Raising the Profile of Student Fire Safety and Awareness - Example

Table of Contents Raising the Profile of Student fire safety and awareness 2 Background Information 2 Safety of students in buildings 2 Reasons for targeting students 2 2. How did we raise the profile? 4 Creation of exhibitions 4 Fires Safety Club 4 Fire experts and Speakers 4 Publications 5 Fire Safety Programmes 5 Fire Drills 5 Integrating theory and practice 6 Student’s compliance with the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 6 Remind students of preventing fire 6 Saving lives 6 Schools provision of fire equipment 7 Adopting a fire safety management programme 7 REFLECTION 8 Purpose of fire safety 8 Role of government in Fire Safety 8 Importance of raising student awareness 8 Risk Management 9 Prevention 9 Protection 10 Precaution 10 Familiarization 10 Lectures on fire safety 11 Fire drills 11 List of References 12 Raising the Profile of Student fire safety and awareness Background Information The death that occurs due to fire outbreaks in schools are at times based on the fact that student awareness is not of sufficient level to enable them to cope with such incidents. This task was undertaken in trying to ascertain how awareness of students can be better raised to understand fire. Fires can start from any point, either in the student laboratory, sleeping areas, the schools kitchen or cafeteria or a careless lighting of a cigar rate or matchstick. Gas leaks can also lead to fires if it is a flammable gas. The understanding if students should be aimed at ensuring that students understand the causes of fires in different school setting and expect that each time a fire alarm is set off, they must take all precautions to exit the school building. Safety of students in buildings Section 19 (1) of the Fires and Rescue Services Act defines a potentially dangerous building as: “any building which would, in the event of a fire occurring, constitute a serious danger to life. The factors that lead to making a building potentially harmful is based on the fact that a large number of people habitually reside there, there are no adequate appliances or fitting to extinguish fires, to enable the students to escape, for giving warnings to persons in case of fires, and for emergency lighting. Reasons for targeting students The students are to take these crucial factors in ensuring that they reside in huge populations and they need to know what kinds of dangers would face them if the school has no proper mechanisms to fight against fire outbreaks. The notion of them having perhaps no basic training on fire would be important in ensuring that they are made aware. Students are of diverse backgrounds, ages and different levels of understanding and therefore they need to be constantly reminded of the eminent danger they face each time there is an outbreak. Various fire drilling sessions are to be conducted to ensure that students understand their roles in case of fire outbreaks. Being young minds, they can be terrified of the fire and resort to panicking and fainting and therefore medical health care should be provided either through first aids by teaching the older students to help those who are faced with these kinds of problems. Additionally the laboratory especially, in chemistry sessions or where inflammable gases are produced need, to be undertaken by guidance of teachers. It should be known that students are curious in nature and may at times take upon themselves to undertake risky experiments that cause fire. This makes students a target group for fire incidents and outbreaks. The main causes of fires in schools can be malicious fire or arson attacks that compromise the schools security. The External waste management such as disposal of flammable waste matter, and a contractor’s failure to inadequately deal with fire outbreaks during buildings constructions adds to the reasons for fire outbreaks in schools. Poor storage ad housekeeping especially in boarding schools is all contributing to occurrence of fires in schools. 2. How did we raise the profile? Creation of exhibitions Raising awareness within the student community was a hectic task. Firstly we created exhibitions that involved drawing of pictures of burning buildings and how various risks can bring about fires. We also created special stands where part of our student teams taught students in classroom settings on the causes of fires and how they can be better managed. This setting also adopted presentations through plays and even spoken word to disseminate information on fire safety in the school. The exhibition also brought the fire department to make demonstrations on how fire occurs and the process of putting out fire. The department also took their time to teach the students at the exhibition on the essence of creating a student fire programme. Fires Safety Club During the same period we also formed the Student Fire Safety club whose main objectives were to recruit students who are to be trained on fire safety practices. The club would also be involved in conducting drilling sessions in the school to ensure that students familiarize themselves with the fire precautions. The other task was also to identify the most probable route for escape of students in case evacuation is needed and provide the directions on the students’ notice board and libraries. Fire experts and Speakers We also approached various