Ensuring Fire Safety in Schools, Best Practices and Essential Equipment

As parents, educators, and members of the community, we all have a responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of our children while they are at school. It’s more important than ever to understand the importance of school safety and what steps we can take to protect our students and staff. In this article, we will delve into the various aspects of fire safety at schools. We will explore the importance of having a well-trained staff, safety critical items, and emergency procedures in place, as well as the role of technology in enhancing school safety. We hope that this article will provide valuable information and insights that will help you, your school, and your community to be better prepared for any emergency. Together, we can work to create a safer and more secure environment for our children to learn and grow.

Discovery of Fire at School

1. Evacuate.

2. If a fire breaks out, the teacher or staff member should immediately instruct the students to evacuate the building immediately. The safety of the students is the top priority, and trying to fight a fire can put them in danger. Same time assess the size and severity of the blaze. If it is a small fire, the teacher may attempt to extinguish it using available fire fighting means. It’s important that students know where the nearest emergency exits are and how to use them, so they can quickly and safely evacuate the building in case of a fire.

3. Raise Alarm.

4. Anyone discovering an outbreak of fire must, without hesitation, sound the alarm by operating the nearest fire alarm call point.

5. Call the fire service.

6. All outbreaks of fire or any suspected fire, however small, should be reported immediately to the fire service by the quickest means available. This task could well be designated as the responsibility of the school secretary as a telephone will be readily available at that location.

Fighting Fire at School

Fighting a fire in a school setting should not be attempted by anyone other than trained and dedicated fire personnel. While a teacher may be able to extinguish a small fire with a fire extinguisher or fire blanked, larger fires require the expertise and equipment of professional firefighters. These individuals have been trained to properly and safely combat fires, and have access to specialized tools and equipment that are necessary to effectively extinguish the blaze.

Abandoning the School Building

On hearing the fire alarm, students must be instructed to leave the building in single file and in a calm, orderly manner.
The person in charge of each class must indicate the exit route to be used and everyone must be directed to a predetermined emergency assembly point.
Specific arrangements must be made for students with physical or mental disabilities to ensure that they are assisted during evacuation.

• No running is to be permitted. Running can lead to panic.

• On staircases everyone must descend in single file. Overtaking of classes or individuals must not be permitted.

• Lifts must not be used.

• Anyone who is not in class when the fire alarm sounds must go immediately to the assembly point.

No one must be allowed to re-enter the building until told to do so by the fire service in attendance, or, in the case of a fire evacuation drill the senior person in charge.

Sweeping the School Building

A sweep team is a group of designated individuals who are responsible for ensuring that all areas of a building have been thoroughly searched and cleared during the emergency evacuation. The sweep team’s main objective is to ensure that all students, staff, and visitors are safely evacuated from the building and accounted for.
During a fire at school, a sweep team would typically be responsible for searching all areas of the building, including classrooms, offices, restrooms, and hallways, to ensure that everyone has evacuated.

Mustering at School Emergency Assembly Point

Two Emegency Assembly Points outside the school premises must be designated as an assembly point. They must meet the below criteria:

• They must be clearly marked and easily identified by anyone who may be on the school premises.

• Must be far enough away from the school premises to give protection from the heat and smoke given off by a fire.

• Should be in a position that does not put students and staff at risk by emergency vehicles responding to the incident.

Headcount at the School Emergency Assembly Point

Head Counter is nominated to have overall responsibility to ensure that a headcount is conducted in the event of a fire alarm. They should use the following instructions:

• Immediately after classes have assembled at the assembly point, a headcount must be made to check that no-one is still inside.

• Any visitors or contractors on the premises at that time must be included.

• The count at the assembly point must be checked with the Attendance Registers and Visitors Book to verify that everyone is out of the building.

• Each teacher must report to the Head Counter in charge of the evacuation to verify that everyone in their charge is accounted for or to inform him/her of the number of people missing.

State Fire Services and Dealings with them

The person in charge of the headcount must identify him/herself to the fire service on their arrival. This will allow the fire officer to decide the necessary actions to be carried out by the fire service.
Typical information the fire service will want to know:

• Is everyone accounted for?

• If anyone is missing: how many? What is their usual location? Where were they last seen?

• Where is the fire? What is on fire? (It may not be apparent)

• Are there any hazardous substances involved in the fire or stored in the building (e.g chemicals, solvents, liquified petroleum gas or acetylene cylinders)?

Orientation for New Staff and Students

During the first week of term or as soon as possible thereafter, all new staff members and students should be orientaed about fire arrangements in the school. This information should include:

• Primary escape routes of the school.

