Red Oak Residence of North Bend

This inspection revealed multiple severe life-safety violations including non-functional emergency lighting systems throughout the facility, fire doors blocked open or inoperable (including Room 305 door blocked and corridor door near 308 unable to close), missing exit signage at main entry, failed exit signs in stairwells, and lack of required documentation for fire door inspections, smoke alarm testing, and standpipe hydrostatic testing. The facility corrected three minor violations during inspection (extension cords, FDC signage, clear space) and scheduled the overdue standpipe test, demonstrating some responsiveness, but the numerous uncorrected life-safety deficiencies—particularly the compromised egress lighting and fire door systems—indicate inadequate ongoing maintenance and inspection programs that create substantial risk during emergency evacuation scenarios.

The facility failed a second consecutive Fire Marshal inspection on 10/03/2024, indicating multiple fire safety violations and systemic non-compliance with life-safety regulations. The facility acknowledged being out of compliance and developed a corrective action plan with scheduled outside vendors to address the violations. While the facility took steps toward remediation by creating a plan and scheduling repairs, the fact that this was a second failed inspection demonstrates inadequate initial response and ongoing risk to resident safety. A Statement of Deficiency was appropriately issued on 10/25/2024.

Red Oak Residence of North Bend failed multiple critical fire and life safety inspections, with violations including taped/covered sprinkler heads and smoke detectors during construction, fire doors that failed to close/latch properly, missing documentation for required fire safety system testing, and wall penetrations compromising fire-rated construction. The facility corrected most violations between the July 30th initial inspection and October 3rd re-inspection, but still failed to provide required documentation for forward flow testing and kitchen suppression system repairs, resulting in continued disapproval status. The response demonstrates partial compliance with corrective actions taken on most items, but incomplete follow-through on critical documentation requirements indicates systemic gaps in safety management oversight.

The facility failed two consecutive State Fire Marshal inspections, indicating systemic fire safety violations that pose serious risk to 38 residents. Fire safety failures represent critical life-safety concerns in residential care settings. The facility's response was inadequate, as evidenced by failing a second inspection after the initial failure, demonstrating insufficient corrective action and ongoing non-compliance with fire safety regulations.

This inspection revealed severe systemic fire and life-safety code violations at this residential care facility, including blocked exits with combustible materials, non-functional fire doors in resident rooms, missing emergency lighting in stairwells, breached fire-rated walls, and complete absence of required annual/periodic safety system inspections and testing documentation across fire suppression, alarm, damper, and door systems. The facility's approval status was disapproved, indicating regulatory action was taken. However, the report shows minimal facility response with no evidence of corrective actions implemented, investigations conducted, or remediation plans provided at the time of inspection, representing a significant failure to address life-safety deficiencies that placed vulnerable residents at immediate risk.

The Washington State Fire Marshal inspection identified severe life-safety violations at Red Oak Residence including compromised fire-rated construction with unsealed penetrations, non-functioning fire doors in resident rooms, emergency lighting failures in stairwells, and improper extension cord use creating fire hazards. The facility also lacked required maintenance documentation for critical fire protection systems including sprinklers, fire alarms, and fire dampers. The facility demonstrated a good response by correcting 9 of 12 violations during or shortly after inspection, though some systemic documentation gaps remained requiring establishment of ongoing inspection schedules. The approval status was marked as "Disapproved" pending full compliance with all fire safety requirements.

The facility experienced a Norovirus outbreak affecting at least 7 residents with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea but failed to immediately report it to the local health department or state complaint unit, delaying outbreak investigation and potentially contributing to continued spread. The facility used EPA-approved cleaning products and had appropriate sick staff policies in place, but lacked procedures for ensuring PPE supplies were readily accessible in resident rooms during isolation. The delayed reporting represents a serious public health failure, though the facility demonstrated some baseline infection control measures and appropriate staff return-to-work protocols.