categories of people’s in society to talk to the students in relation to fire safety practices. The fire safety department provided various speakers to speak to the students on importance of adhering to safety precautions when a fire occurs within the school’s premises. We also liaised with the school’s principal who addressed the students on the importance of learning about fires. Publications The student’s magazine and periodicals provided a platform to raise student’s profiles by publicizing columns on fires at school and good safety precautions. Further small brochures were issued to all students to sufficiently enable them learn privately in easy way on how to deal with fires. Various notices were placed around the school informing students on the fire safety club and also important tips on what to do when a fire occurs. Fire Safety Programmes We also conducted a fire safety programme within the schools premises. We resolved that the programme should address prevention of fire outbreaks, the training of our members of staff on prevention and fire safety procedures, the emergency procedures and evacuation drills, maintenance of fir safety equipment’s and also the availability of escape route. Further there needs to be a fire safety record too ensures that fires are kept at bay. Fire Drills The most important aspect of our undertakings was carrying out a fire drill just to provide the students with a fire scenario. A fire drill is usually carried out at random, in order to see how students would exit a premise and conduct themselves in case of a fire through the fire safety procedure. From this fire drill we were able to note that this needs to be carried out frequently to ensure that students are familiar with the fire plan provided. A fire drill also enables people to deal with new shortcomings that are identified during this procedure. Integrating theory and practice Student’s compliance with the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 It is to be contended why we carried the task of profiling students on fire safety. In the first instance the main reason for undertaking this exercise was to ensure that our school is compliant with the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 at Chapter 21 of our laws. Though the act clarifies the duties and powers of the various fire authorities, the school is implied to have some duties to protect its students from dangers of fire outbreak. From the act it can be inferred that the school and students should promote fire safety, fight fires, rescue the students, and also deal with emergencies that arise. Remind students of preventing fire The other reason was also to serve as a reminder to the students of the importance fire prevention. This is because as it is commonly held that remind people even if they know because some important details may be forgotten at any particular time. Saving lives The other main aspect is to save the lives of the students and all people’s within the school’s premises. During fire outbreaks, or incident a lot of events happen and some would cause more harm than the fire itself. For instance stampedes can raise the risk of students getting hurt more from their own personal acts rather than the fire. It is of importance that first aid skills are learnt by the students to sufficiently take care of injured students during a fire incidents. Schools provision of fire equipment The students being housed in the school need to take note of whether the school has provided sufficient equipment to fight fires during emergencies. This equipment should include the fire extinguishers and smoke detectors in ensuring that they can deal with fire outbreaks at any time. There also needs to be sufficient numbers within the school’s premises to cover the halls, sleeping areas and also in the kitchen and cafeteria. Adopting a fire safety management programme The main provision of the Fire Rescue and Services Act 2004 and Technical Guidance Document have three main objectives that is to; minimize the risk of fires, protect the means of escape and also to limit the risk of fires. If the students adopt the programme then they would be assure of creation of day to day fire prevention practices, instruction and training of the school staff and holding of fire and evacuation drills. This would go a great length in training students on procedures to be used in the event that a fire breaks out. This programme takes into the account of implementing the recommendations of the fire brigade. It also provides of emergency plan and also the sufficient use of notices to remind students on fire safety. REFLECTION Purpose of fire safety During the study there were three main aspects that stood out concerning fire safety. The purpose for fire safety in schools should focus on an adequate means or mode of escape for both the students and staff. The other aspect is that the fire ought to be detected at an early stage so that the alarm can sound and students can exit in a proper manner or way. It should be an aim that the fire should not spread or develop quickly but it should be restricted. These features are all identifiable in fighting fires at schools. Fire safety however should not only be tasked to students but also the school staff and community players. Role of government in Fire Safety Getting involved in fire safety measures and prevention has enabled me to earn about