Question

Discuss in detail about the emergency actions to be taken in case of a fire in a hospital.

Answer 1

(Nurses should be aware of the fire safety regulations and fire prevention practices of the agency in which they work.)

When a fire occurs the nurse follows four sequential priorities:

1. Rescue R

2. Alarm A

3. Confine C

4. Extinguish E

Fire belongs to a CODE RED hazard in a hospital.

1.RESCUE:

Never use the elevator. Using an elevator can endager the lives of people. Short circuit can cause a fire inside the elevator. The elevator can get stuck due to a fail in the electric supply.

Always use the stairs. They are the safest route away from the fire.

Evacuate depending on the level of danger with adequate warning periods,

  Remove the patients who are in immediate danger.

Move patients away from fire(horizontal movement) and then away from the particular floor(vertical movement).

Rescue all patients, visitors, employees, staff and volunteers from immediate danger.

  Ready evacuation transport equipment such as wheelchairs, blankets, and gurneys. This helps to mobilize paralysed patients and others to safety.

Await further instructions; do not evacuate unless given the authorization to do so.

Prevent the possible exposure to hazardous material like CO,mercury,etc. The exposure to hazarduos materials can cause death.

Set priorities for evacuation of patients.

ICU/CCU patients are given top priority in evacuation.

2.ALARM

Sound the alarm by pulling the closest fire pull-station and by dialing the local emergency number and reporting the location of the fire.

Shout or scream "FIRE, RUN TO SAFETY" and use signs or other methods to denote fire.

Use telecommunication devices to raise a fire alarm.

Activate an alarm by triggering the safety detectors.

Notify the hospital “switchboard” of the location of the fire.

3.CONFINE

Confine the fire by closing all doors, windows and other open spaces.

  Turn off oxygen, lights, and any electrical equipment in the vicinity of the fire.

Keep all fire doors closed except when passing through them in order to avoid the spread of smoke and fire.

Shut off the oxygen supply to prevent further spread.

  Confine the fire to a common spot to prevent rapid spread and reoccurance of fire.

5 EXTINGUISH

Confine the fire by cutting off the oxygen supply. Oxygen can ignite or initiate further spread of fire.

Extinguish the fire based on the cause or class, to prevent further spread.

Keep clear all the oxygen cylinders to prevent an explosion.

Extinguish the fire if the fire is small.

Methods to suppress the fire:

1.Fire extinguisher

2.Water springler system

3.Mist Sprinkler Systems

  4.Water Hose Reels

5.Smoke Extractors

6.Use fire blankets