Local Fire Procedure

Somewhere Unit

Key Information

Premises Address

OccupancyInpatient

Outpatient and/or

Administrative

Combinations of 3 groups

Fire Safety AdministratorName

Fire Coordinator(s)Location where information can be found

Fire Wardens Location where information can be found

Day/Time for Testing the Fire Alarm SystemDay of week & Time of day (am or pm)

Fire alarm systemContinuous

Continuous & Intermittent

Fire Evacuation StrategySimultaneous total evacuation

Phased horizontal evacuation

Type of alarmBells/Sounders

Alarm linked to Alarm Receiving CentreYes or No

Calling Leicestershire Fire and Rescue ServiceInitial emergency (9) 999

Follow up Tel.0116 263 4187

Assembly PointDesignated external point

Named adjacent compartments for PHE

RED – APPLIES TO ALL PREMISES

BLUE- APPLIES TO INPATIENT PREMISES

GREEN – APPLIES TO OUTPATIENT & ADMINISTRATIVE PREMISES

Publication date (To be reviewed annually): Actual date information recorded/updated

Local Fire Procedure

SOMEWHERE UNIT

Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Fire Evacuation Strategy
  3. Fire Response Team
  4. Fire Alarm Warning System
  5. Action on discovering a fire
  6. Action on hearing the fire alarm
  7. Calling the Fire and Rescue Service
  8. Evacuation Procedure, Escape Routes, Assembly Points and Roll Call
  9. Fire fighting equipment and it’s safe use in tackling a fire
  10. Incident conclusion

WHY HAVE AN EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN?

  1. Introduction

This Local Fire Procedure has been compiled to keep people safe from a fire in their premises. It provides guidance to all occupants of the procedures to be followed in the event of discovery of a fire, or upon hearing the sounding of the fire alarm.

The Premises Assurance Officerhas been appointed as the Fire Safety Administrator for SOMEWHERE UNIT and has prepared this procedure in consultation with local staff and Fire Advisors.

HOW WILL WE ESCAPE THE FIRE?

  1. Fire Evacuation Strategy

Inpatient Premises

The basic strategy is to move patients from the area involved in fire to a safer area on the same floor, ideally separating them from the fire behind a minimum of 2 fire doors. If required, they can be moved further away still on the same floor or directly to outside, or vertically evacuated to a lower floor and then outside.

Outpatient Premises and Administrative Premises

The basic strategy is simultaneous evacuation in which all occupants make their way, by the nearest means of escape, to the designated external assembly point..

HOW IS EMERGENCY EVACUATION MANAGED?

  1. Fire Response
  • It is essential to have one person in charge, they are known as the Fire Coordinator. They wear an orange tabard. Nominated for the role, they have authority to take charge until the Fire & Rescue Service arrive.
  • The Fire Coordinator is supported by Fire Wardens who may wear yellow tabards. Fire Wardens are nominated from amongst the staff based at premises and will represent the different floors/areas. They assist the Fire Coordinator in their duties.

HOW ARE PEOPLE ALERTED TO POTENTIAL FIRE IN THE PREMISES?

  1. Fire Alarm Warning System

Based on the fire evacuation strategy, Inpatient premises are generally fitted with a two-stage alarm, whilst Outpatient and Administrative premises have a single stage alarm.

The fire alarm system at these premises can be activated by the following devices:

a)Manually - by operating a fire alarm call-point (break glass or key operated)

b)Automatically - by ceiling mounted heat or smoke detectors, located throughout the building, which detect signs of potential fire.

In these premises the alarm will sound as follows:

Inpatient Premises

  • Continuous signal in the area (ward/compartment) where the device has been activated;
  • Intermittent signalin those areas adjacent to the area (ward/compartment) where the device has activated.

Outpatient Premises and Administrative Premises

  • Continuous sound throughout the premises.

WHAT DO PEOPLE HAVE TO DO WHEN THEY FIND A FIRE?

  1. Action on discovery of a fire
  1. Raise the alarm immediately by activating the nearest fire alarm call-point (breakglass or key operated)
  1. Shout FIRE! to attract attention
  1. Evacuate the immediate area/room of origin.
  1. Close doors around the fire. ie: doors to the room/area of origin
  1. Evacuate the area immediately outside the room, e.g. corridor or circulation area, and close fire doors to this area

This ensures that there are at leasttwo fire doors between persons and the fire.

