About those frayed wires
Posted by Heather on December 21st, 2006 / Print This Post
On September 16 2003 a nursing home in Tennessee burned down, and 16 residents died. Recently some records have been released regarding the investigations. Fire safety isn’t something to joke about. It’s not something to be taken lightly. CNA’s have an important role in all of this: When we see frayed wires, report it IMMEDIATELY. When we hear the alarms for a drill, ACT immediately.
Take it seriously.
Long shielded from public view, thousands of pages of court documents filed in connection with a deadly Nashville nursing home fire were released Wednesday by a judge’s order.
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Documents filed by the plaintiffs describe what they say was an array of fire-safety hazards and deficiencies at the NHC facility that raise questions about government oversight of nursing homes statewide.Attorneys for NHC have blamed the Nashville Fire Department for the high death toll, and filed an expert analysis of what they say were the fire department’s mistakes.
From what I read, it’s not just the fire departments who hold some responsibility here. The nursing home management has a lot of explaining to do. When they know of problems, it is their responsibility to fix it. Allowing things to remain in poor condition just because a life safety code inspection was passed is criminal.
From falsified fire-drill records to electric beds so poorly maintained they were fire hazards, many of the plaintiffs’ claims involve NHC’s maintenance man at the facility, Scott Hansen.Those suing NHC claimed that by putting an untrained person such as Hansen in charge of fire training, the nursing home company set the stage for disaster.
Hansen also routinely repaired electrical beds and other medical equipment at the nursing home, although he stated in a deposition that he had no formal training in electrical repair.
In sworn statements released yesterday, Hansen and other NHC employees said the bed suspected of causing the blaze had been malfunctioning and was scheduled to be repaired.
Many nursing homes have these Jack-of-all-trades people working in maintenance positions…those who have a little experience in the trades- plumbers, electricians, woodworkers, ect. Experts in nothing, yet they are expected to fix broken electric beds and other equipment. Often this means simply placing electric tape over the frayed wires; often it means geri-rigging fire alarm systems that aren’t working correctly. It’s the cheap way out of things.
NHC attorneys have said that maintenance problems with the beds, if there were any, had no bearing on the deaths and injuries resulting from the blaze.They also insisted that fire-drill records were not falsified, but were simply inaccurately dated, and that the facility’s fire plan was made simple so all employees could easily understand and remember it without formal training.
Much of this has been countered with staff testimony. Fire drills were not conducted. Staff were not exposed to the safety plans; no one knew what to do.
Lessons: Have a comprehensive fire safety program in place. Educate and train staff in what MUST happen when an alarm occurs.
Test their knowledge with regular, unannounced drills on all shifts. Cooperate with local fire departments and listen to their concerns; call the Fire Marshall in for consultation if needed.
When staff report wiring problems, remove the equipment. Stop using it. Utilize the services of a professional- not a handy man.
Links to Nursing Home Fire Safety Web Sites: