Fire Warden Refresher Training

1. Fire Warden Refresher Training Richard Norris

2. Topics covered • The Station fire incident – video • Brief reminder of everyone’s responsibilities for fire safety • Brief reminder of the fire warden role • Examples from the floor on how the role is put into practice in your building – VOLUNTARY (ish)! • Overview of Human Behaviour in fire situations • Questions – and hopefully answers!

3. Fire Safety Responsibilities • We are all responsible for fire safety • This includes students, contractors and visitors • We must all act in a fire safe manner • Think how what we are doing and how we are doing it could affect fire safety (Risk Assessment?!) • Line managers etc have additional responsibilities • Building Fire Coordinators (BFC) have a central fire safety role in each building

4. The Fire Warden Role #1 Day-to-day role: • Monitor escape routes including refuges if installed • Don’t allow house-keeping to slip (build-up of fire load) • Keep an eye on extinguishers, smoke detectors, emergency lights and fire doors. • Co-ordinate / liaise with other Fire Wardens

5. The Fire Warden Role #2 When the fire alarm sounds: ~ High visibility jerkin/jacket ~ Sweep towards your floor exit ~ If possible, turn off equipment, close doors/windows ~ Check accessible rooms, and refuges if installed. ~ Communicate the need to leave the building ~ Report to the BFC at the assembly area or incident control point ~ Debrief meeting after fire drills or false alarm evacuations

6. Possible issues? • Someone refuses to evacuate? • You are not in your area when the alarm sounds?

7. Real Life Examples? Information on how the role works in your buildings would be fantastic ... Any volunteers?

8. Human behaviour in fire Avoidance - don’t want to believe it is really happening

9. Human behaviour in fire • “Peer Pressure” – don’t want to appear foolish in front of others

10. Human behaviour in fire Continue with work, Disregard, Unconvinced All examples of COMPLACENCY

11. Human behaviour in fire Spectator sport / “friendly fire” Examples: Woolworths fire in 1979 Stardust Disco Dublin 1981 Bradford City Football Stadium fire in 1985

12. Human behaviour in fire Conferring, Seeking guidance

13. Human behaviour in fire Affiliation – desire or need to help others, especially family Example: Summerland Leisure Complex, Isle of Man (50 dead)

14. Human behaviour in fire Lack of understanding – of the alarm sound, of speed of fire, of the hazards from fire Lack of information – what is that noise? what does it mean? what do I do? No one has told me!

15. Human behaviour in fire Panic? What is panic? When do people really panic?

16. Human behaviour in fire Physical capabilities and limitations –Health, Age, Size, Fitness: the fitter you are the better your chance of surviving a fire?

17. Human behaviour in fire Hazards from fire – heat, smoke, oxygen depletion, flames

18. The Station fire • Rhode Island nightclub February 2003 • Fire at rear of stage caused by pyrotechnics • 100 killed, 230 injured • Nightclub engulfed in fire in 5 1/2 minutes • Most people tried to leave the way they entered – by the front door …

19. Station floor plan

20. The Station Fire – fatalities at the scene

21. Summary • We are all responsible for fire safety • Fire wardens are essential to help the University safely manage escapes from fire • In a fire alarm / real fire people sometimes do strange things but they don’t often “panic” • Failing to use all available escape routes can and does cost lives.

22. Any questions?

23. THANK YOU! Contact me on: 01179 298784 (x 87848), 07786 397655 or Richard.norris@bristol.ac.uk