ASSESSMENT OF READINESS TO HANDLE FIRE CHALLENGES IN A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING INSTITUTE.

Rationale:Fire incidents in hospitals in the recent past have brought to fore the necessity of continuous efforts for fire prevention in all Healthcare organizations (HCOs). The recent devastating fire accidents in country highlighted lacunae in hospitals and were harsh learning experiences both for administrators as well as fire safety regulators. In today?s world of advanced technology, ?nothing is safe? and the challenge of handling disasters caused by job related accidents always exists. Therefore, preparedness of HCOs, for probable accidents and providing safety for patients, staff and materials is vital. Objectives.The study aimed to carry out fire audit i.e. examination of premises as well as conducted relevant document review to ascertain how the premises are being managed regarding fire safety. The study also undertook assessment of level of fire awareness amongst occupiers, identified gaps and made recommendations. Recommendations were made to make the organization compliant with the fire safety standards as per National Building Code 2016. Methodology:An observational study by carrying out audit of infrastructure, equipment, policies for preparedness in preventing/fighting fire as well as awareness amongst various categories of personnel was assessed. Structured questionnaire was given to stake-holders to gather factual information from all areas, which was later analyzed through Focused Group Discussions. The audit included five critical components of Fire maintenance, Staff training, Fire prevention, Fire alarm and Fire evacuation plan (last 2 included under Fire action plan). Results:The overall fire safety compliance was found to be 60.42%. Fire prevention and Fire maintenance compliance percentages were 83.8% and 67.92% respectively. The critical non-compliant factors identified were staff training and Fire action plan. Level of fire-awareness of the study population was associated with educational level and job tenure. Conclusion:Fire safety in healthcare is a sensitive topic as the very existence of healthcare facilities controlled by government agenciessuggests that nation, through government, has taken responsibility to care for people who are ill in some way. If patients or staff members are harmed by fire accidents, then it is a direct reflection on quality of management of total healthcare system. The study provides insight into identifying the critical factors in order to help minimize potential adverse effects whilst at the same time provides recommendations for integration of organizational requirements with NBC 2016 guidelines.