• Fire Drill Schedule.

• Ways of raising fire alarm.

• And training appropriate to their responsibilities in the event of any emergency.

All members of staff should each receive a personal copy of Fire Instructions Sheet.
A record of the training and instructions given and fire drills held should be entered in Training Register.

Training for Staff and Students

• Staff Depending on their responsibilities during the fire

• Fire Warden Training

• First Aid Training

• Students Stop-Drop-Roll

• How to protect yourself from fire

Documents & Records

Being prepared for a fire in a school setting involves having certain records and files readily available in case of an emergency. Below is the list of important records and documentation in general:

1. Emergency evacuation plan.

2. Should outline the procedures for safely exiting the building in case of a fire.

3. Student emergency contacts.

4. Information related to all students, and staff, as well as any relevant medical information such as allergies or disabilities that may affect the evacuation.

5. Emergency Services Contacts List.

6. The list includes the contact information for the local fire department, as well as any other emergency services that may be needed in the event of a fire, such as paramedics or the police. Having an Emergency Services Contacts List can help ensure that the appropriate emergency services are notified and can respond to the situation in a timely manner.

7. Attendance Register.

8. Is used to quickly account for everyone in the building and ensure that all individuals have safely evacuated.

9. Training Matrix.

10. As such the record doesn’t have a value during the real fire, nevertheless it must be established in order to track the competencies of the staff with regards to the fire preparedness.

11. Training Record.

12. Each training give n to the staff must be recorded and signed appropriately by both Instructor and Staff member.

13. Fire Intructions Sheet.

14. Instruction Sheet should include details of how to behave during the fire as well as on how to contact emergency service.

15. Visitor Book.

16. Visitors books contains the details of the visitors attending the school for business or personnel maters. Should be held at a central entrance and must be brought to the assembly point when the alarm sounds.

17. Drill Procedure.

18. Including Drill scenarios and Schedules.

Responsibilities during School Fire

• Fire MarshalNominates personnel their fire responsibilities

• Coordinates the actions of the staff in the event of fire.

• Head CounterCounts the staff

• Receives feedback from Teachers about the state of their class assembly

• Fire WardensExtinguish the small fires

• Assist the State Fire Services uppon their arrival

• SecretaryCalls State Fire Services

• Brings Visitor book to the Muster Station

• Human ResourcesIs responsible for organising staff training

• Makes arrangements for deputies to carry out the fire duties in the absence of the nominated people.

• TeacherEnsures safe evacuation of his class

• Conducts headcount during the assembly

• Reports headcount status to the Head Counter

Hardware Resources required during School Fire

• Loud Speaker Can be used to quickly and effectively alert students, and staff that a fire has occurred, and to instruct them on what actions to take, such as evacuating the building.

• Can be used to communicate important information and updates during a fire, such as the location of the fire, the status of the evacuation, and any other important details.

• Can be used to provide instructions on where to go and what to do after the evacuation. This can include instructions on where to meet, where to go for further information, and how to contact the emergency services and debrief about the positive and negative findings during the drills.

• Walkie-TalkiesCan be used to coordinate and organize the evacuation, ensuring that all areas of the school are covered and that everyone is accounted for.

• Can be used to communicate with staff who musters at the secondary muster station if such is available

• Hi-vis JacketsCan help to ensure that Fire Marshal and Head Counter are easily visible and identifiable.

Safety Critical Items

Fire safety critical items are items or equipment that are essential for the prevention, detection, and extinguishing of fires, as well as for ensuring the safety and well-being of individuals in the event of a fire. The below equipment can not be disabled or tampered with without proper authorization.
Disabling or tampering with fire safety critical items can put the safety of the individuals in the building at risk, as they are no longer able to function as intended. It is important that only after due authorization by the Person in Charge of the facility, it is allowed to perform any kind of maintenance or repairs on fire safety critical items.

• Fire alarms and smoke detectors

• Fire extinguishers

• Emergency lighting and exit signs

• Automatic sprinkler systems

• Fire suppression systems for kitchens or labs

• Fire hose reels and hydrants

• Loud speakers

• Walkie-talkies

• Hi-vis jackets

Fire Drill at School

Fire drills, should be carried out at least once per term or at shorter invervals provided this is requested by authorities or standardisation bodies. The fire drill should simulate various scenarios in order to prepare the personnel for real-life unexpected events.
Teams involved in Fire Fighting and Search and Rescue must be notified in advance about the scenarios and arrangements.

Applicable Standards

NFPA 101