Firestopping Protocols for Health Care Facilities

Firestopping protocols are especially important in healthcare facilities. When one thinks of a healthcare facility, they automatically tend to believe it is a well organized and safe environment, especially when it comes to fire prevention. However, this is not always the case. Often times there are many more fire precautions a healthcare facility may employ to keep both staff and patients safe.
Obviously, there are fire precaution requirements for a hospital or doctor’s office. These precautions generally include alarms, smoke detectors and evacuation routes. However, sometimes the preceding precautions are not enough. In the case of prevention, there are various ways to keep safety at the forefront of the healthcare facilities agenda.

For instance, and as has been mentioned, the basics are crucial to fire prevention. Fire alarms should be spaced throughout each unit and each hallway. In this way anyone can pull the alarm should they encounter a fire. As well as the “pull alarms” there should be smoke detectors in each patients room. In addition, in the packet that most hospitals give to patients outlining procedures of the hospital there should be a card with the evacuation route and instructions as to what to in case of a fire. The exits should be clearly marked, in the hospital and on the cards. It would be of great help for a nurse to quickly go over what to do in case of a fire. In the instance of patients requiring oxygen, these patients and the most critical patients should be evacuated first.
If a healthcare facility follows these guidelines, while using a little creativity, such as a red line on the floor distinctly marking evacuation routes, both patients and staff should feel secure in knowing their facility is prepared when it comes to fire safety.