For the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts a near-normal season with 9 to 15 named storms. Of those, 4 to 8 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), and 2 to 4 may develop into major hurricanes (Category 3–5, with winds of 111 mph or more).
With record flooding in parts of the Midwest and South, wildfires in several Western states, earthquakes in Southern California, and the constant threat of tropical storms along the East and Gulf Coasts, it’s a timely moment to emphasize the importance of emergency preparedness for retirement communities—particularly continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), also known as life plan communities.
Creating CCRC emergency plans
CCRCs face unique challenges when preparing for emergencies because they combine multi-family residential living with healthcare services. That dual role means these communities must meet a range of safety and regulatory requirements to protect residents, staff, and visitors during events such as fires, earthquakes, or severe storms.
State and local authorities, including fire marshals and building code officials, set many of the safety standards for multi-family and healthcare buildings—covering things like construction materials, fire resistance, and egress routes. Additionally, CCRCs are workplaces for staff, so Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules apply for employee safety, including requirements for emergency exit routes, fire safety plans, and firefighting equipment.
Although CCRCs are not regulated at the federal level as a whole, there is an important exception: many CCRCs include Medicare-certified skilled nursing facilities. Those facilities are required to follow Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) emergency preparedness regulations. CMS rules require both proactive readiness measures and detailed evacuation plans should a facility need to relocate residents.
>> Related: What to Ask About a CCRC’s Emergency Preparedness
CMS emergency preparedness rules
CMS mandates that Medicare-certified healthcare facilities—including the skilled nursing components of CCRCs—maintain comprehensive emergency plans covering processes and procedures for both staff and residents. These plans must ensure continuity of care and include training so employees understand how to protect themselves and those in their care during emergencies.
The required plans must address a range of scenarios, such as loss of essential services like electricity or water. They need clear contingencies for whether residents can shelter in place or must be evacuated, and they must outline steps for situations where the facility becomes temporarily uninhabitable—such as after a fire or flood—and how to restore normal operations once the emergency has passed.
While these CMS rules specifically apply to Medicare-certified CCRCs, all retirement communities should maintain similar emergency plans. Any community should be prepared to respond if services are interrupted or a facility becomes unsafe, including well-defined evacuation procedures and plans to reestablish care.
If you want to review CMS guidance on emergency preparedness for Medicare-certified facilities, sections J and K of the CMS FAQ address hospitals and skilled nursing facilities in detail.
>> Related: After the Storm: Rethinking a Florida Retirement?
Understand the plan
Emergency planning for CCRCs is complex. Even residents in independent living may need assistance evacuating during an emergency such as a building fire. Because of this, it’s important to understand how a community plans to evacuate residents with varying levels of mobility and medical needs.
When touring a CCRC, ask about the community’s evacuation procedures for both independent and assisted residents, and inquire how frequently staff and residents practice those procedures. Regular drills and clear protocols help ensure that everyone knows their role and that evacuation can proceed quickly and safely if needed.
Location matters. Communities in regions prone to hurricanes, wildfires, or other frequent disasters—Florida and California, for example—should have especially robust preparedness and evacuation plans. Prospective residents and their families should feel confident that the community can protect and care for residents in a wide range of emergency scenarios.
To help evaluate a community’s preparedness, CMS has created an emergency checklist for long-term care facilities, residents, and families. Reviewing that checklist can help you identify key questions to ask when comparing CCRCs and assessing whether a community’s emergency planning meets your expectations and needs.