3 Critical Reasons to Incorporate Fire Drills in a Fire Warden Training Program
Every commercial facility is expected by law to train employees to serve as fire wardens. Such training guarantees workplace safety in the event of a fire outbreak. Notably, one of the most critical parts of fire warden training entails conducting fire drills, and it is usually slotted towards the end of a training program. Unfortunately, most facility managers skip this part and only carry it out long after the fire warden training program is complete. Such an approach is dangerous and puts the entire facility and its occupants at risk in case of fire breakouts. This article highlights the importance of making fire drills part of the fire warden training program.
Opportunity to Access -- Fire warden training is mostly practical in the sense that selected employees who will serve as wardens have to understand how to conduct themselves in fire emergencies. For instance, the trainees must know how to use a fire extinguisher, how to follow correct evacuation procedures and how to calm down occupants in a burning building. Thus, it is one thing to learn the practical side of fire warden training and another to apply what was learned in simulated, high-pressure situations. By incorporating fire drills into a training program, instructors can assess trainees' conduct and aptitude in conducting evacuation procedures. Consequently, the trainers can make corrections to the training regimen in time.
Evaluate the Effectiveness of Exit Routes -- Although fire warden training can take place at a workplace facility or a fire department premises, the former is advisable. In any case, if the selected employees for fire warden training are going to deal with a fire outbreak, it is going to be at their place of work. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate how effective the exit routes are, and fire drills are the perfect way to address this issue. If the trainees discover any problems with the fire exit routes, they will recommend possible changes to enhance fire evacuation strategies. Without such training, however, fire wardens can be caught off guard and not know what to do if the design of the facility does not promote an effective evacuation strategy.
Ascertain Frequency of Fire Drills -- It is a legal requirement to conduct fire drills at least once a year. However, this depends on the number of risk factors in your facility, and the only way to find this out is by incorporating fire drills during a fire warden training program. With the help of fire trainers, designated fire wardens can ascertain the risk factors the workplace holds. The information can then be used to schedule fire drill frequency in the future. Notably, it is advisable to schedule more fire drills in a year if there are many risk factors.
To learn more about what should go into fire warden training look online at resources like https://www.fireprotectionservices.com.au/.