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Resident
Orientation Manual (Feb. 2000)
Produced by Galveston Shriners Burns Hospital and The University of Texas
Medical Branch Blocker Burn Unit.
Contributors: Sally Abston MD, Patricia Blakeney PhD, Manubhai Desai MD,
Patricia Edgar RN, CIC, John P Heggers
PhD, David N Herndon, MD,
Marsha Hildreth RD, Janet A
Marvin RN, MSN,
Ray J Nichols Jr. MD
R.A.C.E. METHOD FOR FIRE
RESPONSE
and
P-A-S-S TECHNIQUE FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHER USE
The R.A.C.E. method for responding to a fire
emergency:
R - Rescue
Move patients and assist visitors or impaired
employees away from immediate danger of fire or smoke IF YOU CAN DO THIS
WITHOUT PUTTING YOURSELF IN IMMEDIATE DANGER and IF THERE ARE OTHER STAFF
AVAILABLE TO COMMUNICATE THE EMERGENCY AND TURN IN THE ALARM.
A - Alert others
Activate manual pull
station alarm as soon as possible. Call #6688 and state the location,
type of fire and size. Notify co-workers - and make sure everybody in
the area, and in other departments in your area, know as well.
C - Confine
Close all doors and windows. Pack sheets
and towels under doors to contain smoke.
If there is oxygen in the area:
 Oxygen to a patient can be shut
off by a nurse at the bedside after other staff have the patient and are
ventilating them.
Oxygen to a zone (a whole unit)
can ONLY be shut off by Maintenance and Engineering after nursing staff
authorize it (patients on oxygen are cared for).
Oxygen to the building is only
shut off after the Fire Marshal orders it and after nursing staff authorize
it (patients on oxygen are cared for).
E - Extinguish
Select the appropriate fire extinguisher.
Use the P-A-S-S technique to extinguisher the fire. (see below for P-A-S-S
technique)
E - Evacuate
Move people (patients, parents, visitors, staff)
to next lateral fire compartment on the 1st, and 4th through 8th floors.
On 2E and 3E and 2W and 3W, move 2 compartments laterally.
Stay in the evacuation area until ordered to move
by the Fire Marshal.
Staff on floors above the fire use fire
stairwells to evacuate.
Staff on the 3rd floor use stairwells to evacuate
patients to the 2nd floor if ordered to do so.
Patients are evacuated from the building by the
2nd floor crosswalk.
Close doors behind you.
If you are not at the scene of the fire, make
sure you can hear overhead instructions and the 'all clear'. Have
someone posted in the hallway to relay this information.
LISTEN for the "Dr. Red, All Clear" announcement
or further instructions.
REMEMBER
√ Memorize the telephone number to call to report a fire in the
building - #6688.
(770-6688)
√ Learn how many fire compartments there are, and their locations, in
your work area.
√ Know the R.A.C.E. response to fires.
√ Learn the differences between response to fire at the scene of the
fire, and response to a fire on a different floor or in a different
compartment.
The P-A-S-S technique
for fire extinguisher use:
P - Pull the pin.
It is there to prevent accidental discharge.
A - Aim low at the base
of the fire. This is the where the fuel source is.
S - Squeeze the lever
above the handle. Release to stop the flow.
(Some extinguishers have a button instead of a
lever)
S - Sweep from side to
side. Move toward the fire, aiming low at its base. Sweep until
all flames are extinguished. Watch for re-igniting. Repeat as
necessary. Have site inspected by fire department.
Place
any fire extinguisher that has been used on its side on the floor. It
will be collected and recharged after the fire scene is secure.
REMEMBER
√ Learn Pull-Aim-Squeeze-Sweep (PASS) to help you remember how to use
fire extinguishers and what to do with them after use.
√ Fire extinguishers are located in fire cabinets next to fire
stairwell doors. They are multi-purpose (ABC) extinguishers.
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