Fire safety of the occupants and assets in any commercial building is the sole responsibility of the facility manager. Most importantly, building operations cannot go on seamlessly if workers and visitors are ill-prepared regarding fire incidences. For this reason, commercial facilities must train fire wardens to act as the first line of defence in case of a fire outbreak. The training that wardens receive plants the confidence to act responsibly and take control of the building and its occupants during a fire outbreak. However, every facility manager must understand certain facts about fire warden training before scheduling a session.
1. Voluntary -- It is arguably the most critical fact about fire warden training, but one that most facility managers get wrong. When selecting candidates for a fire warden training exercise, the process must be voluntary. There are various reasons for this, but the main one is that fire wardens must be brave enough to work under pressure and in dangerous conditions. Unfortunately, not everybody is cut out for such roles; therefore, hand-picking candidates is a poor decision. Moreover, fire warden training is more enjoyable when it doesn't feel forced, and this increases the chances of grasping everything that is taught by a trainer. Therefore, if you are having a hard time choosing candidates for a fire warden training stop, step back and ask employees to volunteer.
2. Better Conducted on Premises -- Where is it appropriate to conduct fire warden training? At the local fire department premises or a designated training ground developed by the local council for such purposes? Most people believe the best place to conduct such training is at the fire department's premises because all the necessary equipment is available. However, nothing could be further from the truth because fire warden training is best conducted at your premises. The reason is that commercial buildings are unique; therefore, training should be tailor-made. This way, fire wardens understand how to tackle fire emergencies within their unique setting, thereby reducing the chances of fatalities. Furthermore, trainers have an opportunity to inspect the premises and propose possible changes to make fire wardens more effective in their roles.
3. No Prerequisite Knowledge -- Surely, if you are going to guide people from a burning floor to safety, then you must have some prior knowledge about fire safety to qualify for the fire warden training, right? Wrong. You do not need any form of previous training or knowledge about fire safety to be considered for fire warden training in your facility. Even if you don't have the slightest idea about fire safety, you can still volunteer and get trained as a fire warden. Since such training lasts approximately 90 minutes, trainees are trained on only what they need to know. In most cases, it centres on roles and responsibilities, communication, hazard identification and the importance of planning.
To learn more, check out a website like https://www.fireprotectionservices.com.au/ today.