News
Care homes comply with code
By Philip Franchine, Sahuarita Sun
All of the assisted living homes within Sahuarita’s town limits are on their way to complying with a provision that requires fire sprinklers.
Some have installed fire sprinklers, a handful have obtained building permits and appeared poised to install sprinklers, and one has downsized to five beds, which makes it exempt from the town’s building code.
Town Fire Marshal and Town Building Official Andy Kelley said sprinklers are the most efficient way to save lives and reduce injury.
“It’s great that they (homes) are headed in that direction, but actual compliance is what is required” under the code, Kelley said.
Some home operators still say the sprinkler requirement is not a useful investment for promoting patient safety, and some would prefer to spend the tens of thousands of dollars involved in other ways.
Others say that after they initially opposed it, they now feel it is a reasonable measure and helps assure the family members of residents that the homes are safe.
Kelley is adamant that sprinklers are the best approach and has been seeking sprinkler systems for several years under the building code.
He says there are not enough staff working at the assisted living homes to evacuate residents fast enough to save their lives.
Many of the homes have only one or two staff working the overnight shift, for example, and some of the residents, possibly a majority, would need help in getting to an exit in a timely manner, he said.
Kelley brought the issue before the Town Council several years ago, pointing out that most of the homes in town were not complying with the international building code that the town has adopted.
Three are exempt because they originally obtained licensing decades ago, under an earlier version of the international building code, one that did not require sprinklers.
The building code recommended by international agencies has since been made more strict and has been adopted by the town and by Pima County, whose building codes were in force until the town was incorporated in 1994.
After Kelley raised the issue, the Town Council studied it for some time and in 2005 gave the homes two years to comply with the code because it could be a major expense for many homes, and some home operators predicted they would have to go out of business.
Instead, several have already installed sprinklers, others are in the process.
One, San Judas Adult Care, reduced its size from eight to five beds, a spokeswoman said, and Kelley said that means it is not required to have sprinklers.
Sprinkler systems are in place in Saguaro Acres II, Villa Rosas and Casa de Sonshine, Kelley said, and building permits have been obtained for Andrea’s Hacienda Annex; Pat’s Sonoran Homes I and II and Sugar’s II.
Exempt are Desert Pines Eldercare, Nan’s Hacienda and Nan’s Hacienda Tres, which predate the regulation.
Deborah McCarty, manager of Life Sonoran Homes (formerly Pat’s Sonoran Homes), said the $10,000 or more it cost to equip each home could be spent better on training that could upgrade the skills of the caregiving staff.
McCarty, who said she is very aware of fire safety issues as a nurse and the daughter of a fire chief, said “these people have to be directed out, whether there are sprinklers or not, almost no one (can get out on their own) and sprinklers don’t really solve it.
“For people who have to be physically carried, sprinklers won’t do it. It might save property but it won’t save lives.”
On the other hand, Jeralynn Goheen, owner and manager of Casa de Sonshine, said, “when it first came about, I was opposed to it (but) in the long run, it was probably a good decision for safety.”
Goheen said, “When we do fire drills, we still can get everybody out, but sprinklers would help give everybody more time. I think they are good things.”
Currently, about seven of 10 residents are ambulatory, so only three would need help exiting, but even so, there are times when only one or two staff are working at the home, Goheen said, and so helping three residents out could be a challenge.
More of a concern is that in several years, as the seven currently ambulatory residents get older, there may be a majority of residents who need assistance, and during those times, the extra minutes afforded by sprinklers could be a major help in case of a fire, Goheen said.
Goheen said the town gave assisted living home operators plenty of time to comply, enough to save money for sprinkler systems, and that changes in regulations are part of doing business.
McCarty said the town decision to require sprinklers appeared “arbitrary.”
Not surprisingly, Kelley remains a staunch advocate of sprinklers.
