Fire Emergency Management - Research Paper Example

Fire Emergency Management Executive summary This paper will describe the cause and response of a fire emergency that broke out in Fairmont. The immediate and effective response in the case study will form the basis of analysis of fire emergency management in institutions. The paper will highlight the value of mitigation measures, preparedness, communication, and response procedures in a fire emergency management. In addition, the analysis of the event described will emphasize the importance of prior understanding of risk and having the relevant capacity for response.

Mitigation receives special attention in the essay because it takes a central role in minimizing the detrimental effects of any emergency. At the end, the paper provides recommendations for future improvements in handling emergencies. Introduction Following afire that broke out in Fairmont in 2011, posing a great risk to the society, it becomes evident that institutions need to upgrade their fire response and mitigation programs. The cause of the fire resulted from the release of propane into the air.

The source of propane was a tank that rolled, resulting into the opening of a valve that led to the escape (Saari, 2011). This is just one of the multiple cases of fire breakout that have posed great risks to lives and infrastructure. This paper will analyze the response procedure and mitigation of the fire at Fairmont and highlight the risk assessment, management, mitigation, and responses concerning fire emergencies. Description of the Fire at Fairmont According to Saari (2011), the fire accident at Fairmont started at 3 pm on in March of 2011.

The fire breakout put the five lakes elementary school at a risk. A driver of a forklift was making attempts of moving a propane tank with a capacity of 500-gallons. The capacity of the tank implies that it needed the effort of two people to lift. However, for his reasons, the driver made attempts of moving the tank by himself. Consequently, the tank tipped and further rolled. The rolling led to the opening of a valve and a release of propane into the air started. One event to the other after the rolling since a heater in close proximity ignited the released propane.

After the fire broke out, immediate response by the employee, who called the department saved the situation. In addition, the school responded immediately in ensuring the safety of staff and students. The school evacuated all individuals to the western side of the school, away from the fire. The fire department acted responsibly and moved to the scene fast. The fire extinguishers managed to put the fire under control by cooling the tank with water. This went on until the fire subsided after the complete burning of propane.

The fire caused limited damage to the building because of the immediate response. Analysis It was critical to analyze the situation as an emergency response expert and identify strategies that would prevent such occurrences in the future. Mitigation is one of the crucial issues that any institution should invest in, as a long-term measure in the reduction of risks posed by fire outbreaks. Mitigation focuses on proactive strategies that have the potential to eliminate the potential detrimental effects of fire to people, infrastructure, and environment.

Mitigation also entails the aspect of preparedness. Mitigation plays a central role in emergency management. Mitigation is a worthwhile investment for any institution because it depicts the commitment of the institution to address any unexpected occurrence effectively. In some cases, mitigation may involve reconstruction in order to ensure that structures haven the appropriate adaptations that present it with the potential to withstand potential future fire breakouts (Cote, 2004). In the case mentioned above, an institution like Five Lakes Elementary School, has invested in fire extinguishers and sprinklers that are very essential in minimizing or putting out the fire.

Safety regulations require the fitting of extinguishers in every building. The number of extinguishers in place depends on the potential risk. Having exit doors and effective directions to these doors serve to evacuate people during a fire emergency. According to Cote (2004), fire mitigation strategies focus on offering individuals personalized training on the skills of operating fire-extinguishing applications. This implies that institutions should organize training programs on fire extinguishing.

In addition, they should have prior knowledge on the use of alarm responses. All the concerned individuals should prove competent in effective response in case of fire. Therefore, institutions should ensure that each individual has easy access to the relevant contact numbers in case of an emergency. This emphasizes on the importance of preparedness. Each individual in institutions should have the capacity to respond immediately when accidents occur. Other mitigation measures involve creating policies that govern the action of people in order to reduce the occurrence of human errors that can lead to potential fire breakouts.

For example, the driver mentioned above was subject to questioning by environmental policy enforcement units because he acted contrary to the policies. Policy formulation serves as a mitigation measure as it gives guidelines that prevent future accidents. Governments invest time in formulating and safety policies. Communication is another crucial factor in emergency management. Through communication, it is possible to convey information concerning safety to all people. Institutions should be able to communicate effectively to the people concerning fire management and prevention.

Communication is an important tool in delivering training as well as presentation of demonstrations of the appropriate response in times of an emergency. In addition, communication is essential during response of an emergency. All individuals at risk often require relevant instructions and communication in the event of fire. Communication may refer to raising alarm to alert people when an emergency results. Communication concerning the level of risk at all levels is essential (Klinoff, 2012).

Response to fire involves several aspects. It is important to seek the help of firefighters, police, and ambulance if lives are in danger. First aid skills are necessary as they can save lives before the victims can access specialized medical care. The other aspects include firefighting and prevention of the fire further. More immediate response measures include creating awareness of the fire emergency and evacuation. The school administration mentioned above, acted fact to keep the staff and students safe.

In addition, the employee acted responsibly by contacting the relevant assistance. These actions portray a level of preparedness. Lack of preparedness often results to immense losses of property and deaths. Fire breakout is an emergency that falls under the emergency management category. This is because fire breakout requires immediate response and management (Klinoff, 2012). Since the rolling of the tank had led to the opening of then valve and propane ignited, the situation had posed danger already.

The level of detrimental effects in such cases often depends on the urgency of response. The scenario described above received have led to a higher awareness of the potential fire risks. The history of a fire breakout motivates an institution to act proactively. In most of the cases, an organization may advance its training on fire response. A fire accident often puts the mitigation and preparedness measures under test. Since an institution notes its points of weaknesses, it stands in a better position to respond in the future.

With a confirmation of the risk of propane tanks, the environment organization concentrated on enforcing environmental policies. Although the fire managed to have some detrimental effects on the sheath of the buildings, Saari (2011) reported that it did not derail the construction process. Recovery procedures involve the procedures of reversing the damage caused. Conclusion and Recommendations It is evident that addressing an emergency requires both prior long-term planning for potential emergencies.

Long-term planning involves formulating and implementing mitigation measures that have the capacity to reduce the potential effects of any occurrence. Mitigation also involves putting in place the relevant structures and applications. On a different note, preparedness entails building the relevant capacity in people to enable them to respond appropriately during a fire breakout. This capacity determines whether an institution can manage a fire breakout efficiently and minimize its effects. In addition, the speed of response is very critical in managing fire incidents.

Response involves creating awareness of the potential danger and alerting the fire department for help. In serious cases involving life, calling the ambulance and the police becomes very necessary. Communication is a very important aspect in emergency management in both preparedness and response. The fire breakout highlighted above calls for improvement in several factors. People should act more responsibly to prevent errors that often result to fire breakouts. It is essential for schools and communities to have the capacity to respond to fire emergencies, fire departments should invest on better firefighting strategies.

Advanced research should produce innovations that can effectively address fire emergencies. Drivers ferrying tankers with explosive chemicals should abide by the environmental policies to avoid the spillages or release as in the case described. References Cote, A. E. (2004). Fundamentals of fire protection. Quincy, Mass: National Fire Protection Association. Klinoff, R. W. (2012). Introduction to fire protection. Clifton Park, N.Y: Delmar/Cengage Learning. Saari, K. (2011). Report: Fire was accident.

Retrieved on 6th Nov, 2012 from http://www.fairmontsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/516981.html