Health Regulation Information Bulletins
Information Bulletin 16-06
HWS: Housing With Services: 27
Housing with Services (HWS): Emergency and Disaster Planning New Law Effective January 1, 2016
Purpose
The purpose of this information bulletin is inform Housing with Services (HWS) Establishments of a new state law effective January 1, 2016 related to emergency and disaster planning.
This bulletin also advises HWS establishments to contact their local fire code official to review their emergency and disaster plan.
Implementation
The Minnesota Department of Health will require for verification each HWS establishment’s emergency/disaster plan on the HWS registration application and renewal form.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety, State Fire Marshal Division recommends that each HWS contact their local fire chief/fire code official to review their emergency plan.
The HWS laws are located in Chapter 144D.
Emergency Planning Requirements 144D.11 Effective January 1, 2016:
144D.11 EMERGENCY PLANNING.
(a) Each registered housing with services establishment must meet the following requirements:
(1) have a written emergency disaster plan that contains a plan for evacuation, addresses elements of sheltering in-place, identifies temporary relocation sites, and details staff assignments in the event of a disaster or an emergency;
(2) post an emergency disaster plan prominently;
(3) provide building emergency exit diagrams to all tenants upon signing a lease;
(4) post emergency exit diagrams on each floor; and
(5) have a written policy and procedure regarding missing tenants.
(b) Each registered housing with services establishment must provide emergency and disaster training to all staff during the initial staff orientation and annually thereafter and must make emergency and disaster training available to all tenants annually. Staff who have not received emergency and disaster training are allowed to work only when trained staff are also working on site.
(c) Each registered housing with services location must conduct and document a fire drill or other emergency drill at least every six months. To the extent possible, drills must be coordinated with local fire departments or other community emergency resources.
Housing With Services Emergency and Disaster Planning Requirements – Optional Checklist (PDF)