- Author
- Groner, N. E.
- Title
- Matter of Time: A Comprehensive Guide to Fire Emergency Planning. Final Report.
- Coporate
- Department of Fire Protection Engineering, College Park, MD
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC
- Report
- NBS GCR 82-408, November 1982, 117 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- NB81NADA2024
- Keywords
- board and care homes | developmentally disabled | elderly persons | evacuation | fire emergency planning | fire protection | mental disorders
- Abstract
- This manual, written in plain English, advises persons concerned about planning for fire emergencies in board and care homes. Because board and care homes encompass a wide variety of facilitites, the manual does not suggest any single plan, but rather instructs operators how to tailor plans to the circumstances in particular board and care homes. The "principle of the safety margin" is used to organize all the contents of the manual. The manual includes exercises designed to select the most appropriate combinations of escape and refuge strategies for particular facilities, and how to anticipate the assistance needs of residents in a fire emergency. Also included are nontechnical descriptions of fire protection techniques appropriate to board and care homes, specific suggestions for training staff and residents using three types of fire drills, and advice about how to motivate staff and residents and how staff and residents should react when a fire is suspected or discovered. Finally, appendices provide step-by-step guides for writing emergency procedures for individuals or groups of both residents and staff, as well as a list of resouces where interested persons can seek further help.