Municipal Affairs
Health and Community Services
March 10, 2008

All But Two Personal Care Homes to Remain Open

Today, the Honourable Dave Denine, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Minister Responsible for Fire and Emergency Services � Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Honourable Ross Wiseman, Minister of Health and Community Services, announced that 20 of the 22 personal care homes issued closure orders by the Office of the Fire Commissioner on February 13 and 14 have complied with the requirement with respect to the installation of sprinkler systems.

Two personal care homes have confirmed their intention to close � Woodford�s Golden Care Home in Holyrood, whose four residents have been accommodated in other care arrangements, and Island Manor in the Town of Wabana on Bell Island, which had no residents at the time that closure orders were issued.

"Significant progress has been made by personal care home owners/operators to meet the requirement of installing a sprinkler system, which will provide a safer and more secure environment for residents in these facilities," said Minister Denine. "The level of response has been positive, and contracts are in place with these 20 personal care homes to begin sprinkler installation within 60 days."

In March 2003, the Fire Commissioner issued an order to 81 personal care homes and community care homes with five or more beds to install a sprinkler system because these facilities were deemed to be high risk to residents due to lower staffing levels and lack of emergency procedures, as well as the residential building construction standards used when many of these homes where originally built. There was very little movement by the sector to comply with the order. Many homeowners conveyed they were unable to afford the associated costs of installation. The Provincial Government responded in Budget 2005 with an allocation of $4 million to assist personal care home owners whose homes did not have sprinkler systems, providing a one-time grant to cover 75 per cent of the cost of sprinkler installation, up to a maximum of $75,000.

"This was a difficult situation for all involved and our hope was that no residents of personal care homes in this province would be faced with a move due to non-compliance by owners in installing sprinkler systems," said Minister Wiseman. "I am certainly pleased that so many owners will now meet the requirement and have availed of the substantial funding assistance made available by our government. Staff in our regional health authorities have worked closely with all residents who potentially could have been impacted by a closure and will continue to do so with the small number of residents who will move, helping to ensure their transition is as smooth as possible."

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Media contacts:

Heather MacLean
Director of Communications
Department of Municipal Affairs
709-729-1983, 690-2498
heathermaclean@gov.nl.ca
Glenda Power
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 685-1741
glendapower@gov.nl.ca

2008 03 10                                                  4:45 p.m.

 


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