Most of the assisted living facilities are in single family homes, and he said sprinklers have been shown to stop 99 percent of residential fires in the room where the fire breaks out.
pfranchine@sahuaritasun.com | 547-9738
Some have installed fire sprinklers, a handful have obtained building permits and appeared poised to install sprinklers, and one has downsized to five beds, which makes it exempt from the town’s building code.
Town Fire Marshal and Town Building Official Andy Kelley said sprinklers are the most efficient way to save lives and reduce injury.
“It’s great that they (homes) are headed in that direction, but actual compliance is what is required” under the code, Kelley said.
Some home operators still say the sprinkler requirement is not a useful investment for promoting patient safety, and some would prefer to spend the tens of thousands of dollars involved in other ways.
Others say that after they initially opposed it, they now feel it is a reasonable measure and helps assure the family members of residents that the homes are safe.
Kelley is adamant that sprinklers are the best approach and has been seeking sprinkler systems for several years under the building code.
He says there are not enough staff working at the assisted living homes to evacuate residents fast enough to save their lives.
Many of the homes have only one or two staff working the overnight shift, for example, and some of the residents, possibly a majority, would need help in getting to an exit in a timely manner, he said.
Kelley brought the issue before the Town Council several years ago, pointing out that most of the homes in town were not complying with the international building code that the town has adopted.
Three are exempt because they originally obtained licensing decades ago, under an earlier version of the international building code, one that did not require sprinklers.
The building code recommended by international agencies has since been made more strict and has been adopted by the town and by Pima County, whose building codes were in force until the town was incorporated in 1994.
After Kelley raised the issue, the Town Council studied it for some time and in 2005 gave the homes two years to comply with the code because it could be a major expense for many homes, and some home operators predicted they would have to go out of business.
Instead, several have already installed sprinklers, others are in the process.
One, San Judas Adult Care, reduced its size from eight to five beds, a spokeswoman said, and Kelley said that means it is not required to have sprinklers.
Sprinkler systems are in place in Saguaro Acres II, Villa Rosas and Casa de Sonshine, Kelley said, and building permits have been obtained for Andrea’s Hacienda Annex; Pat’s Sonoran Homes I and II and Sugar’s II.
Exempt are Desert Pines Eldercare, Nan’s Hacienda and Nan’s Hacienda Tres, which predate the regulation.
Deborah McCarty, manager of Life Sonoran Homes (formerly Pat’s Sonoran Homes), said the $10,000 or more it cost to equip each home could be spent better on training that could upgrade the skills of the caregiving staff.
McCarty, who said she is very aware of fire safety issues as a nurse and the daughter of a fire chief, said “these people have to be directed out, whether there are sprinklers or not, almost no one (can get out on their own) and sprinklers don’t really solve it.
“For people who have to be physically carried, sprinklers won’t do it. It might save property but it won’t save lives.”
On the other hand, Jeralynn Goheen, owner and manager of Casa de Sonshine, said, “when it first came about, I was opposed to it (but) in the long run, it was probably a good decision for safety.”
Goheen said, “When we do fire drills, we still can get everybody out, but sprinklers would help give everybody more time. I think they are good things.”
Currently, about seven of 10 residents are ambulatory, so only three would need help exiting, but even so, there are times when only one or two staff are working at the home, Goheen said, and so helping three residents out could be a challenge.
More of a concern is that in several years, as the seven currently ambulatory residents get older, there may be a majority of residents who need assistance, and during those times, the extra minutes afforded by sprinklers could be a major help in case of a fire, Goheen said.
Goheen said the town gave assisted living home operators plenty of time to comply, enough to save money for sprinkler systems, and that changes in regulations are part of doing business.
McCarty said the town decision to require sprinklers appeared “arbitrary.”
Not surprisingly, Kelley remains a staunch advocate of sprinklers.
Most of the assisted living facilities are in single family homes, and he said sprinklers have been shown to stop 99 percent of residential fires in the room where the fire breaks out.
pfranchine@sahuaritasun.com | 547-9738
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