FIRE DRILLSFIRE DRILLS

David McMahon, RS, MPHDavid McMahon, RS, MPH

Phoenix Area Indian Health ServicePhoenix Area Indian Health Service

Fire Drills - PurposeFire Drills - Purpose

Prepare staff for actual eventsPrepare staff for actual eventsSave livesSave livesReduce panic, makes response a routine Reduce panic, makes response a routine

mattermatter To To test the efficiency, knowledge and test the efficiency, knowledge and

responseresponse of personnel in implementing the of personnel in implementing the facility fire emergency planfacility fire emergency plan

Fire Drills - PurposeFire Drills - Purpose

To To exercise the planexercise the planEvaluate, modify plans as neededEvaluate, modify plans as needed

Meet accreditation and/or regulatory Meet accreditation and/or regulatory requirementsrequirements

Fire Drills - NFPAFire Drills - NFPA

““Emergency Egress and relocation drills”Emergency Egress and relocation drills” Think about the focus of your drills, why Think about the focus of your drills, why

are having them? are having them?

Fire Plan RequirementsFire Plan Requirements

The administration of every healthcare The administration of every healthcare occupancy shall have, in effect and occupancy shall have, in effect and available to all supervisory personnel, available to all supervisory personnel, written copies of a planwritten copies of a plan for the protection for the protection of all persons in the event of fire and for of all persons in the event of fire and for their evacuation from the building when their evacuation from the building when necessarynecessary

(NFPA 1 - 8-4.2.1.1, LSC 101 - 18, 19-7-1.1 )(NFPA 1 - 8-4.2.1.1, LSC 101 - 18, 19-7-1.1 )

Written Fire Plan ComponentsWritten Fire Plan Components

Use of AlarmsUse of Alarms Transmission of alarm to fire departmentTransmission of alarm to fire department Containment of smoke and fireContainment of smoke and fire Transfer to areas of refugeTransfer to areas of refuge Fire extinguishmentFire extinguishment Specific fire response to dutiesSpecific fire response to duties Preparation of Building for EvacuationPreparation of Building for Evacuation

Training (JCAHO 2000 revision)Training (JCAHO 2000 revision)

All personnel are trained in fire response according to the facility fire plan

The effectiveness of this training shall be evaluated at least annually

The training shall include: General facility protocols All aspects of response that may be unique to

the individual’s duties and work site

RACERACE

RRescueescueAAlarmlarmCContainontainEExtinguish /Evacuatextinguish /Evacuate

Fire Drill - FrequencyFire Drill - Frequency

JCAHO and AAAHC Require : Hospitals JCAHO and AAAHC Require : Hospitals and Ambulatory Care facilitiesand Ambulatory Care facilities

QuarterlyQuarterly on each shifton each shift to familiarize to familiarize facility personnel with signals and facility personnel with signals and emergency action required under varied emergency action required under varied conditionsconditions

Fire Drill - FrequencyFire Drill - Frequency

JCAHO Requires: Freestanding business JCAHO Requires: Freestanding business occupanciesoccupancies

Annually per shiftAnnually per shift

Occupancy DefinitionsOccupancy Definitions

HospitalHospitalProvides medical or other treatment or care Provides medical or other treatment or care

of four or more persons of four or more persons Occupants are Occupants are mostly incapable of self-mostly incapable of self-

preservationpreservation due to: due to:Age, physical or mental disability Age, physical or mental disability Because of security measures not under Because of security measures not under

the occupants’ controlthe occupants’ control

Occupancy DefinitionsOccupancy Definitions

Ambulatory Care - outpatient servicesAmbulatory Care - outpatient services A building / portion thereof used to provide A building / portion thereof used to provide

services or treatment services or treatment simultaneously to four or simultaneously to four or more patientsmore patients

Providing treatment or anesthesia for patients Providing treatment or anesthesia for patients that renders them that renders them incapable of taking action for incapable of taking action for self-preservation under emergency conditions self-preservation under emergency conditions without the assistance of otherswithout the assistance of others

Occupancy DefinitionsOccupancy Definitions

Free-standing Business OccupancyFree-standing Business OccupancyAll othersAll othersNot attached to a hospital or ambulatory Not attached to a hospital or ambulatory

care facilitycare facility

Remember This!Remember This!

These are minimal standardsThese are minimal standards You can always do more drills if neededYou can always do more drills if needed

Fire Drills - Patient TransportFire Drills - Patient Transport

Actual patient transfer, transport or building Actual patient transfer, transport or building evacuation is not required to be performed during evacuation is not required to be performed during the drills. the drills.

Fire Drills - TimingFire Drills - Timing

Drills shall be held at expected and Drills shall be held at expected and unexpected timesunexpected times JCAHO now requires that 50% of the JCAHO now requires that 50% of the

annual drills be unannounced (2000)annual drills be unannounced (2000) Under varying conditions to simulate the Under varying conditions to simulate the

unusual conditions that can occur in an unusual conditions that can occur in an actual emergency. actual emergency.

Fire Drills - Use of AlarmsFire Drills - Use of Alarms

NFPA requires activation of alarms for each NFPA requires activation of alarms for each drilldrill

Exceptions:Exceptions:When drills are conducted between 9:00 When drills are conducted between 9:00

p.m. and 6:00 a.m., a p.m. and 6:00 a.m., a coded coded announcementannouncement is permitted to be used is permitted to be used instead of audible alarmsinstead of audible alarms

Fire Drill LocationFire Drill Location

Drills should be conducted in different Drills should be conducted in different areas of the facility, so that all staff areas of the facility, so that all staff participate and such that various fore exit participate and such that various fore exit routes are used in each drillroutes are used in each drill

Fire Drills - Area of RefugeFire Drills - Area of Refuge

Not all facility have to evacuate to the Not all facility have to evacuate to the outdoorsoutdoors

Hospitals or ambulatory care facilities often Hospitals or ambulatory care facilities often can evacuate to areas of refuge inside the can evacuate to areas of refuge inside the building building through smoke or fire barriers and through smoke or fire barriers and compartmentscompartments

Fire Drills - Area of RefugeFire Drills - Area of Refuge

In total evacuation: Drill participants shall In total evacuation: Drill participants shall relocate to a predetermined location and relocate to a predetermined location and remain at such location until a recall or remain at such location until a recall or dismissal signal is given.dismissal signal is given.

Fire Drill - EvaluationFire Drill - Evaluation

What is a good drill?What is a good drill? Orderly vs. SpeedOrderly vs. Speed

Fire Drill - EvaluationFire Drill - Evaluation

JCAHO EC 2.10 - 2000 revision All fire drills are critiqued for the purpose

of identifying deficiencies and opportunities for improvement.

Fire Drill - EvaluationFire Drill - Evaluation

Monitor elevationsMonitor elevations You can document You can document actual or false alarmsactual or false alarms as as

drills, but only drills, but only 50% of required drills50% of required drills

Patient SafetyPatient Safety

Patient education and rightsPatient education and rights