Page 29 - UNIZULU Disaster Management Plan Report

7. FIRE DISASTER
Emergency response procedures in case of fire or explosion are divided into several categories. The risk posed by fire on campus is considered to be very high, and regular fire drills are thus considered to be an essential part of emergency preparedness. In the event of a fire, the first point of contact is the PSD.
If no PSD employees are available to investigate, or simultaneous alarms activate in other buildings and security cannot respond within 10 minutes the Fire Department will be called. If a second alarm activates within the same building the Fire Department will be called. PSD employees will facilitate the quickest route for the Fire Department to reach the scene.
All employees and students must evacuate and go the nearest AP. A full list of APs is included in this section. Employees and students must not congregate around exit points as this will impede the evacuation of other people. Lifts must not be used during a fire evacuation.
In the event of a fire, unless the fire is obviously very small and easy to contain, the Fire Department is responsible for fighting fires. Fire extinguishers are provided to help people escape in the event of fire, not in the expectation that it is the job of staff to fight fires.
Once a building has been evacuated it must not be re-entered unless PSD employees or the Fire Department say it is clear to do so. Any attempt to rescue a person from a burning building must only be undertaken by the Fire Department.
A very large fire may also necessitate evacuation of nearby buildings and the closure of roads or pedestrian pathways. Consideration should be given to the possible pollutant effect of smoke blowing in a certain direction. In such cases the CRT must make an assessment as to whether an ‘evacuation’ takes place i.e., that people are instructed to stay inside their building.
7.1 Disabled Persons
Disabled persons will make their way, with assistance if required, to a protected help point or designated refuge where they will use the call point system to summon assistance from the PSD. They may wish an able-bodied person to stay with them for moral support. The PSD and OHS will make an assessment as to whether to evacuate the person using an EVAC-Chair or to wait until the arrival of the Fire Department. All fire alarm activations, pre-alarms and faults will be logged by SHE/PSD together with any action taken.
CALL PSD IMMEDIATELY ON CAMPUS EXT 6599/6133
OFF CAMPUS
035 902 6955
Fire Risk Assessments identify the need for an emergency plan that is specific to each building and campus. This must (where appropriate) include the following features:
1) Action on discovering a fire
2) Warning if there is a fire
3) Calling the fire brigade
4) Evacuation of the premises including those
particularly at risk
5) Power/process isolation
6) Places of assembly and roll call
7) Liaison with emergency services
8) Identification of key escape routes
9) The firefighting equipment provided
10) Specific responsibilities in the event of a fire
11) Training required
12) Provision of information to relevant persons
The procedure in the event of a fire is that when the fire alarm sounds the building will be evacuated. PSD employees will acknowledge the alarm within 30 seconds and will have a further 6.5 minutes to investigate the cause. If they cannot respond, cannot find a reason for the alarm or if a fire is confirmed the Fire Service will be called.
Whilst it would normally be the role of the PSD to summon the Fire Department it is permissible for anyone to dial 035 797 3313 and summon the Fire Service directly if they inform the PSD that they have done so.
UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND
DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN
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