DHS 134.82(3)(a)1. 1. Each facility shall have a written plan to be followed in case of fire, a tornado warning, a missing resident or other emergency which shall specify persons to be notified, locations of alarm signaling devices and fire extinguishers, evacuation routes, a procedure for evacuating helpless residents, the frequency of fire drills and assignment of specific tasks and responsibilities to the staff on each shift and personnel from each discipline.

DHS 134.82(3)(a)2. 2. The plan shall be developed with the assistance of qualified fire and safety experts, including the local fire protection authority.

DHS 134.82(3)(a)3. 3. All employees shall be oriented to the plan and trained to perform assigned tasks, and shall be familiar with the use of the facility’s fire protection features.

DHS 134.82(3)(a)4. 4. The plan and evacuation procedures shall be posted at suitable visible locations in the corridors throughout the facility and shall include a diagram of the immediate floor area showing the exits, location of fire alarms, evacuation routes and locations of fire extinguishers.

DHS 134.82(3)(a)5. 5. The facility administrator shall clearly communicate the plan and evacuation procedure to staff and shall periodically review the plan and evacuation procedures with staff.

DHS 134.82(3)(a)6. 6. The facility administrator shall periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the plan and evacuation procedures.

DHS 134.82(3)(b) (b) Evacuation drills.

DHS 134.82(3)(b)1. 1. The facility shall hold evacuation drills at least quarterly on each shift and under varied conditions. The facility shall actually evacuate residents to a safe area during one drill a year on each shift.

DHS 134.82(3)(b)2. 2. The facility shall make special provisions for evacuating individuals with physical disabilities during drills.

DHS 134.82(3)(b)3. 3. Facility staff shall write a report and evaluation of each evacuation drill and shall keep a copy of the report on file.

DHS 134.82(3)(b)4. 4. The facility administrator shall investigate all problems with evacuation drills, including accidents, and take corrective action to prevent similar problems in the future.

DHS 134.82(3)(c) (c) Fire inspections. The administrator of the facility shall arrange for fire protection as follows:

DHS 134.82(3)(c)1. 1. At least semi-annual inspection of the facility shall be made by the local fire authority. Signed certificates of these inspections shall be kept on file in the facility;

DHS 134.82(3)(c)2. 2. Certification in writing shall be obtained from the local fire authority for the adequacy of the facility’s written fire plan, including procedures for orderly evacuation of residents, as well as the fire safety of the facility. A copy of the certification shall be kept on file within the facility; and

DHS 134.82(3)(c)3. 3. If the facility is located in a city, village or township that does not have an officially established fire department, a continuing contract for fire protection service with the nearest municipality providing the service shall be obtained. The contract or a copy of it shall be kept on file in the facility.

DHS 134.82(3)(d) (d) Fire equipment.

DHS 134.82(3)(d)1. 1. All fire equipment shall be maintained in readily usable condition and inspected annually. A fire extinguisher suitable for grease fires shall be provided in or adjacent to the kitchen. Each extinguisher shall be provided with a tag on which the date of the last inspection is indicated.

DHS 134.82(3)(d)2. 2. Extinguishers shall be mounted on walls or posts where they are clearly visible and at a height that is convenient for staff and residents. No extinguisher may be tied down, locked in a cabinet, placed in a closet or placed on the floor.

DHS 134.82(3)(e) (e) Fire report. All incidents of fire in a facility shall be reported in writing to the department’s division of quality assurance within 72 hours.

DHS 134.82 Note Note: The address of the Division of Quality Assurance is P.O. Box 2969, 1 W. Wilson St., Madison, WI, 53701-2969 (phone [phone]).

DHS 134.82(3)(f) (f) Smoking. Facilities shall have and enforce a policy and rules to ensure that smoking materials are used safely.

DHS 134.82(3)(g) (g) Prevention of ignition. Open-flame lights are not permitted, except as provided by law. Heat-producing devices and piping shall be designed or enclosed to prevent the ignition of clothing and furnishings.

DHS 134.82(3)(h) (h) Floor coverings. All floor coverings and edging shall be securely fastened to the floor or constructed so that they are slip-resistant and free of hazards such as curled or broken edges. If the facility serves residents who crawl, a resilient non-abrasive and slip-resistant surface, or non-abrasive carpeting, shall be provided. Scatter rugs not meeting the above criteria are prohibited.

DHS 134.82(3)(i) (i) Roads and sidewalks. Walkways and roads leading into and out of the facility shall be kept passable and open at all times of the year. Walkways, drives, fire escapes and other means used for exiting to a public way shall be kept free of ice, snow and other obstructions.

DHS 134.82 History History: Cr. Register, June, 1988, No. 390, eff. 7-1-88; CR 04-053: r. and recr. (1), r. (2) and table 134.82, renum. (3) and (4) to be (2) and (3) Register October 2004 No. 586, eff. 11-1-04; correction in (3) (e) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6., Stats., Register January 2009 No. 637; CR 16-087: am. (1) Register September 2017 No. 741, eff. 10-1-17; correction in (1) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register September 2017 No. 741; CR 20-067: am. (3) (f) Register December 2021 No. 792, eff. 1-1-22; CR 20-068: am. (3) (b) 2. Register December 2021 No. 792, eff. 1-1-22.

DHS 134.83 DHS 134.83 Safety and systems.

DHS 134.83(1) (1) Maintenance. The building shall be maintained in good repair and kept free of hazards, including hazards created by any damaged or defective building equipment. Floors shall be maintained in a safe condition.

DHS 134.83(2) (2) Corridors.

DHS 134.83(2)(a) (a) In all facilities having plans approved on or after March 17, 1974, except in small facilities, all corridors in resident use areas shall be at least 6 feet wide.