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Manitoba dedicates funding for fire safety, sprinklers in personal care homes


March 3, 2014   by Canadian Underwriter


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The Manitoba government has dedicated up to $7 million annually from ongoing funding for sprinklers in personal care homes and has created a task force for evaluating fire safety in health care facilities.

A fire safety fund also will be established to provide another $2 million to support additional standards and safety reviews, and to undertake any immediate actions to further improve fire safety in personal care homes, the government announced Friday.

“The fire safety measures in place today are already very strong, but with the recent tragedy at a seniors home in Quebec, we want to be sure that we are doing absolutely everything possible to protect residents and staff,” Health Minister Erin Selby commented in the government statement.

Labour and Immigration Minister Erna Braun also announced that a fire safety task force will be created to review safety in other facilities with “vulnerable people,” such as retirement homes, assisted living and supportive housing, hospitals and group homes.

The group is tasked with providing advice on timelines for sprinkler installations and the scope of facilities where retrofits would be appropriate, the government said. Recommendations from the task force are expected in the fall this year.

Chaired by staff from the Office of the Fire Commissioner, the task force will include representatives from the Manitoba Building Standards Board, the Manitoba Association of Fire Chiefs, front-line fire services, regional health authorities and several provincial departments.  Expertise and input will also be sought from the Long Term and Continuing Care Association of Manitoba, local certified sprinkler system installers, municipal governments and others.

Manitoba currently has standards in place for fire safety in personal care homes, and standard reviews occur every two years. The province also uses unscheduled reviews to ensure compliance with standards. It also requires an annual fire inspection of personal care homes by local fire inspectors.

All personal care homes constructed or renovated since 1998 (when the building code changed) have full sprinkler systems, according to the province.

“Fire sprinkler systems are just one important element of fire safety plans in health-care facilities,” Minister Braun noted in the statement Friday.  

“These investments will help healthcare facilities focus on fire prevention efforts and staff training, as well as develop strong fire plans that are specific to the needs of their facility.”


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