Fire Prevention and Emergency Preparedness

Self Study Guide

Prepared by: Collin Thompson, Safety Advisor Occupational Health and Safety October 2011

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

INTRODUCTION

The potential for internal emergency situations such as fire or hazardous material spills exist in most workplaces.

The Heart Institute recognizes that all its employees require training in order to enable them to respond appropriately in a fire or spill situation to protect themselves and preserve the safety of patients, colleagues and visitors.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the module is to provide employees with an awareness of the procedures in place in this institute to deal with emergency situations, internal or external to the institute, as they may occur.

All major types of Emergencies are categorized by a colour code

North American System

EMERGENCY INFORMATION BOOKLET & MANUAL

Additional detailed information regarding procedures in place for emergency situations can be found in the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Emergency Information Booklet and Emergency Procedures Manual.

FIRE SAFETY PROTOCOL FIRE PREVENTION PROGRAM

• The primary goal is the preservation of LIFE through timely intervention.

• The secondary goal is reducing the risk to Hospital Property. – Achieving this goal actually helps in

achieving the first goal.

Education

Awareness

Active Participation

THE THREE METHODS TO ACHIEVING OUR GOAL

EDUCATION

Code RED

Code Brown

Code Orange

Fire Prevention & Code Lectures are mandatory for all employees.

AWARENESS

INFOWEB – Health and Safety Site

OHS Boards

Flyers & Pamphlets

Colleagues

Events (Safety & Emergency Preparedness Week)

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

• All staff must actively participate in fire drills, code exercises and conduct a review of the fire manual and emergency procedures manual on an annual basis.

• All staff must be fully aware of their work area and the building.

• All staff must learn their exit travel. Know where exit stairs lead to.

Know the location of fire emergency equipment and fire alarm pull stations.

Safety is Everyone's Responsibility!

• A fire situation is defined as visible fire or smoke.

• It makes no difference what size or what amount of smoke is present.

• Either case constitutes a fire situation and requires following the protocol for reporting a fire.

CODE RED - Defining a Fire Situation

Reporting a Fire Using the FIRE ALARM SYSTEM

In the Hospital setting we use the word

“S.C.A.T.E.”

The sequence in which you use the letters is not important. It matters only that the sequence is

completed for everyone's safety. Safety meaning your safety, your fellow workers, patients and visitors.

Every second counts and could potentially save lives!

How to Report a Fire & When To Use The FIRE ALARM SYSTEM

S.S. SaveSave the patients - remove patients, colleagues and visitors into corridor.

C.C. CloseClose door to contain fire, smoke and hot gases in room. Place a wet blanket at bottom of door to keep smoke and Place a wet blanket at bottom of door to keep smoke and hot gases in room.hot gases in room.

A.A. Alarm Alarm - sound the fire alarm located by all exit doors and most Nursing Stations.

T.T. Telephone Telephone the Emergency Number - 1-55551-5555

E.E. Evacuate or Extinguish Evacuate or Extinguish - The Ottawa Fire Department prefers that we evacuate our patients and allow them to extinguish the fire. Always move towards an exit and Always move towards an exit and remember the air is freshest by the floor in a remember the air is freshest by the floor in a smoky environment, so stay low.smoky environment, so stay low.

Pull StationsLocated near exit doors, stairwells and by elevators.

Portable Fire EquipmentHose cabinet and fire extinguishers located in the corridor.

Know the Location Of Your Fire Equipment

THE HOSPITAL FIRE ALARM SYSTEM

FIRST STAGE:FIRST STAGE:

Once the fire alarm pull station has been activated, the first stage rings at 60 strokes per minute continuously until the alarm is acknowledged.

Switchboard announces a CODE REDCODE RED and the location.

SECOND STAGE:SECOND STAGE:

Upon investigation, if deemed necessary, a key is inserted into the fire alarm pull station upgrading the alarm to the second stage which rings at 120 strokes per minute and will not shut-off.

This indicates that an area of the Hospital or the entire Hospital is about to be evacuated.

Switchboard announces a CODE GREENCODE GREEN”and we direct the evacuation.

CODE GREEN - EVACUATION PROCEDURES

Two types of evacuations: HorizontalHorizontal and VerticalVertical

HorizontalHorizontal is always the first choice ofmovement because it is the easiest method

ofrelocating patients/visitors from an area ofdanger to an area of safety.

HORIZONTAL EVACUATIONS

VERTICAL EVACUATIONS

Vertical evacuations are only used as a last resort.

• A partial vertical evacuation in conjunction with a horizontal evacuation.

• Down two floors and then into the lower floor compartment.

Complete vertical hospital evacuation:• Only the CEO, Admin. On-Call or the City of

Ottawa Fire Chief has the authority to order a total Hospital Evacuation.

During a full evacuation the Heart Institute will evacuate to the following location:

Heart Institute: will evacuate to The Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus (For any emergency that effects the Heart Institute but not TOH)

OR

Heart Institute: will evacuate to Fisher Park Public School (For any emergency that involves the evacuation of both the Heart Institute and TOH (Civic Campus)

SATELLITE RELOCATION CENTERS

Priority OnePriority One

All ambulatory patients are led down the stairs to the assembly area. One staff member is placed in charge of this group.

