Effective 28 Aug 2009

198.074. Sprinkler system requirements — fire alarm system requirements. — 1. Effective August 28, 2007, all new facilities licensed under this chapter on or after August 28, 2007, or any section of a facility licensed under this chapter in which a major renovation has been completed on or after August 28, 2007, as defined and approved by the department, shall install and maintain an approved sprinkler system in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 13.

2. Facilities that were initially licensed and had an approved sprinkler system prior to August 28, 2007, shall continue to meet all laws, rules, and regulations for testing, inspection and maintenance of the sprinkler system that were in effect for such facilities on August 27, 2007.

3. Multi-level assisted living facilities that accept or retain any individual with a physical, cognitive, or other impairment that prevents the individual from safely evacuating the facility with minimal assistance shall install and maintain an approved sprinkler system in accordance with NFPA 13. Single-story assisted living facilities that accept or retain any individual with a physical, cognitive, or other impairment that prevents the individual from safely evacuating the facility with minimal assistance shall install and maintain an approved sprinkler system in accordance with NFPA 13R.

4. All residential care and assisted living facilities with more than twenty residents not included in subsection 3 of this section, which are initially licensed under this chapter prior to August 28, 2007, and that do not have installed an approved sprinkler system in accordance with NFPA 13R or 13 prior to August 28, 2007, shall install and maintain an approved sprinkler system in accordance with NFPA 13R or 13 by December 31, 2012, unless the facility meets the safety requirements of Chapter 33 of existing residential board and care occupancies of NFPA 101 life safety code.

5. All skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities not required prior to August 28, 2007, to install and maintain an approved sprinkler system shall install and maintain an approved sprinkler system in accordance with NFPA 13 by December 31, 2012, unless the facility receives an exemption from the department and presents evidence in writing from a certified sprinkler system representative or licensed engineer that the facility is unable to install an approved National Fire Protection Association 13 system due to the unavailability of water supply requirements associated with this system.

6. Facilities that take a substantial step, as specified in subsections 4 and 5 of this section, to install an approved NFPA 13R or 13 system prior to December 31, 2012, may apply to the state treasurer's office for a loan in accordance with section 198.075 to install such system. However, such loan shall not be available if by December 31, 2009, the average total reimbursement for the care of persons eligible for Medicaid public assistance in an assisted living facility and residential care facility is equal to or exceeds fifty-two dollars per day. The average total reimbursement includes room, board, and care delivered by the facility, but shall not include payments to the facility for care or services not provided by the facility. If a facility under this subsection does not have an approved sprinkler system installed by December 31, 2012, such facility shall be required to install and maintain an approved sprinkler system in accordance with NFPA 13 by December 31, 2013. Such loans received under this subsection and in accordance with section 198.075, shall be paid in full as follows:

(1) Ten years for those facilities approved for the loan and whose average total reimbursement rate for the care of persons eligible for Medicaid public assistance is equal to forty-eight and no more than forty-nine dollars per day;

(2) Eight years for those facilities approved for the loan and whose average total reimbursement rate for the care of persons eligible for Medicaid public assistance is greater than forty-nine and no more than fifty-two dollars per day; or

(3) Five years for those facilities approved for the loan and whose average total reimbursement rate for the care of persons eligible for Medicaid public assistance is greater than fifty-two dollars per day.

(4) No payments or interest shall be due until the average total reimbursement rate for the care of persons eligible for Medicaid public assistance is equal to or greater than forty-eight dollars.

7. (1) All facilities licensed under this chapter shall be equipped with a complete fire alarm system in compliance with NFPA 101, Life Safety Code for Detection, Alarm, and Communication Systems, or shall maintain a system that was approved by the department when such facility was constructed so long as such system is a complete fire alarm system. A complete fire alarm system shall include, but not be limited to, interconnected smoke detectors, automatic transmission to the fire department, dispatching agency, or central monitoring company, manual pull stations at each required exit and attendant's station, heat detectors, and audible and visual alarm indicators. If a facility submits a plan of compliance for installation of a sprinkler system required by this chapter, such facility shall install a complete fire alarm system that complies with NFPA 72 upon installation of the sprinkler system. Until such time that the sprinkler system is installed in the facility which has submitted a plan of compliance, each resident room or any room designated for sleeping in the facility shall be equipped with at least one battery-powered smoke alarm installed, tested, and maintained in accordance with NFPA 72. In addition, any such facility shall be equipped with heat detectors interconnected to the fire alarm system which are installed, tested, and maintained in accordance with NFPA 72 in all areas subject to nuisance alarms, including but not limited to kitchens, laundries, bathrooms, mechanical air handling rooms, and attic spaces.

(2) In addition, each floor accessed by residents shall be divided into at least two smoke sections by one-hour rated smoke partitions. No smoke section shall exceed one hundred fifty feet in length. If neither the length nor the width of the floor exceeds seventy-five feet, no smoke-stop partition shall be required. Facilities with a complete fire alarm system and smoke sections meeting the requirements of this subsection prior to August 28, 2007, shall continue to meet such requirements. Facilities initially licensed on or after August 28, 2007, shall comply with such requirements beginning August 28, 2007, or on the effective date of licensure.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the requirements for complete fire alarm systems and smoke sections shall be enforceable on December 31, 2008.

8. The requirements of this section shall be construed to supersede the provisions of section 198.058 relating to the exemption of facilities from construction standards.

9. Fire safety inspections of skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities licensed under this chapter for compliance with this section shall be conducted annually by the department. All department inspectors who inspect facilities for compliance under this section shall complete a fire inspector course, as developed by the division of fire safety within the department of public safety, by December 31, 2012. Fire safety inspections of residential care and assisted living facilities licensed under this chapter for compliance with this section shall be conducted annually by the state fire marshal. The provisions of this section shall be enforced by the department or the state fire marshal, depending on which entity conducted the inspection.

10. By July 1, 2008, all facilities licensed under this chapter shall submit a plan for compliance with the provisions of this section to the state fire marshal.

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(L. 2007 H.B. 952 & 674, A.L. 2009 H.B. 395)