Assisted Living

The Office of the State Fire Marshal works with various other state agencies in the licensing and inspection process for Kansas Residential Board and Care occupancies.

Working with State Agencies

Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) licenses the facility in regards to the number of residents. You can call KDADS at 785-296-4986, their compliance hotline at 1-800-842-0078 or visit their website for more information.

The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) works with the clients in regards to services and client placement. They can be reached by calling 785-296-3959, you can call their hotline at 1-800-922-5330 or visit their website for more information.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal is responsible for the fire and life safety inspections of each facility.

Related Documents

  1. Assisted Living Fire Drill Form (PDF)
  2. Checklist Residential Board and Care - Large (PDF)
  3. Checklist Residential Board and Care - Small (PDF)
  1. Fire Rated Door Booklet (PDF)
  2. General Checklist (PDF)

K.A.R. 22-11-8 Adult & Boarding Care Homes

Please review K.A.R 22-11-8 as it requires all residential board and care occupancies to comply with National Fire Protection Agency 101, 2006 Edition for all board and care homes regardless of the number of residents:

  1. The requirements of National Fire Protection Agency standard number 101, which is adopted in K.A.R. 22-1-3, shall apply to one- and two-bed adult care homes, one- and two-bed adult family homes, three- and four-bed boarding care adult care homes, and boarding care homes for the mentally retarded.
  2. A life safety code inspection of a home shall be performed by the state fire marshal or an authorized representative under K.S.A. 31-137, and amendments thereto, upon request from the Kansas department of health and environment.
  3. As used in this subsection, ‘‘ambulatory’’ shall mean having the physical and mental capability of getting in and out of bed and walking in a normal path to safety in a reasonable period of time without the aid of another person. Non-ambulatory shall mean not having the physical or mental capability of getting in and out of bed and walking a normal path to safety without the aid of another person.
    1. Ambulatory residents who are able to walk without the aid of another person but are unable to move from place to place without the use of a device including a walker, crutches, wheelchair, or wheeled platform shall be housed on the ground level of a home if handicap accommodations for exiting are present.
    2. Fully ambulatory residents who do not require the use of a device including a walker, crutches, wheelchair, or wheeled platform may be housed on any level of a home.
    3. Nonambulatory persons shall not be allowed as residents.
  4. The following requirements shall apply to all one and two-bed adult care homes, one- and two-bed adult family homes, three- and four-bed boarding care adult care homes, and boarding care homes for the mentally retarded, in addition to National Fire Protection Agency standard number 101, which is adopted in K.A.R. 22-1-3:
    1. Emergency lighting shall be provided to ensure illumination for evacuation in case of a power failure.
    2. Fire alarms, smoke detectors, and fire extinguishers shall be maintained in an operable condition at all times.
    3. Fire drills shall be conducted as frequently as necessary, and at least once every three months, to ensure orderly egress in case of an emergency.
    4. Each exit and each route to each exit shall be clearly marked so that all residents will readily know the direction of egress from any point within the building.
    5. Each exit shall be arranged and maintained to provide free, unobstructed egress. Locks or fastening devices shall not be installed to prevent free escape from inside the building.
    6. Each building shall be constructed, arranged, equipped, maintained, and operated to avoid danger to the lives and safety of its residents from fire, smoke, fumes, and panic during emergency situations. (Authorized by and implementing K.S.A. 2008 Supplemented 31-133 and K.S.A. 31-147; effective May 1, 1983; amended May 1, 1984; amended May 1, 1985; amended May 1, 1986; amended September 17, 1990; amended February 4, 2011.)