LeadingAge California, in conjunction with the California Assisted Living Association and 6Beds, Inc, have introduced a bill that would add some common-sense requirements for RCFEs when developing their facility-wide emergency plans.
AB 3098 (Friedman, D-Glendale), would require RCFEs to have an emergency plan in place, review the emergency plan on a yearly basis, provide training to all staff on the plan and hold quarterly drills on varying emergency situations.
2017 was a record year for natural disasters. The California wildfires, which burned more than 9.8 million acres, destroyed over 15,000 homes and businesses, and caused 44 deaths, cost $18 billion alone. California also grappled with drought conditions, significant flooding, as well as the devastating mudslides in Montecito and Santa Barbara County in early 2018.
Many LeadingAge California members experienced the devastation of these disasters first hand. Senior housing and care providers face unique challenges in preparing for and responding to natural disasters. Senior communities serve residents with a wide range of needs, from active and independent seniors to bed-bound patients who require 24-hour care.
2017 underscored how critical it is for providers to have sufficient emergency and disaster plans in place. To ensure that communities are able to effectively implement their disaster plans, we believe that existing disaster planning requirements in RCFEs should be updated to ensure that communities, and their staff, are well-trained and well-prepared on their current disaster plans should disaster strike again.
LeadingAge California is proud to co-sponsor AB 3098, and strongly encourage members to send in their letters of support on this measure.