Welcome to Millinocket Regional Hospital

Fire Plan

Section I

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR TO:

1.  Review this book with each employee.

2.  Have each employee know the location and operation of the nearest fire alarm box.

3.  Have each employee know the location and use of the fire equipment in the department area.

4.  Show the employee the safest evacuation route from the department.

5.  Conduct and supervise fire prevention by inspecting an area for hazards, so that each employee becomes safety conscious and the area is under constant surveillance.

6.  Once a year, schedule his / her department for a fire safety class by the hospital safety supervisor or his designee.

Section I

R Rescue
A Alarm
C Confine
E Extinguish

--- 555 ---

REMEMBER THESE POINTS

Extension 555 is the FIRE PHONE. The fire phones are located at the front desk and at the Nurses Station. The fire phone at the Nurses Station is answered only when no switchboard operator is on-duty.

Know where the nearest fire alarm pull station and fire extinguisher are located near your department.

Do no rush to the scene of a fire.

Do not shout “FIRE”.

Remain calm. Fear and panic are as dangerous as fire.

Do not inform patients of fire unless necessary.

Assure patients, if they are aware of the fire, that there will be plenty of help to assist them.

Use stairs. Do NOT use elevators. You could become trapped.

Do not block corridors, stairways, and exits.

Close doors and windows to prevent drafts from carrying smoke to you or to other areas of the hospital.

Place wet blankets and towels under closed doors to confine smoke.

Keep fire doors in corridors and stairwells closed unless it is necessary to remove patients or to fight fire.

Turn off ventilation fans.

Shut off oxygen control valves in area of the fire.

Wait for “ALL CLEAR” announcement before resuming normal duties.

Do not turn off lights.

When the danger is not immediate, SAFEGUARD VITAL RECORDS by closing safes, vaults, fire drawers, desk drawers, etc.

Survey your area for anything important: papers, records, etc., can be easily taken out of the area for safeguarding.

Determine if the situation will require more help to remove patients.  Call the personnel pool for assistance.

FIRE ALARM

The sounding of the fire alarm and the announcement over the paging system of “Dr. Fireside: and a location will indicate a fire or a fire drill.

DUTIES OF SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR OR NURSES STATION NIGHT ATTENDANT ON RECEIVING NOTICES OF FIRE, WRITE DOWN IT'S LOCATION AND TIME

1.  Listen carefully and write it down.

2.  On receiving the call from the person, get all information carefully as:  LOCATION  and NAME OF PERSON calling.

3.  Page twice:  “Dr. Fireside”: --- location.  Repeat twice again in thirty seconds.

4.  Call the Fire department, give location of fire and other known particulars.  911 or 723-7026.

5.  Notify the hospital CEO.

6.  Stop all outgoing and incoming calls, saying, “Sorry, lines are busy.  Please call back later.” If an emergency, complete the call.

7.  Give information to others as required.

8.  Announce “Attention please, ‘Dr. Fireside' all clear”, upon receiving instructions from the Fire Chief or hospital Safety Supervisor.

SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR ONLY

1.  Prevent visitors from entering building through lobby.  If fire in your location, transfer phone to night service.

2.  Evacuate to safe area if required (dining or multi-purpose room).

IF A FIRE STARTS IN YOUR AREA:

1.  Remove patients from immediate danger.
2.  Pull nearest fire alarm box.
3.  Confine the fire if possible with a fire extinguisher or wet towels.
4.  Call extension 555 and give your name, location, and extent of fire.
5.  Evacuate to a safe area (dining or multi-purpose room).

IF YOU HEAR THE FIRE ALARM SOUND:

1.  Listen for the announcement of the fire's location --- “Dr. Fireside location”.
2.  Do not rush to the fire location.
3.  Close doors and window, verify corridors are clear of obstructions, and that fire doors have closed.
4.  Survey area / decide actions to be taken.
5.  Report to your department for further instructions.
6.  Do NOT use elevators.

EVENING AND NIGHT TIME:

Medical Surgical Supervisor assumes charge of the hospital during weekends, evenings, and nights.

