Holiday decorating is a special tradition. But many decorations also create fire hazards. Did you know that December and January are traditionally the months with the highest number of fires? Putting fire safety first assures that the holiday spirit lasts until the holidays are over.
Prevent tragedy by following these tips for fire safe decorating:
Wyoming partners with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to assess facilities for compliance with the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Life Safety Code – NFPA 101 (LSC) and Health Care Facilities Code – NFPA 99 (HCFC) requirements.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). CMS serves the public as a trusted partner and steward, dedicated to advancing health equity, expanding coverage, and improving health outcomes.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a global self-funded nonprofit organization, established in 1896, devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards.
The NFPA publishes the Codes and Standards the LSC– NFPA 101 and HCFC – NFPA 99 that CMS uses in determining compliance with the basic life safety from fire and related hazards for facilities participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
NFPA 101 – Life Safety Code
The Life Safety Code is the most widely used source for strategies to protect people based on building construction, protection, and occupancy features that minimize the effects of fire and related hazards. Unique in the field, it is the only document that covers life safety in both new and existing structures. The code establishes minimum criteria for the design of egress facilities so as to allow prompt escape of occupants from buildings or, where desirable, into safe areas within buildings. The code addresses other considerations that are essential to life safety in recognition of the fact that life safety is more than a matter of egress. The code also addresses protective features and systems, building services, operating features, maintenance activities, and other provisions in recognition of the fact that achieving an acceptable degree of life safety depends on additional safeguards to provide adequate egress time or protection for people exposed to fire. The code also addresses other considerations that, while important in fire conditions, provide an ongoing benefit in other conditions of use, including non-fire emergencies.
NFPA 99 – Health Care Facilities Code
The Health Care Facilities Code establishes criteria for levels of health care services or systems based on risk to the patients, staff, or visitors in health care facilities to minimize the hazards of fire, explosion, and electricity.
The code offers a risk-based approach that takes into account the particular hazards posed to occupants, rather than the building type, to determine safety guidelines.
CMS Quality Safety & Oversight Group (QSOG) maintains oversight for compliance with the Medicare health and safety standards for laboratories, acute, and continuing care providers, including hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies (HHAs), end-stage renal disease (ESRD) facilities, hospices, and other facilities serving Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries; and makes available to beneficiaries, providers/suppliers, researchers and State surveyors information about these activities.
Healthcare facilities submit incident reports online to Healthcare Licensing and Surveys (HLS). HLS will investigate the occurrence and determine if appropriate facility action has been taken. Health surveyors also review incident reports prior to conducting annual surveys in facilities, and prior to reissuing a facility’s license. Reports may also be reviewed as part of a complaint investigation