CareHomeDeskCareHomeDeskWhat a care home fire warden must do before, during and after a fire alarm activation.
Fire wardens (also called fire marshals) are designated members of staff with specific responsibilities during a fire emergency. In a care home, fire wardens typically have designated zones -- a floor, a wing or a group of rooms -- and are responsible for the safe evacuation of that zone under the progressive horizontal evacuation strategy.
Fire wardens should conduct a weekly walk-round of their zone checking for fire hazards (propped fire doors, overloaded sockets, obstructed exits), that fire exits are unlocked and clear, and that the fire log book is up to date. This preventative role is as important as the emergency response role.
On hearing the fire alarm: confirm it is a genuine activation, initiate horizontal evacuation of residents in your zone to the adjacent compartment, conduct a sweep search to confirm no residents remain, close fire doors behind you, and report to the assembly point co-ordinator that your zone is clear.
Complete the fire log entry including time, cause (genuine/false alarm), actions taken, evacuation time and any issues. If the activation revealed any problems -- a resident who was difficult to move, a door that did not close correctly -- record these and report to the responsible person for follow-up.
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