661—5.625 (100,231B) Elder group homes. This rule applies to elder group homes certified by the Iowa department of elder affairs.
	 5.625(1) Definitions. The following definitions apply to rule 661—5.625(100,231B):
“Elder” means a person 60 years of age or older.
“Elder group home” means a single family residence that is the residence of a person who is providing room, board, and personal care to three to five elders who are not related to the person providing the service within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity and which is certified as an elder group home by the Iowa department of elder affairs.
	 5.625(2) Exits. There shall be a minimum of two approved exits from the main level of the home and from each level with resident sleeping rooms. Interior and exterior exit stairways shall have a minimum clear width of not less than 30 inches.
	 5.625(3) Windows. Each resident sleeping room shall have an outside window or outside door arranged and located to provide ventilation, access to fresh air, and an emergency escape route. New or replacement windows shall have a minimum net clear openable area of 5.7 square feet, minimum net clear openable height of 24 inches, minimum net clear openable width of 20 inches, and the finished sill height shall not be more than 44 inches above the floor.
	 5.625(4) Interior finish. Interior finish in resident occupied areas shall be Class A or B in accordance with Table 5-C, 661 IAC 5.105(100).
	 5.625(5) Doors. Door to resident sleeping rooms shall be a minimum of one and three-eighths inches solid core wood or equivalent.
	 5.625(6) Fire detection. An elder group home shall have smoke detectors installed on each floor, including the basement, and in each sleeping room, in accordance with National Fire Protection Association # 74, Standard for Household Fire Warning Equipment, 1989 edition, and 661 IAC 5.807(100). Smoke detectors shall be interconnected so that activation of any detector will activate detectors throughout the home.
	 5.625(7) Fire extinguishers. Fire extinguishers shall be provided on each floor and shall be located so that a person will not have to travel any more than 75 feet from any point in the home to reach the nearest extinguisher. An additional extinguisher shall be provided in, or adjacent to, the kitchen. Type, distribution, inspection, maintenance, and recharging of extinguishers shall conform to NFPA 10, Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers, 2006 edition.
	 5.625(8) Smoking. There shall be no smoking in resident sleeping rooms. Smoking may be permitted in designated areas only. If an indoor area within an elder group home is designated as a smoking area, that area shall be equipped with ashtrays constructed of noncombustible material and with self-closing tops.
	 5.625(9) Exit illumination. Approved rechargeable battery-powered emergency lighting shall be installed to provide automatic exit illumination in the event of failure of the normal lighting system.
	 5.625(10) Maintenance. All fire and life safety equipment or devices shall be U.L. or independent testing laboratory approved, installed according to manufacturer specifications, and regularly and properly maintained at all times in accordance with nationally recognized standards. This includes, but is not limited to, fire extinguishing equipment, alarm systems, doors and their appurtenances, and exit facilities. Flammable and combustible materials shall be properly stored in original, properly labeled containers or approved safety containers. Storerooms shall be maintained in a neat and proper manner at all times. Excessive storage of combustible materials is not permitted.
	 5.625(11) Equipment. Electrical, heating, and ventilating equipment shall be installed and maintained in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions and nationally recognized standards. Portable space heaters are not permitted.
	 5.625(12) Emergency procedures. Every home shall formulate a plan for the protection of occupants in the event of a fire or other emergency. The plan shall take into consideration areas of refuge within the building as well as evacuation from it. The written plan must be provided to each resident and explained to them at the time they move into the facility and at least annually thereafter.
	 5.625(13) Compressed gases. If oxygen or other compressed gases are required by residents for respiratory purposes, the applicable standards for use, containers, equipment, maintenance and storage of compressed gases, as set forth in National Fire Protection Association # 99, 1993 edition, shall be adhered to.
	 5.625(14) Basements. Interior basement stairways, if enclosed, must have walls and ceilings constructed of five-eighths inch gypsum board or material providing equivalent fire protection. Basements must be separated from the first floor by a self-closing one and three-eighths inch solid wood core door or equivalent. If a basement is used by residents, it must have a door leading to the outside or an operational window having a minimum net clear openable area of 5.7 square feet, minimum net clear openable height of 24 inches, minimum net clear openable width of 20 inches, and the finished sill height shall not be more than 44 inches above the floor.
	 5.625(15) Construction. Unprotected wood frame structures of more than two stories in height, excluding basement, shall not be permitted for use as elder group homes.
Exception:  Unprotected wood frame structures protected throughout by an approved automatic sprinkler system may be used as elder group homes.
This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code chapter 100 and section 231B.2.