Enhancing fire safety readiness in a medical college: faculty training outcomes and fire drill performance evaluation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20261024Keywords:
Emergency response, Faculty training, Fire safety, Hospital preparedness, Mock fire drillsAbstract
Background: Fire safety is a critical component of tertiary healthcare infrastructure, and recurring hospital fire incidents in India highlight the urgent need for improved institutional preparedness. Faculty members play an important role in maintaining a safe clinical and academic environment; however, effective preparedness also requires functional systems, coordinated staff response, and regular fire drills.
Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional interventional study analyzed routine fire safety activities conducted at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences, Mohali. The study assessed fire safety knowledge, awareness, and preparedness among faculty members (n=42) and evaluated institutional readiness through structured mock fire drills conducted across major hospital departments (n=10). Faculty members underwent a structured 30-35-minute PowerPoint-based training session, and knowledge was assessed using a pretested Google Form questionnaire. Institutional preparedness was evaluated using a standardized Fire Drill Checklist applied during the drills. Pre-post comparisons were analyzed using the Chi-square test for knowledge and paired t-test for drill performance.
Results: Significant improvements were observed in key domains. Awareness of fire emergency numbers increased from 64.7% to 100% (p<0.01), the ability to correctly use a fire extinguisher improved from 33.3% to 85.7% (p<0.05), and understanding of fire classifications increased from 0% to 83.3% (p<0.01). Mean fire drill scores improved from 1.40±0.699 to 4.90±0.876 across 10 drills (p<0.001).
Conclusions: Structured training significantly improves faculty knowledge and awareness, while routine mock drills strengthen institutional preparedness. Integrating mandatory training, periodic simulation drills, and regular safety audits is essential to enhance fire safety readiness in medical colleges and hospitals.
Metrics
References
Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India 2021. Available at: https://ncrb.gov.in/sites/default/files/ADSI-2021/ADSI_2021_FULL_REPORT.pdf. Accessed 01 December 2025.
The Tribune. Fire disrupts heart surgery at PGI: March 30, 2024. Available at: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/fire-disrupts-heart-surgery-at-pgi-605747/. Accessed 01 December 2025.
Times of India. Fire Breaks Out in Asr Hospital, 600 Rescued, Amritsar News, May 2022. Available at: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/amritsar/fire-breaks-out-in-asr-hospital-600-rescued/articleshow/91570085.cms. Accessed 01 December 2025.
Indian Express. Ahmednagar hospital fire: 11 dead, several injured, November 2021. Available at: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/ahmednagar-hospital-fire-live-updates-7609886/. Accessed 01 December 2025.
The Hindu. 18 dead in fire at COVID-19 hospital in Gujarat. May 2021. Available at: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/patients-nurses-die-in-fire-at-covid-19-hospital-in-gujarats-bharuch/article34455327.ece. Accessed 01 December 2025.
Al-Qahtani AM, Imtiaz M, Rauf MA. Knowledge and attitude towards fire safety among healthcare workers in tertiary hospitals. Saudi J Health Sci. 2019;8(1):26-31.
World Health Organization (WHO). Hospital Safety Index: Guide for Evaluators, 2015. Available at: https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/258966. Accessed 01 December 2025.
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). NFPA 101: Life Safety Code. Quincy, MA: NFPA; 2021.
Sharma R, Bakshi H, Banerjee A. Fire safety hazards: How safe are our hospitals? Indian J of Community Medicine. 2020;45(1):104-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/ijcm.IJCM_182_17
Kulkarni RS, Giri PA, Gangwal PR. Knowledge and practices regarding fire safety amongst health care workers in tertiary care teaching hospital in Marathwada region of Maharashtra, India. Int J Community Med Pub Health. 2016;3(7):1900-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20162062
Zayed HA, Hassan NM, Aly FA. Effect of educational programs on nurses’ knowledge and practices regarding fire safety in hospitals. Egypt Nurs J. 2019;16(2):115-23.
Huang CH, Wu HH, Lee YC, Li X. The Critical Role of Leadership in Patient Safety Culture: A Mediation Analysis of Management Influence on Safety Factors. Risk Manag Healthcare Pol. 2024;17:513-23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S446651
Frankel A, Grillo SP, Pittman M, Thomas EJ, Horowitz L, Page M, et al. Revealing and resolving patient safety defects: the impact of leadership WalkRounds on frontline caregiver assessments of patient safety. BMJ Quality & Safety. 2008;17(2):95-100.
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. Hospital Safety Guidelines. New Delhi: MoHFW; 2021.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Fire Safety in Healthcare Settings. Washington DC: OSHA; 2020.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Emergency preparedness and response: Fire safety. Atlanta, GA: CDC; 2020.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
