In 1995, Governor Chiles signed legislation into law which required that all healthcare facilities develop a comprehensive emergency management plan (CEMP) and have them reviewed by the local emergency management office for compliance to the specific state criteria. The purpose of this bill was designed to reinforce the concept that healthcare facilities, as part of doing business, are responsible for their own residents/clientele not only during normal business operations, but also during emergency situations. Large-scale and local emergencies can tax local government resources quickly, and preparing healthcare facilities to work through emergencies in times of need will protect lives and property and allow healthcare facilities to continue to provide and take responsibility for the services their clients have paid for and come to expect in emergency situations.

Disaster plans are to be developed by each (a) individual facility that addresses all the required criteria found in the State's criteria checklists. The criteria checklists are provided as links on this website. Each year, disaster plans must be submitted, reviewed, and approved by our division, for compliance in addressing those criteria. For those companies that have multiple facilities found in several different counties, each facility must submit a disaster plan to their respective county emergency management office.

Currently, the Florida Statute (F.S.) and Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) require the following facilities to develop and submit a disaster plan for review:

• Adult Care Facilities-F.S. 400.562 and F.A.C. 58A-6.011 (10)
• Hospitals Criteria-F.S. 395.1055 (1)(c) and F.A.C. 59A-3.078
• Ambulatory Surgical Centers-F.S. 395.1055 (1)(c) and F.A.C. 59A-5.015
• Assisted Living Facilities-F.S. 400.441 (1)(b) and F.A.C. 58A-5.024(1)(j)
• Nursing Homes-F.S. 400.23 (2)(g) and F.A.C. 59A-4.126
• Intermediate Care Facility for the Developmentally Disabled-F.S. 393.067(9)

(a) Def: Any facility that is separate in location and regularly operates independent of another.

REMINDER: Any changes in the criteria, reporting processes, or any additional criteria requirements will be at the discretion of the State Agencies and Florida Legislature. The interpretations of what meets the required criteria found in the disaster plans will be at the discretion of the local emergency management office.

Resources

HCFCEMPFAQs.doc The document will provide answers to frequently asked questions that arise in the review and approval of the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP).