How do you plan fire drills in healthcare facilities, when some staff, visitors, volunteers and others may ignore the fire alarm and continue to go on with their day? Hospitals get to decide for themselves how their staff should react during a fire alarm, as stipulated in their fire response plan, according to an article on the FacilityCare website.
The Joint Commission standard says staff who work in buildings where patients are housed or treated participate in drills according to the hospital’s fire response plan.
Section 18/19.7.1.3 of the 2000 Life Safety Code (18/19.7.1.2 of the 2012 Life Safety Code) says employees of healthcare occupancies shall be instructed in life safety procedures and devices.
Neither the Joint Commission standard (and EP) and the LSC reference actually requires all staff to participate in every fire drill.
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