particular aspects of fire and safety not only in the schools but also in premises. The first thing that I have learned is that the government always looks at their citizen’s safety and this instance the students who live within the school’s buildings. The roles played by fire safety authorities are to promote safety from fires and also protect the people. Without the fire authorities and the Fire Safety Act is immense and contributes to the saving of lives in case of fires. The government’s adoption of various fire safety frameworks shows the seriousness of fire outbreaks. Importance of raising student awareness It is important for any institution to adopt a fire safety programme to manage emergencies. The fact that the programmes enables to read from statements on how to prevent fire outbreaks, training of students and the members of staff and also how to provide an escape route. It has made me to realize that the safety programme entails important fire details to enable a school manage fire emergencies. This also provides adequate mechanisms that students follow and the school adheres to in order to be applied in case of a fire emergency. It is also important to realize that student population is made up of different persons of different ages and backgrounds and hence a need to ensure that they are all taught on fire safety measures. Risk Management Prevention The management of risks should also be an essential tool in any school to prevent the occurrence of fires or any particular kind of fire emergency. The fire prevention measures should include the prevention of accumulation of waste materials that are flammable within the school’s buildings and surroundings. As a preventive mechanism electrical and gas appliances whether in the laboratory or any place are in safe working conditions and are frequently maintained to prevent leaks. There also needs to be a way in which flammable liquids or gases are not stored inside the building or there are stored in safe places. Moreover prevention is not only being left to the school staff and teachers, the students play an important role through participation in fire drills and also educating themselves on the risk of fires. It is also up to students to ensure that they do not tamper with flammable materials when unsupervised and they have a duty to sound an alarm if there is a fire outbreak. I also realized that fire safety should be a community initiative and hence participation is necessary to ensure students are better equipped to manage fire outbreaks. Protection Maintenance of fire protection equipment should also be a task taken up by the students. The students in my own view should not damage or misuse the equipment because one would never know at what time it would be needed. A duty to be imposed on a student that whenever one notices spoilt equipment the student ought to report it to the school. This equipment should include the fire extinguishers, water tanks, fire alarms and smoke detectors. The building safety practices should also ensure that student’s wellness is taken care off for instance those with disability and also those who are young. Precaution I also learned that it is not safe for anyone to panic in cases of a fire and that the fire plan should be well adhered to. The fire plan or programme is to be the safest mode and students should have full confidence in the plan. Remaining calm and acting with caution and judgment would be important in preventing a panic in the school’s premises. Precaution involves taking measures in ensuring that there is a proper framework to aid students in cases of emergency. Familiarization It is also in the best interest of a student to try and familiarize themselves with the school building and surroundings this is based on the fact that one might never know when a fire might occur. Familiarization will enable a student identify his or her escape routes. A student should also concern themselves with what to do in case of a fire outbreak; what to do when one discovers a fire, what to do when a fire alarm goes off, and when to call a fire brigade. This would be considered as precaution mechanisms to ensure that children are enlightened about fires and what they need to do. Lectures on fire safety It is also quite important to give a student a chance to hear from fire experts and even persons who are involved in fire fighting. I also noted that students tend to learn more from fire experts, but also information provided by other students who have learnt about fire can go a great mile in educating the student. There also needs to be a formal session on fire safety to accommodate new students who join the school for the first time. This is because of the unpredictability of fires and also the fact that they need to familiarize themselves with the procedures. Fire drills It is also crucial that students take the notion of partaking in fire drills seriously, and evacuate the school as soon as it sounds. The students should ensure that fire drills are held regularly because this is to protect their lives. Students during this exercise should also learn how to operate fire extinguishers, fire blankets and fire hoses and it would be of great importance if the fire department undertakes in it. List of References Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 Technical Guidance Document B (Fire Safety) to the Building Regulations, 1997 Read More