Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey cited the results of a survey on safety of all 272 assisted living residences (ALRs) in the state in announcing actions to enhance the safety of ALR residents across the state.
In July, following the tragic fire at Gabriel House in Fall River that took 10 lives, Healey announced immediate measures to strengthen fire and life safety in ALRs. These included requiring all facilities in the state to complete a fire and life safety self-assessment survey and submit their site-specific disaster and emergency preparedness plans. The administration said the survey received a 100% response rate.
“The Gabriel House fire was a terrible tragedy. It’s on all of us to do everything we can to enhance the safety of all residents and staff at Assisted Living Residences across the state,” said Healey. She noted that. ALRs are residential buildings and are not subject to the same building and fire codes as nursing homes or hospitals.
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The survey findings highlight key areas related to building age and additional best practice safety features. The vast majority of the 272 residences reported strong preparedness measures, and about 13 percent (36 residences) indicated opportunities to further strengthen their approach to fire drills, mutual aid plans, or emergency coordination protocols.
The report suggests that the responses offer a roadmap for additional targeted assistance and corrective action where needed.
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Certain ALRs operate in older buildings that may not have undergone recent major renovation, and 69 percent (189 residences) self-identified at least one area of opportunity to align with best practices for fire or building safety — such as installing a kitchen hood extinguisher, fire pumps, or fire-rated walls. Since ALRs are not licensed health facilities, these building features are recommended but not required.
According to the report, opportunities for improvement do not indicate that buildings are currently unsafe or out of compliance with building codes but rather point to areas where municipalities and operators can work together to enhance resident protection.
Based on the survey results, the state is launching an effort to strengthen fire safety compliance and municipal coordination. Survey results will be distributed to all local fire departments and ALRs will be required to secure annual sign-off from their municipal fire department.
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For the 36 ALRs that self-reported they may benefit from additional work on preparedness measures, the state will request a corrective action plan within 45 days. These ALRs will also receive a targeted review of their training logs, drill performance, and emergency preparedness protocols during compliance reviews to ensure corrective measures are in place and staff are adequately prepared.
Topics Trends Massachusetts
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