Welcome to ZZ Chatham Hospital

CODE 505/CODE RED – FIRE RESPONSE PLAN - Hospital

PURPOSE:

To provide guidelines for the roles and responsibilities of staff and Independent Licensed Practitioners (LIPs) in the event of a fire.

ACTIVATION OF THE FIRE WARNING SYSTEM:

A.Alert
     1. The “Chime/Strobe Alarm” (doorbell-type sound) is the primary alert signal for fire. It is three doorbell sounds grouped together with a pause and may also include the blinking of a light at the fire chime panel.
     2. The chime/strobe alarm is activated by:
          a. any pull station,
          b. automatically by a smoke detector in the fire area, or
          c. an activated sprinkler.
     3. Activation of the chime/strobe alarm by any of the above methods will signal on the annunciation panel the location of the fire.

B. Pull Stations
     1. Pull stations are located throughout the hospital.
     2. Activation of a pull station will:
          a.initiate the “chime/strobe alarm”;
          b.automatically transmit an alarm signal to Simplex Grinnell Monitor Service to notify 911, 911 will notify the Fire Department;
          c.Automatically disengage all card read doors, and the psychiatric exam room. (Access into secured areas can also be obtained by breaking the glass on door emergency release and hitting release button).

C. Annunciator Panels
Indicate the area of fire and are located at the following locations:

ICU Nurses' Station

Emergency Department Nurses' Station

Medical/Surgical Nurses' Station

Shop – Equipment Bay Beside Door 480B

SMOKE MINIMIZATION:

Smoke Compartment
A. The hospital is constructed so it is divided into smoke compartments to minimize the spread of fire and smoke from one area of the hospital to another.

B. When the fire warning system is activated, fire/smoke doors automatically close, which divide the building into smoke compartments.

C. Patients and staff are to be removed from the involved area horizontally to the next adjacent smoke compartment, if indicated.

Air Handling Units
A. Air Handing Units (AHUs) are roof top units which contain smoke and/or fire within a specific area (e.g. room, nursing station).

B. AHUs and controls, (large red buttons labeled “Emergency Stop”) are located in the following departments:

Medical Surgical-Nurses Station

Intensive Care-Nurses Station

Emergency Department-Nurses Station

Front entrance reception desk-wall behind

Pharmacy Administration-behind door 306A

Imaging-main work station

Nutritional Services- between door 344 & 345

Material Management- beside door 328A

Laboratory
          (1) at Lab report and reception room (208) which deactivates the hood in Microbiology;
          (2) between door 201A & 202A which is the Emergency Stop button for the AHU.

C. The AHU should be activated when fire or smoke is observed by pushing the button.

OXYGEN SHUT-OFF:
A.Oxygen shut off valves are in “zone valve boxes”, located throughout the facility, which control the flow of oxygen to patient care medical gas outlets.

B.Each “zone valve box” is labeled with the patient rooms/area it controls.  Each oxygen handle is labeled.

C.To shut off oxygen, pull ring to remove window frame of “zone valve box”.  Identify the oxygen level-type handle. Adjust level-type handle one quarter turn from a fully open position to a fully closed position.

FIRE EXITS:
Fire exits are listed on evacuation plans posted throughout the hospital.

EXTINGUISHMENT OF FIRE:
A. There are two types of fires:

Class A – Ordinary combustibles (paper, wood, textiles).

Class B – Flammable liquids (gasoline, cooking oils, fats).

Class C – Live electrical (wiring, appliance, electrical equipment).

The proper type of extinguisher must be used to fight each type of fire.

B. There are two types of extinguishers in the hospital:

Dry Powder Extinguishers (ABC) –used for all fires except grease and/or computer

Type K (Grease Fires, Kitchen only)

C. Fire extinguishers are located throughout the hospital, each is clearly marked with a color code and the types of fire that it may be used to fight. Note: To open fire extinguisher box, pull firmly.

D. Fire Extinguisher Use:

P - Pull the pin
A - Aim at the base of the fire, start away and walk closer
S - Squeeze the handle
S - Sweep back and forth

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE

If you observe a fire:

                                                            "R-A-C-E"
Rescue - 1. Rescue patients, visitors or others in immediate danger of possible

Alarm - 2. Pull nearest alarm
                  Push RED "Emergency Stop" button (if assigned area has one, see list above under Air
                  Handling Units)

Confine - 3. Close all doors, windows, vents, and clear hallways. (Remove any carts or equipment
                  that may be obstructing hallways or inpatient rooms.)

Extingquish - 4. Use appropriate fire extinguisher or other immediate method to fight fire, if judged
                  safe.

Move any wheeled carts from corridor.

Any time the fire system is activated:
     1. Emergency Department designee: reads and determines the location of fire/smoke from the annunciator panel, reviews layout and overhead announces by dialing “30”, pausing and waiting for tone, then dialing “00” and paging “Code 505/Code Red – stating  location of fire” twice in succession.
     2. Registration Designee: Calls the Fire Department. In the event phone lines are dead; a cellular phone or the pay phone in the Emergency Department waiting room (Dial 0 – for operator – no money is needed) may be used. If all phone lines are dead utilize EMS communication in Emergency Department.
     3.  Designated Respiratory Therapist reports immediately to the location of fire.
     4. Departmental Responsibilities:
          a. Department Directors/designees from following departments automatically respond to fire area with fire extinguishers for initial fire fighting until the local fire department arrives: Maintenance, Security, Environmental Services, Emergency Department, Laboratory, Medical Surgical, Clinical Supervisor, and Administration.
          b. Departments where patients are located:
               Insure patient safety.  Reassure patients and visitors.  Visitors should remain in area until it is deemed safe to leave.
               Close windows and doors in fire area.
               In the absence of a Respiratory Therapist, the charge nurse will:
                    Locate the oxygen shut off values in the area affected.
                    Plan for supplemental oxygen for patients, as indicated.
                    Direct oxygen shut off to nursing employee, as appropriate.
                    The Respiratory Therapist will assume this role when reaching location of fire.
               Prepare for evacuation to adjacent smoke compartment (removal of patients, medical charts, emergency drugs, emergency oxygen, etc.).
                    Prepare for Code “D” - Disaster for evacuation of facility,
          c. Departments (Others) –

Close windows and doors.

Prepare for Code “D: - Disaster for evacuation of facility, if necessary (removal of patients, medical records, emergency drugs, emergency oxygen, etc.).

US Patent Numbers 7,720,998 B2, 7,836,207