INTRODUCTION

Being prepared for a natural disaster is very important, especially for a fire. Fires cause millions of dollars in infrastructural damage and take hundreds of lives every year, some of which could have been saved if only they had known what to do. This is why a fire preparedness plan is so important, especially in schools. With a fire preparedness plan, students and teachers would be able to safely exit the school compound in case of a fire, without panic or fear. People would know what to do, which would greatly reduce casualties. This project seeks to outline the best fire preparedness plan possible that can be implemented by our school.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PG. NO.
1. Fire Safety 3 2. Basic Fire Preparedness Plan 6 3. Conclusion 7

FIRE SAFETY
To remain safe from fires at school, prevention is the key. Apart from arson, major causes of school fires include improper handling and storage of flammable liquids, overloaded electrical outlets and excessive accumulation of rubbish. WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF FIRE Establish a fire safety plan. Evacuate students in immediate danger. Sound the alarm. Perform any fire drill duties assigned to you. It is important that members of staff do not panic as students depend on their judgment to keep them alive during a fire emergency. If the teacher remains calm, so will the students under his/her charge.

FIRE DRILLS Always take school fire drills seriously, and evacuate the school when the alarm goes off. Hold fire drills on a regular basis. Have the initial fire drill for the school year in early September. Ensure that school employees know how to evacuate their work areas and perform their fire drill duties in an emergency. Always sound the alarm at the first sign of smoke or fire. Be familiar with the location of the nearest fire alarm and extinguisher. Learn how to operate fire extinguishers, fire blankets and fire hoses.

We also need to ensure that the rooms which we work in are kept safe. This can be done in a number of ways: LABORATORIES Store flammable liquids properly and dispense them from an approved safety container. Avoid storing incompatible chemicals next to each other as interaction may occur and cause a fire or explosion. Survey chemicals annually and discard any which are obsolete or show signs of decomposition. Order and store the minimum supply necessary. Clean up spills immediately.

Repair all electrical hazards and avoid overloading outlets. Dispose of rubbish regularly and in a proper manner. NEVER leave gas pipes turned on after an experiment and only use them in the presence of a teacher. CLASSROOM Clearly mark the evacuation route on the school floor plan, and place it adjacent to the classroom door. Check electrical appliances and cords regularly, and disconnect appliances where practical. Keep all doorways clear. Dispose of rubbish daily. Protect all unused outlets with safety plugs. CAFETERIA Keep all cooking equipment, hoods, filters and ducts free of grease accumulation. Clean up spills immediately. Do not allow garbage to accumulate. OFFICE AND STORAGE AREAS Avoid overloading electrical outlets and keep wiring away from doorways, windows or under carpeting. Carefully store and handle cleaning compounds and polishes, for they often give off flammable vapors. Ensure general order and cleanliness in storage rooms. HALLWAYS AND DOORWAYS

Identify exits and keep them unobstructed. Avoid wedging open hallway doors. Restrict paper to bulletin boards and fasten at all corners. DO NOT exceed 5% of wall area. By doing these things, we reduce the risk of fire in our school, and help keep ourselves safe from harm.

BASIC FIRE PREPAREDNESS PLAN

The plan below lists all that should be done should there be a fire emergency at SAGHS.
6

1. As soon as the fire is spotted, and it cannot be controlled with fire extinguishers, the alarm should be set off and the fire department called. 2. In every classroom, the teacher should take charge of lining students up in alphabetical order with their fire partner and collecting a class list or roll book. 3. If in the labs, all gas mains should be turned off and all harmful chemicals quickly but properly disposed of under the supervision of the teacher. 4. When leaving the classroom, a fire emergency first aid kit should be taken, in case of any injuries. All other personal belongings should be left behind. 5. All members of the staff and student body should make their way to the field at the front of the school, where teachers should take roll of the classes to which they are assigned. 6. At least three members of staff should be designated to quickly check bathrooms, closets or classes where children may be scared or in hiding. 7. If, there are any injuries, or persons have been exposed to the smoke for too long, medical services should be called. While they are on their way, whatever can be done to alleviate the victims distress should be done using medication, etc from the fire emergency first aid kit. 8. Until the fire is put out by the fire department and the damage assessed, no one should be allowed back inside the building. 9. Once this is done, the principal can decide whether classes should continue, or students should be sent home. Once this is done, there should be no problems and the fire evacuation should be simple and effective.

CONCLUSION
As you can see, fire preparedness plans are very important as they can be the difference between life and death. All schools should implement one and hold fire drills to make students aware of how to evacuate their classrooms in case of a fire. As is the case with most things in life, prevention is better than cure.