  1. Call the Fire and Rescue Service on (9) 999 immediately it is safe to do so, giving as much detail as possible to the Fire Control Operator.
  1. Tackle the fire using an appropriate extinguisher, if safe to do so.
  1. Provide as much information as possible to the Fire Coordinator, and then follow their instructions.

WHAT DO PEOPLE HAVE TO DO WHEN THE FIRE ALARM SOUNDS?

6.1Action on hearing the fire alarm–Inpatient Premises

Continuous alarm:

  • Staff should investigate the area in which the alarm is sounding continuously. As necessary, patients should be moved to an area of relative safety within the ward/area.

Intermittent alarm:

  • Staff should investigate all parts of their area to ensure that persons are safe and are prepared to evacuate if the signal changes to a continuous signal
  • Staff should prevent persons from leaving this area (by leaving, they may be heading towards the potential fire)

Nominated staff, Fire Coordinatorsand Fire Wardens,will carry out their role as follows:

FIRE COORDINATOR (FC)EXAMPLE

  1. FC to go immediately to the fire alarm panel at Main Reception
  2. Don the orange tabard
  3. Identify, from the fire alarm panel, the area in which the device has activated.
  4. Upon 2 FWs presenting themselves at the fire alarm panel (and without confirmation of fire at that point)…they should be sent to the room/area identified on the fire alarm panel.
  5. Upon confirmation from the FWs that there is no fire, the FC should silence the alarm.
  6. The FC informs staff via the FWs that they can return to their original duties.

FIRE WARDEN (FW)EXAMPLE

  1. FWs in the area where the alarm is sounding continuously should seek to determine as quickly as possible if there is a fire and if not, which device has activated.
  2. FWs to make their way to the fire alarm panel to assist the FC.

6.1Action on hearing the fire alarm – Outpatient and Administrative Premises

Continuous alarm only:

  • Staff should evacuate the premises by the nearest safe exit taking visitors and contractors with them to the Assembly Point.
  • Staff should not stop to collect personal belongings.
  • No –one, under any circumstances, should enter or re-enter the building unless instructed by the Fire and Rescue Service or the FC.

FIRE COORDINATOR (FC)EXAMPLE

  1. FC to go immediately to the fire alarm panel at Main Reception
  2. Don the orange tabard
  3. Identify, from the fire alarm panel, the area in which the device has activated.
  4. Upon 2 FWs presenting themselves at the fire alarm panel (and without confirmation of fire at that point)…they should be sent to the room/area identified on the fire alarm panel.
  5. Upon confirmation from the FWs that there is no fire, the FC should silence the alarm.
  6. The FC informs staff via the FWs that they can return to their original duties

FIRE WARDEN (FW)EXAMPLE

  1. FWs in the area where the alarm is sounding continuously should seek to determine as quickly as possible if there is a fire and if not, which device has activated.
  2. FWs to make their way to the fire alarm panel to assist the FC.

The flowchart overleaf shows the principle actions to be followed

Staff Response to Fire Alarm


WHEN AND WHO SHOULD CALL THE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE?

  1. Calling the Fire and Rescue Service

Inpatient Premises

  • In the event of a confirmed fire, the FC should ensure the Fire and Rescue Servicearecalled,initially through the emergency operator by dialling (9) 999.

The caller should provide as much information as possible and as a minimum:

  • Give name and position
  • Address of premises
  • What’s involved
  • In the event of the fire alarm sounding, the Fire and Rescue Service should not be called until there is confirmation of a fire.
  • The Alarm Receiving Centre may call the premises before alerting the Fire and Rescue Service to the fire alarm. Should they do so, they should be informed that:
  • “A fire has been confirmed – call the Fire and Rescue Service” OR
  • If a fire cannot be confirmed because the investigation continues, state “There are no signs of fire at this time…the investigation is in progress. Should there be an actual fire, we will call the Fire and Rescue Service”
  • The alarm may have originated in an area that is inaccessible to staff, and following initial investigation it is impossible to confirm or deny the existence of a fire. If this is the case, the Fire and Rescue Service should be called. They should be informed that it is not possible to check for the actual presence of a fire and their assistance requested. This should be a (9) 999 call.
  • Non emergency calls, eg confirming that there is no fire and no requirement for fire appliances, can be made by calling Fire Control direct on Tel. 0116 263 4187

Outpatient Premises

  • In the event of a confirmed fire, the FC should ensure the Fire and Rescue Service are called, initially through the emergency operator by dialling (9) 999.