1.  Notify Fire Department with follow-up phone call.
2.  Notify Unit Coordinator on-call, who will notify Administration.
3.  Assign person to meet Fire Chief at front door.

UPON HEARING FIRE BELL, ALL OTHER DEPARTMENT STAFF DURING THESE HOURS WILL:

1.  Clear their areas of out-patients or visitors.
2.  Secure area.
3.  Report to Med Surg nurses' station.

UNIT COORDINATOR RESPONSIBILITES:

1.  Notify Administration.
2.  Report to scene of fire for instructions from Fire Chief.
3.  If evacuation of patient is imminent, activate Disaster Plan.

ALL OTHER PERSONNEL

FIRE IN YOUR AREA:

1.  Remove any patients from immediate danger.
2.  Pull the nearest fire alarm box.
3.  Confine the fire, if possible.
4.  Dial extension 555, give name, location, and extent of fire.
5.  Close all doors and windows, shut the exhaust fans, and evacuate to a safe area (dining or multi-purpose room).

FIRE IN ANOTHER AREA:

1.  Remain in your work area.
2.  Close all doors and windows.
3.  Await further instructions via intercom or Department Director.

PATIENT EVACUATION

No matter what your particular assignment is, you may be called upon to assist in the protection of the patients.

Authority to order evacuation is vested in the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FIRE CHIEF, or his DESIGNATED ALTERNATE.

When necessary and authorized, patients should be removed from the units with their RECORDS as follows:

PATIENTS IN AREA OF FIRE

AMBULATORY

WHEELCHAIR

BLANKET

STRETCHER AND BED

The nurse in charge of the unit will check all patients rooms to be sure that all patients have been attended; instruct those in her charge to keep track of the movement of patients, in order that she can account for the patients after evacuation.  Patients from the same unit should be directed to the same safe area to facilitate checking.

Any member of the Medical staff present in the hospital at the time of the fire emergency will stand by for call to emergency assignments announced over the public address system.

EVACUATION ROUTES

WHEN ORDERED TO EVACUATE:

FIRST:

Move patients horizontally - on the same floor level - to the farthest area of the building from the fire.

WHEN EVACUATION IS ORDERED TO ANOTHER FLOOR:

THEN:

1.  Ambulatory and blanket cases are to be evacuated by elevator if authorized by the Fire Chief
     in charge of the fire.
2.  Wheelchair cases are to be evacuated by elevator if authorized by the Fire Chief in charge of
     the fire.
3.  Bed or stretcher cases are to be evacuated by elevator only if authorized by the Fire Chief in charge of the fire.

In many instances, it may only be necessary to evacuate a single unit.  In this case move patients horizontally on the same floor to an adjacent unit and await further instructions from the Safety Director or his designated alternate.

Nurse in charge of unit will take the patients Kardex with her and use it to account for all the patients.
Section I

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR TO:

1.  Review this book with each employee.

2.  Have each employee know the location and operation of the nearest fire alarm box.

3.  Have each employee know the location and use of the fire equipment in the department area.

4.  Show the employee the safest evacuation route from the department.

5.  Conduct and supervise fire prevention by inspecting an area for hazards, so that each employee becomes safety conscious and the area is under constant surveillance.

6.  Once a year, schedule his / her department for a fire safety class by the hospital safety supervisor or his designee.

R Rescue
A Alarm
C Confine
E Extinguish

REMEMBER THESE POINTS

Know where the nearest fire alarm pull station and fire extinguisher are located near your department.

Do no rush to the scene of a fire.

Do not shout “FIRE”.

Remain calm. Fear and panic are as dangerous as fire.

Do not inform patients of fire unless necessary.

Assure patients, if they are aware of the fire, that there will be plenty of help to assist them.

Use stairs. Do NOT use elevators. You could become trapped.

Do not block corridors, stairways, and exits.

Close doors and windows to prevent drafts from carrying smoke to you or to other areas of the hospital.

Place wet blankets and towels under closed doors to confine smoke.

Keep fire doors in corridors and stairwells closed unless it is necessary to remove patients or to fight fire.

Turn off ventilation fans.

