If you operate an assisted living facility, resident safety is a constant concern and a top priority for you and your staff. Orlando commercial fire systems from DynaFire are a key part of your comprehensive plan.
There are over 800,000 Americans residing in assisted living facilities in the United States, and 2,400 of the communities they reside in are located in the state of Florida. The majority of residents are over the age of 85, and this population experiences a disproportionate number of injuries and death from fires or falls – over twice that of the general population.
You may not think that fire prevention and fall prevention are related, but when you examine your property’s Orlando commercial fire systems and fire evacuation plan, you’ll see that they are closely intertwined.
Keeping Residents Safe During Fire Emergencies: 2 Key Strategies
One: Orlando Commercial Fire Systems
Having the right systems and the right Fire & Life Safety partner to protect your assisted living facility or nursing home is a critical part of your overall strategy.
Fire Alarms
Fire alarm systems provide early warning to residents and staff if a fire breaks out on the property. This allows time for building occupants to begin fire response procedures before the fire becomes widespread.
Our team of Orlando commercial fire system professionals can design, install, test, and maintain a variety of top-of-the-line alarm systems. This includes accessible alarm systems that activate both auditory and visual alarms when activated to meet the unique needs of each resident in your facility.
Fire Alarm Monitoring
At DynaFire, we don’t believe in doing anything second best, and that’s why we created the DynaNet alarm monitoring system. DynaNet is wireless and operates at the highest level of efficiency. When an alarm is activated, it sends notification to the central monitoring station in seconds. This means that your employees can focus on their fire response procedures with confidence that emergency responders are on the way.
Fire Sprinkler Systems
Fire sprinkler systems save lives – especially in residential occupancies where not all building occupants can quickly evacuate the premises. A fire sprinkler can extinguish or contain a fire to one area of a building, preventing it from spreading throughout the property and causing injury or loss of life.
Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are a necessity in any commercial building, and an assisted living facility is no different. These devices extinguish small fires or clear paths of egress in larger fires, and you need them in top working condition. Our team highly-trained fire professionals can maintain, test, inspect, and repair or recharge the fire extinguishers in your facility at regular intervals. And we make it easy for you by tracking service dates and ensuring your facility is meeting compliance requirements.
Two: Fire Response and Evacuation 
The second part of keeping your assisted living facility safe from fire injuries or death is ensuring you have the proper response plan.
Fire Response
It’s important to acknowledge that people living in assisted living facilities may not be able to evacuate because of mobility or other disabilities. Proper planning, training, and practice of all staff are essential in order to provide for the safety of residents. Here are some safety recommendations to implement in your facility:
- Fire procedures should be understood and practiced by all staff. This includes doctors, nursing staff, kitchen staff, maintenance, volunteers, and any others.
- Response procedures should be practiced regularly.
- There should be a clear “code word” agreed upon beforehand for the facility to alert other staff in case of fire.
If a fire does break out, everyone in immediate danger should be evacuated first, and doors should be closed where possible to contain any smoke or fire. When evacuating, no resident should be left behind.
Evacuation
Evacuation is the point when fall prevention as fire protection comes into play. Make sure of the following in your facility:
- Halls, stairways, and exits are clear of clutter and debris.
- All windows and doors are able to be opened as a possible escape route.
- Residents have walkers, wheelchairs, and other mobility aids within easy reach at all times, and especially at night.
- There is a designated meeting spot that is far enough away from the building, but is still accessible to residents.
Maintaining an effective response plan is a key part of preventing fire-related injuries or loss of life.
Get The Right Orlando Commercial Fire Systems With DynaFire
Our knowledgeable team of Fire & Life Safety professionals is always here to help make your property safer. If you’d like to learn more about what it’s like to partner with us, give us a call today. We look forward to working with you!
