Nursing Home Abuse News

Smoking Memo Urges Facility Operators To Protect Against Fire Risks

Nursing and adult care home operators will receive a memorandum in the mail this week encouraging them to guard against the risk of fire due to smoking of residents and patients in their licensed homes.

The memorandum is a re-issuance with minor updates of a previous memo sent out June 28, 2004. A March 12 fire killed one resident and injured 21 others in an adult care home in Mocksville. Davie County fire authorities attributed the fire to a resident smoking in her room, while oxygen was being administered through a nasal tube, or cannula.

“ Rules clearly state that smoking is not to occur in a resident’s room, and approved smoking areas must be a safe distance from oxygen tanks,” said Jeff Horton, chief operating officer for the N.C. Division of Facility Services. “We hope to remind all facility operators how critical it is that fire safety requirements are followed.”

North Carolina licenses 635 adult care homes, 644 family care homes and 392 nursing homes, providing residential and medical care services to tens of thousands of residents and patients. The facilities are the workplace for thousands of care givers and staff, and they receive thousands of daily visitors. Read more at dhhs.state.nc.us.

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	Did You Know?
	There are places to report nursing home abuse. Make your report to the nursing home’s administrator, director of nursing, or social worker. The state or local ombudsman.The local police or state law enforcement. A protection and advocacy or adult protective services agency. The state survey agency that licenses and certifies nursing homes (often in the Health Department). A citizen advocacy group, or other church or community group that visits regularly.