Are Nursing Homes in Longview, TX Required to Have an Emergency Preparedness Plan?

Nursing homes, just like other types of long-term care facilities, must have an Emergency Preparedness & Response Plan in place at all times in the event an emergency arises. Natural disasters, floods, and fires all constitute as an emergency and the staff working within these facilities must know exactly what to do should one ever occur to ensure the safety of the residents living there is never put in jeopardy. Not only must these emergency preparedness plans be available at all times, but nursing homes must also:

• Train new employees on the procedures on how to handle an emergency situation.
• Periodically review the procedures with current staff, and
• Carry out unannounced staff drills so that should a flood or fire ever occur, the staff is familiar with what to do.

[Source: Capital Area Council of Governments].

 

What belongs in a nursing home Emergency Preparedness & Response Plan?

 

The emergency preparedness plan a nursing home is required to have should contain the following information:

• A designated person who is responsible for being the emergency preparedness coordinator (EPC) and has the “authority to manage the facility’s response to an emergency situation in accordance with the plan and includes his or her current phone number.”
• It should name the person who is designated by name or title as an alternate EPC in the event the authorized EPC is unavailable.
• Identifies the contact information for the local emergency management coordinator (EMC) for the area in which the facility is located.
• It must outline a plan for coordinating a staffing response to an emergency.
• Outlines a plan for guiding residents to a safe location, whether that be to a safe area located within the facility or evacuating them to a new location. In the event residents are housed in the facility when an emergency arises, the plan must outline procedures for accessing the following:
  1. medications
  2. records
  3. food and water
  4. equipment
  5. supplies

[Source: Capital Area Council of Governments].

 

Essentially, all nursing homes located within Longview or any other city within the state of Texas must have an emergency preparedness plan that addresses the following Eight Core Functions of Emergency Management:

 

1. Direction and Control
2. Warning, which explains how the facility will be notified of an emergency and who they will notify.
3. Communication
4. Sheltering arrangements
5. Evacuation
6. Transportation
7. Health and medical needs
8. Resource management (supplies, staffing, emergency equipment, records, etc.)

 

Now, if you are unaware of what the emergency preparedness and response plan is at the facility where your loved one currently resides, be sure to ask the administrator at the facility the following questions:

 

• What are the basics of the facility’s evacuation plan in the event of an emergency?
• Which places the facility has agreements with to relocate or accept residents?
• What are the contact numbers for information in case of an emergency?

 

You are also encouraged to speak with a TX elder law attorney to learn more about the other rules and regulations nursing homes in Longview are required to abide by.

 

It is the duty of the facility to ensure that the staff working there takes all the necessary measures in the event an emergency situation arises to ensure the residents are safe and have everything they need. If your loved one is ever placed in the line of danger, whether it is during an emergency or at any other point during their stay at a facility, you are encouraged to contact a Longview, TX nursing home abuse attorney. Cooper Law Firm is one firm that has extensive experience with representing clients who have been mistreated or abused by nursing home staff and can help you if you ever find yourself faced with such unfortunate circumstances.

 

You can reach Cooper Law Firm at:

501 N Third St,
Longview, TX 75601

903-297-0037

Website: www.cooper-law-firm.com