Hundreds of students gather inside the school premises every day. As the schools remain jam-packed with young lives who are inept to fend for themselves under normal circumstances let alone in an emergency like a fire. Therefore, the obligation of installing fire safety products should be on the priority list of schools. These places are not only high on human density but today are also loaded with a lot of modern and sophisticated systems such as air conditioners, projectors, computers, smart boards, digital textbooks, etc. taking the risk of fire to an all-new level.
What’s more? In addition to this, schools have certain unique spaces such as Science Laboratories, Auditoriums, Computer Labs, Wet Kitchens, etc., that further the risk of fire. Therefore, with all these factors adding up, schools are spaces that should take fire safety as a zero-tolerance issue. The subject is so crucial that schools need a holistic approach towards fire safety rather than just invest in fire firefighting. An ideal firefighting plan calls for much more than (just firefighting) that. It involves important measures such as prevention, followed by early detection, firefighting, evacuation and finally post-fire damage control. Let’s look at each of these in detail.
Prevention
The first step towards ideal fire safety is prevention. It includes steps that campuses should take to avert a fire from occurring. At Ceasefire, we believe fire safety is not just an activity but a habit. Schools have an important role to play in inculcating the habit amongst the youngest denominators of the society that is the children. Mock fire safety drills must be practised to prepare students for fire emergencies. Children must be trained to respond to a fire emergency in a way that they raise an alarm once they sight fire and immediately evacuate the premises.
Fire exits should never be blocked. Exit passages must be kept clear always so that people can evacuate quickly from the building in case of a fire. In schools, special emphasis should be given to Good Housekeeping, tidiness and a general good order where everything has a dedicated place for itself and nothing should ever lie loose. That is why schools must not only make investments in fire safety equipment but also cautiously work towards the prevention of fire and inculcate fire-safe habits in the children.
Early Detection
The next important step in an Ideal Fire Fighting plan is Early Detection. Early detection is crucial for the fight against fires since it gives a golden window to put an act together and give a swift response to fire. This precious time can be made available only when modern-day fire detection technologies are deployed on the school premises. The fire detection systems send early alerts that a fire has been identified so that responsible people can put their best response forward.
Evacuation
As soon as the fire is detected, evacuation becomes necessary. The golden rule for schools should be to evacuate as fire breaks out because there are kids present. It is also highly recommended that schools invest in an evacuation plan. At the same time, it is important for schools to invest in escape solutions such as exit sign wheels, glow and dark exit sign wheels, etc. Masks and escape gears simplify the process of evacuation for students and staff members therefore investing in it will prove beneficial for schools. Evacuation is one very critical area to be addressed by schools because it is a matter of saving a lot of lives after all.
Firefighting
Despite every measure taken, fires still happen and that is the reason schools must have enough investments in terms of firefighting systems being in place. The school authorities should be aware that there are two types of technologies available - the active and passive ones. In schools where fire safety is so important, they should invest in both kinds of these technologies. The passive type products consist of a whole new range of fire extinguishers. On the other hand, the active products consist of smart automatic systems. With advanced automatic suppression systems, the fire can be nipped at its budding stage thereby safeguarding lives. Often, one will find that fires have originated from electrical panels, junction boxes, cable trays, MCB boxes, etc. To control fires in such spaces, automatic systems are the best bet.
Post-fire damage control
Before making any investments in firefighting equipment, schools must consider the aspect of collateral damage. It is because when fires will be fought with these firefighting systems, they will cause a residual or an after effect. This is in turn, might prove to be very harmful to the students and the equipment present in the premises. Therefore, it becomes vital for schools to choose their extinguishing agents wisely. It is important for schools to know that in today’s world there are agents available such as water mist and clean agents which cause zero collateral damage. These agents are not only safe on humans but also protects your equipment at the time of firefighting.
With decades of experience in firefighting, Ceasefire has developed specialized systems and technologies to protect a wide variety of premises including schools. We understand schools have a special requirement for fire safety with respect to the kind of unique spaces it possesses. This is the reason, at Ceasefire we have developed specialized systems and technologies specially designed to address the risk of fires faced by schools. For more details, visit us at www.ceasefire.in. You can also book a free fire safety audit with us. Get in touch with us at 1800 120 3473/ 9540 666 666.