Proponents for seniors' safety have stepped up their pressure on the provincial government to make sprinkler systems mandatory since the tragic Quebec fire last month that claimed up to 30 seniors' lives.
However, while there are calls for province-wide improvements, local sprinkler systems all meet provincial construction codes at Autumn Glen Lodge, Sunset Manor, and Innisfail Country Lodge. The three institutions also have the required fire and emergency training for their staffs.
ìWe have had sprinkler systems in Autumn Glen Lodge since we renovated in 1997,î said lodge manager Karen Marshall. ìPerhaps as early as 1985 when we built an addition.î
She noted that fire and emergency training for her staff occurs regularly.
ìSunset Manor and Innisfail Country Lodge are also fully equipped with sprinklers,î said manager Jenny Jenkins. ìWe are a fairly new facility so we are up to code and we have an ongoing training program for our caregivers.î
A partially lit cigarette is believed to be the cause of the blaze on Jan. 23 at Quebec's Residence du L'Isle-Verte. About one third of the building was not equipped with sprinkler systems, which contributed to the spread of the fire and the tragic death toll. Quebec law does not require sprinkler systems in residences where the occupants have some mobility.
However in Alberta, construction codes dictate the level of required safety equipment for buildings.
ìSeniors' lodges and care facilities are designated B2,î said Nabil Habashy, Alberta building safety officer. ìAccording to code, any B2 building constructed since 1990 must be sprinkler system equipped. Any building renovated since then will also include sprinklers.î
He noted that sprinkler retrofit for buildings older than 1990 is not mandatory. Presently, only Ontario has mandatory sprinkler systems in seniors' lodges, no matter when they were built.
The Alberta Wildrose Party has supported a provincial fire marshal recommendation that lodges and care homes built before 1990 should be sprinkler system equipped.
ìIf the fire chiefs recommend mandatory sprinkler systems then we are behind it,î added Kerry Towle, Wildrose MLA for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake and the party's seniors critic.
ìIt is very important to find out how many seniors in Alberta are not protected by fire suppression systems,î said Towle. ìThe upgrades to older facilities would be expensive and we feel that the government should fund them. If seniors are going to live in them, they should be up to present standards.î
She also wondered if there shouldn't be an open survey of seniors lodges and care homes to find out exactly what is required to make them as safe as possible.
ìWe have advocated for government funding of mandatory sprinkler systems since 2010,î said Irene Martin, executive director of the Alberta Senior Citizen's Housing Association (ASCHA). ìAlong with the National Fire Chiefs of Canada and Canadian Alliance of Seniors' Living, we have also been working towards addressing the issue of safety.î
Martin pointed out other issues that affect senior safety such as staffing levels, emergency training, and the presence of strobe alarms for those who cannot hear at night, and the fact that seniors who live in these facilities have changed.
ìPeople stay in their homes longer than they used to,î added Martin. ìOur care homes now see more long-term care tenants than they used to and as a result we have to be more diligent to ensure their safety.î
She noted that the current lodge system is under review and ASCHA is part of the process along with partner agencies from across the province.
ìThere are a number of ways we can address the issue of seniors safety,î said Martin. ìWe cannot react to the emergency without looking at the big picture and making changes that are reasonable and doable.î
