The Ministry of Health and Welfare completed its renovation of fire safety equipment in nursing homes across the country, having invested NT$2 billion (US$61 million) from 2019 to last year, the Department of Nursing and Healthcare said yesterday.
The overhaul was in response to a 2018 fire at Taipei Hospital in New Taipei City’s Sinjhuang District (新莊), in which 15 people died and 14 were injured.
The initiative improved fire safety equipment at 557 nursing homes nationwide with a combined population of 43,000 residents.
Photo courtesy of Pingtung Christian Hospital
The initiative, done in collaboration with local governments and public and private nursing homes, ensures that each location has automatic sprinkler systems, automatic fire notification devices to alert fire departments, improvements to room sealing to prevent smoke from traveling through the facility, and electrical system upgrades to replace old wiring.
Department of Nursing and Healthcare Director-General Tsai Shu-feng (蔡淑鳳) said that based on investigations of fires in nursing homes, the point of origin was mainly in bedrooms, and that automatic sprinkler systems alone would control the growth of fires and reduce casualties among residents by 81 percent.
Investigations have shown that when rooms and ceilings are not appropriately sealed, people can die from smoke inhalation as fumes spread throughout a facility, Tsai said.
By installing automatic fire notification devices and eliminating the need for someone to make a phone call, emergency response personnel have more time to rescue people, Tsai said.
Old wiring is one of the leading causes of fires, so replacing it was also a priority, Tsai said.
In addition to the 557 nursing homes that have already been upgraded, all new nursing homes would need to comply with the regulations, Tsai said, adding that fire safety drills are now incorporated into regular evaluations.
Since 2021, there have been six fires in nursing homes with 126 evacuated and no casualties, according to statistics from the Ministry of the Interior.
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