The caller should provide as much information as possible and as a minimum:

  • Give name and position
  • Address of premises
  • What’s involved
  • In the event of the fire alarm sounding, the Fire and Rescue Service should be called immediately,via a (9) 999 call, to inform them of the activation of the fire alarm at the premises and that, following an investigation into the cause, a further emergency call will be made, requesting their attendance, if a fire is confirmed.
  • Reception staff are most often best placed to make initial calls to the Fire and Rescue Service informing them of the sounding of the fire alarm at the premises. Subsequent calls to the Fire and Rescue Service should be made bythe Fire Coordinator or those nominated to do so.
  • The alarm may have originated in an area that is inaccessible to staff, and following initial investigation it is impossible to confirm or deny the existence of a fire. If this is the case, the Fire and Rescue Serviceshould be called. They should be informed that it is not possible to check for the actual presence of a fire and their assistance requested. This should be a (9) 999 call.
  • Subsequent non-emergency calls, eg confirming that there is no fire and no requirement for fire appliances, can be made by calling Fire Control direct on Tel. 0116 263 4187

HOW DO WE EVACUATE? …WHERE DO WE GO TO?

  1. Evacuation Procedure, Escape Routes, Assembly Points and Roll Call
  • The evacuation procedure is based on simultaneous total evacuation phased horizontal evacuation
  • The escape routes to be followed arethose that lead directly to the nearest safe exit doorsinternal corridors that lead to the Assembly Point
  • The Assembly Point is detail the area
  • Persons assembling at the Assembly Point must not obstruct access for fire crews and must wait at the Assembly point until authorised to leave by the Fire Coordinator
  • If a roll call is appropriate, designated fire wardens should carry this out and report the outcome to the Fire Coordinator

WHEN AND HOW SHOULD WE FIGHT THE FIRE?

  1. Firefighting equipment and it’s safe use in tackling the fire.
  • Firefighting equipment that staff will have access to is limited to the following:

TYPE / Water / Carbon Dioxide (CO2) / Fire Blanket
COLOUR / / /
IDENTIFICATION / Red cylinder, Red label / Red cylinder, Black label / Red container
TYPE OF FIRE ON WHICH TO USE / Solid material, paper, wood, fabrics and plastics / Electrical fires, apparatus and wiring, electrical switch-gear, x-ray equipment, liquid fires / Small contained fires with oils/fats Waste paper bins. Person with clothing on fire
  • The 9 litre water extinguisher is being replaced with 3 litre hydrospray which is much lighter in weight and will tackle similarly sized fires. Water/hydrospray is provided for use on solid materials, paper, wood, fabrics and plastics
  • All fire extinguishers should be fitted on purpose-made wall brackets or floor plinths near to exits or on the line of an exit route where they are easily accessible.
  • Fire blankets are available in kitchens for smothering small fires. They can also be used for extinguishing fires affecting clothing.
  • In using any of the firefighting equipment, prior to the attendance of the Fire and Rescue Service, the following points should be adhered to:
  • Ensure that the fire alarm is sounded before attempting to extinguish the fire
  • Should the fire grow in size always be sure that you can turn your back on it and walk away
  • 9 litre water extinguishers are heavy and should be sat on the floor for operation
  • Keep low and aim at the base of the fire

WHAT MUST BE DONE AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE EMERGENCY INCIDENT?

  1. Incident conclusion

Upon confirmation that there is no fire and the alarm has been silenced, the Fire Coordinator should:

  1. Contact Estates to reset the fire alarm system and any other equipment that may have been isolated as a result of the sounding of the fire alarm.
  2. Ensure that an E-IRF is completed as soon as possible after the incident.

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