effectively and immediately activate, operate and maintain the alternate power source and any fuel required for the operation of the alternate power source. The procedures shall be resident-focused to ensure that residents do not experience complications from heat exposure, and shall include a contingency plan to transport residents to a safe facility if the current nursing home's plan to keep the residents in a safe and comfortable location within the nursing home at or below the indoor air temperature required by this rule becomes compromised.

(b) Each nursing home shall maintain its written policies and procedures in a manner that makes them readily available at the licensee's physical address for review by the authority having jurisdiction. If the policies and procedures are maintained in an electronic format, nursing home staff must be readily available to access the policies and procedures and produce the requested information.

(c) The written policies and procedures must be readily available for inspection by each resident; each resident's legal representative, designee, surrogate, guardian, attorney in fact, or case manager; each resident's estate; and all parties authorized in writing or by law.

(7) REVOCATION OF LICENSE, FINES OR SANCTIONS. For a violation of any part of this rule, the Agency may seek any remedy authorized by Chapter 400, Part II, or Chapter 408, Part II, F.S., including but not limited to, license revocation, license suspension, and the imposition of administrative fines.

(8) COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN.

(a) Nursing homes whose comprehensive emergency management plan is to evacuate must comply with this rule.

(b) Once the plan has been approved, the nursing home shall submit the plan as an addendum with any future submissions for approval of its Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.

(9) NOTIFICATION.

(a) Within three (3) business days, each nursing home must notify in writing, unless permission for electronic communication has been granted, each resident and the resident's legal representative:

1. Upon submission of the plan to the local emergency management agency that the plan has been submitted for review and approval;

2. Upon final implementation of the plan by the nursing home following review by the State Fire Marshal or the Agency's Office of Plans and Construction.

(b) The nursing home shall keep a copy of each written or electronic notification sent by the nursing home to the resident and resident's representative on file.

Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 59A-4.1265

Rulemaking Authority 400.23 FS. Law Implemented 400.23 FS.

Adopted by Florida Register Volume 44, Number 065, April 3, 2018 effective 3/26/2018.

New 3-26-18.