Priority TwoPriority Two

Semi-ambulatory patients are assisted down the stairs. These patients can sit on the stairs and help themselves down. One staff member is placed in front and one staff member at the back so this group is constantly monitored and assistance can be given whenever necessary.

Priority ThreePriority Three

These patients are moved using lifts and carries. Patient (non-ambulatory) are further categorized according to their degree of difficulty to move, such as CCU, CSICU, COR.

Under certain conditions the FIREFIGHTERS’ ELEVATORS will be used.

EVACUATION PRIORITIES

A. Able to be discharged home with minimal risk.

B. Able to be discharged home with assistance.

C. Able to be discharged to alternate health care facility.

D. Discharged except in extreme necessity, requiring life-support.

PATIENT CLASSIFICATION

CLASSES OF FIRE

CLASS “AA”

• Fires involving ordinary combustibles such as paper, wood, rags, etc.

• Use a fire extinguisher with class A rating when fighting this class of fire.

CLASS “BB”

• Fires involving flammable and combustible liquid such as gas, varsol, grease, etc.

• Use a fire extinguisher with class B when fighting this class of fire.

CLASS “CC”

• Fires involving energized electrical equipment, such as fuse boxes, transformers, electric kettles, etc.

• Use a fire extinguisher with class C rating when fighting this class of fire.

CLASSES OF FIRE

Class A,B,CA,B,C

Fire Extinguisher to be used in Mechanical spaces and Electrical vaults.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER “P.A.S.S.”

PULL THE PIN

AIM AT THE BASE OF THE FIRE

SQUEEZE THE HANDLE

SWEEP USE A SWEEPING MOTION

FIRE PREVENTION PRACTICES

The most effective way to fight a fire is to prevent it from happening in the first place. To this end all employees must be aware of and practice the following guidelines:

• Make sure that there is nothing blocking fire hose cabinets, fire extinguishers and electrical panels.

• Keep corridors free of obstruction.• Maintain clear path of egress at all times (42 inches).• Make sure that exit signs are lit and the exits are not

blocked.• No combustibles are allowed to be stored in a

stairwell.• All fire doors in hallways and stairwells shall close

and latch.

FIRE PREVENTION PRACTICES

• Never under any circumstance use wedges or devices to hold open doors.

• No storage within 18 inches of the ceiling or fire sprinkler.• No electrical extension cords are allowed to be used as

permanent wiring.• No appliances (kettle, microwave, fridge etc.) shall be plugged

into power bars or extension cords. • Power bars shall not be plugged into power bars. Power bars

are fine for items that don’t use much electricity, such as computers, desk lamps, and cell phone chargers.

• Kettles and coffee makers that don’t have an automatic shut-off are not allowed in UOHI. Toaster ovens are not allowed as well.

A SAFE AND FIRE FREE WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERYONE

The fire and life safety precautions reviewed in this presentation can be taught.

However, only you can practice the preventive measures, and by working together as a team,

we can achieve our goal:

A POINT TO PONDER

Code Orange (Disaster) - 15555

Internal Disaster

Fire / Flood / Utility failure

External Disaster

Plane crash / Tornado / Chemical leak into environment

* Major or Minor Disaster

CODE ORANGE - Disaster Planning

Major or Minor Spills

Minor Spill – Threshold Level, < 1 L• Generator to clean up• Emergency Hazmat Spill Cart

Major Spill – Threshold Level, > 1 L• Telephone the Emergency number - 12999• Code Brown Assessment Team will respond to assist

with clean-up• If the hospital team cannot safely control and clean-up,

appropriate arrangements will be made for an external spill response team (Ottawa Fire Department or HazMat Contractor)

CODE BROWN – Spills Control

• Bomb threats can come from a variety of sources, although most common is the telephone call bomb threat

• The action that you take will directly impact upon the Hospital’s response to the threat

• Treat all threats seriously

CODE BLACK – Bomb Threat

• Where is the Bomb?

• When will it explode?

• What does it look like?

• What will make it explode?

• Why was it put there?

CODE BLACK – Key Questions to Ask

Three StagesFirst Stage: • Patient is discovered missing. • Unit staff will conduct a complete search of the unit. • Affected Manager provides to Security a general description.

(age, sex, height, weight, hair colour, clothing of the individual)

Second Stage: • Manager determines whether to alert the patient’s family of

his/her missing status.• Security notifies other affected hospitals/agencies.• It is then determined whether on duty support staff from other

departments should be re-assigned duties to expand the search.

CODE YELLOW – Missing Patient

Third Stage: • If after a reasonable time the patient is not found, it is then

determined, if additional Security and support staff should be brought in.

• Campus Security Supervisor will then conduct a full-scale search of all areas.

• Affected Manager will stay with the next-of-kin, should they decide to come to the hospital.

CODE YELLOW – Missing Patient

•Violent Patient / Code White / 15555

•Cardiac Arrest / Code Blue / 14777

•Code Stemi

OTHER EMERGENCIES

SUMMARY

Fire safety and emergency planning procedures in the Heart Institute work in conjunction with the plans in place at the Ottawa Hospital. It is important that all employees understand their role in these plans.

This module was developed to give employees an overview of the fire safety and emergency planning principles in place at the Heart Institute.

It is recommended that where possible, all employees attend the Fire Prevention and Emergency Preparedness lecture given by Occupational Health and Safety at the Heart Institute.