Hospitals don't burn! Hospital Fire Prevention and Evacuation Guide
One of the critical considerations in the safety design for all facilities is the prevention of fire, particularly with respect to the combustibility of construction and furnishing materials and the spread of fire and smoke. In the event of either accidental or malicious fires, suppression equipment needs to be readily accessible to combat these fires. Staff members of the health facility need to have working knowledge of how to use the equipment and to avoid panic.
The last resort, failing the ability to completely suppress the fire, is to evacuate the facility. Moving all patients, visitors, and staff out of dangerous and/or damaged facilities as safely as possible is always the goal of an evacuation. It is important to recognize that people’s attention to detail and processes will not be optimal in an evacuation scenario. To that end, understanding key principles will help staff members make good decisions during a chaotic event.
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