Statutory Compliance
Fire Safety & Evacuation
Fire prevention, extinguisher use (RACE/PASS), evacuation routes and drill participation for hospital buildings.
- track
- Statutory Compliance
- format
- Self-paced
What this module covers
Fire prevention, extinguisher use (RACE/PASS), evacuation routes and drill participation for hospital buildings.
This is a self-paced training module that maps to National Building Code of India, 2016 (Part 4 - Fire and Life Safety). It is delivered inside the MedNext app so clinicians and hospital staff can work through it between shifts, with no live sessions or fixed deadlines.
What it covers in detail
Fire Safety & Evacuation
- The RACE response on discovering a fire: Rescue anyone in immediate danger, raise the Alarm, Confine the fire by closing doors, and Extinguish or Evacuate.
- The PASS technique for operating a portable extinguisher: Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side.
- The fire triangle and matching the extinguisher class to the fuel (water, foam, CO2, dry chemical) so the right agent is used on the right fire.
- Reading evacuation routes, exit signage, assembly points and horizontal evacuation, and the special challenge of moving non-ambulant and ICU patients.
- The hospital fire plan, staff roles during an alarm, and participation in mock fire drills.
Who should complete this, and why
Fire and life-safety training applies to everyone in a hospital building, because a fire spares no department. Clinical staff must be able to move dependent patients; support and housekeeping staff must know the routes and their role; and everyone must be able to raise the alarm and use the nearest extinguisher. Hospital buildings are treated as a demanding occupancy under the National Building Code because many occupants cannot self-evacuate.
What you will be able to do after this module
On completion you should be able to
- Act correctly on discovering a fire using the RACE sequence.
- Select and operate the correct class of extinguisher using the PASS technique.
- Locate exits, routes and assembly points on their own floor and lead others to them.
- Understand the priorities for evacuating non-ambulant and critical-care patients.
Frequently asked questions
What do RACE and PASS stand for?
RACE is the response sequence on finding a fire: Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Extinguish or Evacuate. PASS is how you use an extinguisher: Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the flames, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side.
Should staff always fight a fire themselves?
No. Staff should only attempt to extinguish a small, contained fire with the correct extinguisher and a clear escape path behind them. If the fire is spreading, if there is heavy smoke, or if in doubt, the priority is to raise the alarm and evacuate.
Why is patient evacuation different in a hospital?
Many hospital occupants are non-ambulant, ventilated or otherwise dependent, so full building evacuation is slow and hazardous. Hospitals rely heavily on defend-in-place and horizontal evacuation to an adjacent fire compartment before considering vertical evacuation.
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