RICHMOND, Va (WTVR)—The minute the smell of smoke permeated the assisted living facility, staff pulled the fire alarm and called 911.
The training kicked in quickly, and nurses and staff at a Richmond nursing and rehab facility began to evacuate the three-story building.
Firefighters arrived in force, prepared not only to fight the fire but help evacuate the more than 150 residents.
It turns out, the smell of smoke was coming from a faulty HVAC and there was no fire.
But the facility erred on the side of caution and also proved that their plan to quickly and safely evacuate their residents really does work.
Firefighters said everything worked well and they arrived to find the Envoy of Stratford's building already partially evacuated.
Executive Director Cindy McDaniel said her staff re-acted very quickly and is glad the situation only involved a faulty HVAC system.
That system was repaired and put back in service.
Fire crews were on scene about an hour.
After all the patients were back in their rooms, Nurse practitioner Karen Anderson says a nurse went by and check on each one, and reassured them things were okay and they were safe.
