Question: If a nursing home is increasing or decreasing their number of licensed beds, when must a nursing home submit a code footprint to the Fire Marshal for approval?
Answer: It depends.
If the provider is decreasing their number of beds, they do not need to submit a code footprint because they have already been approved for a larger number of beds.
If the provider is increasing their number of beds, they must submit a code footprint to the fire marshal showing where the residents will reside in the building.
If the provider is bouncing up and down in licensed bed numbers (Changing from 52 beds to 42 beds, and then back to 52)
- If these changes happen over the course of more than a year, the provider will need to provide a code footprint
- If these changes happen with a 2 + year gap, the provider will need to submit an updated/re-stamped footprint to it is accurate.
In these more complicated situations, it’s best to call the Fire Marshal’s Office for guidance.
