Tilton Group Home Blaze Raises Oversight Questions

The state relies heavily on foster homes like the one that burned down Tuesday morning…There are 770 such homes statewide and they house about 1000 people -- a full 2/3rds of all developmentally disabled adults in state care……The state says none of these homes, have ever before suffered fire fatalities……Richard Cohen of the Disabilities Rights Center in Concord says the caretaker who died while trying to save two people in his care acted heroically…….But Cohen says the three deaths warrant a reconsideration of how such facilities now operate.

"A: there needs to be more scrutiny; and, B: It probably ought to come at the state level."

The foster homes are largely supervised on a regional level by state-created area agencies …..The agencies place the residents and hand out the money -- about 25 thousand dollars a year per resident -- the state pays caregivers…..The foster homes are subject to occasional visits to ensure compliance with state regulations…….These include checks to make sure operators carry out regular fire drills……But as Heath and human services Spokesman Greg Moore notes…the state's main focus is elsewhere..……

"We inspect annually but that inspection is primarily focused on clinical activities….Are the people getting the right level of care are people getting the medication if there on medication……Our inspectors are not trained as life safety experts."

Before a facility can qualify as a foster home, it must pass what is called the life safety code…..Such inspections are performed by local fire departments -- and they are pretty basic……Tim McGinley is Fire Marshall for the city of Concord.

"Was the oil furnace maintained? Do you have adequate clearance around the electric panel? Points of egress are very important -- we'd also take a look at smoke detection throughout the home. The home would need to have hardwired smoke detectors on every level of the home. And we'd look for fire extinguishers and just general good fire safety habits."

McGinley says certified buildings in Concord are rechecked every three years…..Manchester uses the same standard……In more rural areas, where small or volunteer fire departments are the rule, such inspections can be less regular…..The foster home that burned in Tilton hadn't been inspected since 1987……Beyond inspections there is no requirement that these homes have any special equipment such as a sprinkler system. State health and fire officials are now considering whether those standards are high enough….And if they're not, is the answer more frequent inspections, more stringent requirements or both? Again Heath and Human Services spokesman Greg Moore.

"That's something we want to explore with the Legislature, with State Fire Marshall, with the legislature and ask them is this appropriate way to look at protecting the families that are in these environment."

According to Richard Cohen of the Disabilities Rights Center the question has implications goes to the very heart of NH's commitment to community-based care for the developmentally diasbled. He says the worries that the question may ultimately boil down to money.

"I think we can keep and retain this family like-model but make sure have all the safeguards to ensure good services and good care we should not let economics or anything else dictate safety issues."

State fire and health officials are already meeting to discuss potential policy changes regarding group homes……Further meetings with local fire chiefs are planned for next week.