Shut off oxygen control valves in area of the fire.

Wait for “ALL CLEAR” announcement before resuming normal duties.

Do not turn off lights.

When the danger is not immediate, SAFEGUARD VITAL RECORDS by closing safes, vaults, fire drawers, desk drawers, etc.

Survey your area for anything important: papers, records, etc., can be easily taken out of the area for safeguarding.

Determine if the situation will require more help to remove patients.  Call the personnel pool for assistance.

FIRE ALARM

The sounding of the fire alarm and the announcement over the paging system of “Dr. Fireside: and a location will indicate a fire or a fire drill.

DUTIES OF SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR OR NURSES STATION NIGHT ATTENDANT ON RECEIVING NOTICES OF FIRE, WRITE DOWN IT'S LOCATION AND TIME

1.  Listen carefully and write it down.

2.  On receiving the call from the person, get all information carefully as:  LOCATION  and NAME OF PERSON calling.

3.  Page twice:  “Dr. Fireside”: --- location.  Repeat twice again in thirty seconds.

4.  Call the Fire department, give location of fire and other known particulars.  911 or 723-7026.

5.  Notify the hospital CEO.

6.  Stop all outgoing and incoming calls, saying, “Sorry, lines are busy.  Please call back later.” If an emergency, complete the call.

7.  Give information to others as required.

8.  Announce “Attention please, ‘Dr. Fireside' all clear”, upon receiving instructions from the Fire Chief or hospital Safety Supervisor.

SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR ONLY

1.  Prevent visitors from entering building through lobby.  If fire in your location, transfer phone to night service.

2.  Evacuate to safe area if required (dining or multi-purpose room).

IF A FIRE STARTS IN YOUR AREA:

1.  Remove patients from immediate danger.
2.  Pull nearest fire alarm box.
3.  Confine the fire if possible with a fire extinguisher or wet towels.
4.  Call extension 555 and give your name, location, and extent of fire.
5.  Evacuate to a safe area (dining or multi-purpose room).

IF YOU HEAR THE FIRE ALARM SOUND:

1.  Listen for the announcement of the fire's location --- “Dr. Fireside location”.
2.  Do not rush to the fire location.
3.  Close doors and window, verify corridors are clear of obstructions, and that fire doors have closed.
4.  Survey area / decide actions to be taken.
5.  Report to your department for further instructions.
6.  Do NOT use elevators.

EVENING AND NIGHT TIME:

Medical Surgical Supervisor assumes charge of the hospital during weekends, evenings, and nights.

1.  Notify Fire Department with follow-up phone call.
2.  Notify Unit Coordinator on-call, who will notify Administration.
3.  Assign person to meet Fire Chief at front door.

UPON HEARING FIRE BELL, ALL OTHER DEPARTMENT STAFF DURING THESE HOURS WILL:

1.  Clear their areas of out-patients or visitors.
2.  Secure area.
3.  Report to Med Surg nurses' station.

UNIT COORDINATOR RESPONSIBILITES:

1.  Notify Administration.
2.  Report to scene of fire for instructions from Fire Chief.
3.  If evacuation of patient is imminent, activate Disaster Plan.

ALL OTHER PERSONNEL

FIRE IN YOUR AREA:

1.  Remove any patients from immediate danger.
2.  Pull the nearest fire alarm box.
3.  Confine the fire, if possible.
4.  Dial extension 555, give name, location, and extent of fire.
5.  Close all doors and windows, shut the exhaust fans, and evacuate to a safe area (dining or
     multi-purpose room).

FIRE IN ANOTHER AREA:

1.  Remain in your work area.
2.  Close all doors and windows.
3.  Await further instructions via intercom or Department Director.

PATIENT EVACUATION

No matter what your particular assignment is, you may be called upon to assist in the protection of the patients.

Authority to order evacuation is vested in the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FIRE CHIEF, or his DESIGNATED ALTERNATE.

When necessary and authorized, patients should be removed from the units with their RECORDS as follows:

PATIENTS IN AREA OF FIRE

AMBULATORY

WHEELCHAIR

BLANKET

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