More fire protection sought for Las Vegas group care homes

Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2004 | 9:44 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Las Vegas City Council will be asked by its fire prevention division to require all adult group care homes in the city to have sprinkler systems, fire alarms and smoke detectors.

Jeffery R. Donahue, deputy fire marshal for the city, told the state Board of Examiners Tuesday that there are 84 group care homes that care for the elderly that don't have these fire protection systems.

Installation will cost anywhere from 64 cents a square foot to $400 a square foot. He estimated the average cost as "just under $10,000."

Donahue was before the state board to get its clearance so the marshal's office can approach the city council for its approval. A 1981 law enacted after two hotel fires in Las Vegas required these fire safety devices in new adult care facilities or when they are sold. But it did not require older homes to have these systems.

"Elderly people are not as mobile and some of them have dementia," said Donahue. "We want to have safe facilities."

What prompted this, he said, was a fire in March of this year in which two elderly residents of a group home in Las Vegas were killed. That home was installing a sprinkler system at the time of the blaze, said Donahue.

A survey of these type of homes in the city showed there were some technicalities in the change of ownership that allowed the new owners of a home to not install a system.

For instance, Donahue said, a group care home may be sold but the former owner may retain 1 percent and continue on the city license. So technically, the home would not be required to have the sprinkler system, because the former owner was still on the license.

He told the board that if the city council approves the plan, these homes would have 12 months to install the systems.

Gov. Kenny Guinn questioned if this was a serious problem just in Las Vegas or if it is also a problem in North Las Vegas or in Clark County.

Donahue said if Las Vegas was successful than he hoped other local governments might follow suit.

Senior Deputy Attorney General Jim Spencer said this was the first time a local government has asked the state board for authority to go forward and approve a stiffer fire protection system.

Donahue said officials in Henderson are considering similar action.