HomeMy WebLinkAboutFD-20-85 FIRE DEPARTMENT
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TOWN OF NEWCASTLE
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GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
MEETING - SPETEMBER 16, 1985.
REPORT NO. FD 20-85.
SUBJECT: School Fire Safety Procedure and
Maintenance Schedules.
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RECOMMENDATION:
It is respectfully recommended:
THAT this report and its attachments
be received for information.
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BACKGROUND AND COMMENTS
This Department is endeavouring to maintain a fire safe environment
for our students in conjunction with the school boards within our
Municipality, namely, Northumberland & Newcastle Board of Education,
Knox Christian School Board, Peterborough-Victoria, Northumberland
and Newcastle Roman Catholic Separate School Board and the Durham
Christian High School Board.
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It is my intention to supply and explain to each school Principal
the contents of the Fire Evacuation Procedures and Maintenance
Schedule manual , that I have drafted in the interest of Fire Safety.
Distribution of these manuals will be by the Fire Prevention Officer
Continued. . . . . .
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FORE PEE" FNTI OF(I S WITH YOU
FD 20-85 - 2 -
during his regular school visits planned for before Fire Prevention
week.
Respectfully submitted,
J. Aldridge,
Fire Chief.
JA/sr
Encls.
September 10, 1985.
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TEL.705-748-4861
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WO467 RECEIVED
FIRE DEPARTMENT
July 2 , 1985
Chief J. Aldridge
Fire Chief
Town of Newcastle
132 Church Street
Bowmanville , Ontario
L1C 1T5
Dear Chief Aldridge :
This is to acknowledge receipt of your Fire
Evacuation Procedures, Maintenance Schedule and
Fire Safety Plan.
I have personally reviewed this document and
find it to be an excellent program. Copies have
been distributed to senior and middle management
personnel for their comments. I hope to have a
positive response to you before the opening of
school.
Yours very truly,
P. L. Roach
PLR/koc Director of Education
DURHAM CHRISTIAN SECONDARY SCHOOL
BOX 238, BOWMANVILLE,ONTARIO.L1C 3K9 PHONE: (416)623-5940
N SIEBENGA
P611clpai
July 17, 1985
RECEIVED
`Jul 2"1 1985
Mr. J. Aldridge
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Fire Chief FIRE DEPARTMENT
Town of Newcastle �z... W...._.....
132 Church Street
Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 1T5
RE: Fire Evacuation Procedures, Maintenance Schedule and
Fire Safety Plan
Dear Mr. Aldridge:
Pursuant to your letter of June 18, 1985, we approve of your plan to
supply and explain to our principal Mr. Siebenga, the contents of your
report.
We thank ou for
y Sour commitment to a fire safe environment for our
students, and will do whatever possible to assist you therein.
Thanks for your concern.
Yours truly,
/ld ohn Wiersma
Secretary of the Board
E ;q (C
FIRE EVACUATION PROCEDURES
AND MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE
FOR
SCHOOLS WITHIN THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE
MAY, 1985.
This procedure describes your role in a fire emergency. Please read
it carefully. It is important to everyone's safety that you respond
as outlined. Fire drills are responded to in the same manner as a
real fire.
If you discoyer a fire;
1 . Activate a fire alarm pull station to alert all persons.
2. Remove people in danger.
3. Exit building and go directly to meeting place.
If you hear fire alarm:
1 . Exit building and go directly to meeting place.
TOWN OF NEWCASTLE
FIRE DEPARTMENT
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EMERGENCY NO. 623-9111
983-9111
2 -
Fire Evacuation Procedures for Schools.
Elementary and secondary school principals and staff have a respon-
sibility for the safety of pupils during school hours. Both Ontario
Regulation 730/81 , the Fire Code, and Ontario Regulation 262, under
the Education Act, require establishment of emergency ,procedures to
be followed in the event of fire. Implementation of emergency pro-
cedures requires adequate planning and supervised drills to ensure
complete familiarity by pupils and staff alike.
Fire Drills.
The Fire Code and Regulation 262 under the Education Act state that,
in schools attended by children, total evacuation fire drills are
required to be held three times in each of the fall and spring
school terms.
Fire drills enable pupils and staff to become familiar with emergency
evacuation procedures, resulting in orderly evacuation with efficient
use of exit facilities.
The procedure for conducting fire drills must be determined by the
person in charge of the building in consultation with the Fire
Department, as required by the Fire Code. Consideration must be
given to the fire hazards and safety features of the building and
to participation of all occupants.
Where handicapped persons are involved, special evacuation procedures
which do not interfere with other evacuation procedures are required.
Parental assistance and involvement may be beneficial in establishing
individual procedures.
Emergency Procedures.
Signs which describe emergency procedures for occupants are required
to be posted throughout the school .
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Simple instructions on the proper action to be taken in the event
of fire, designated exit routes and the Fire Department telephone
number are features emphasized on the sign reproduced here. This
sign is available from your municipal Fire Department.
IF YOU DETECT
FIRE
SOUND THE
ALARM
IF YOU HEAR ALARM
UAW RUN
07. /Cc >
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DUTIES DURING FIRE ALARM:
Principal or Designate
1 . Ensure the Fire Department has been called - 623-9111 or 983-9111.
2. Responsible for seeing that all pupils and staff leave the
building.
3. Ensure attendance records are carried out of the building
and are available for the Fire Department.
4. Exit building. Take a position safely outside the main
entrance of the school .
5. Indicate to the Fire Department upon their arrival , that
you are the Principal and be prepared to assist them with
information as they may require.
Teachers
1. Remove students from school .
2. Exit building. Report with class to meeting place.
3. Take roll call .
4. If anyone is missing, ensure this information is reported
to the Principal or designate who should be located near
the school ' s main entrance.
Custodians
1. Exit building.
2. Report to Principal or designate who should be located
near the school 's main entrance.
3. Be prepared to assist Principal or designate with informa-
tion for the Fire Department.
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DUTIES DURING FIRE ALARM "DRILLS"
Principal or Designate
1. Before drill , ensure Fire Department has been notiofied.
2. Before drill , ensure the Security Company has been notified
if your school is equipped with a security system.
3. Follow appropriate step for a Fire Alarm.
4. At conclusion of drill , ensure the fire alarm system has
been properly reset.
5. Ensure Fire Department has been notified that drill is over.
6. Ensure the security system has been notified that drill is
over.
Teachers
1. Follow the same steps as for a fire alarm.
Custodians
1. Follow the same steps as for a fire alarm.
DUTIES DURING FIRE ALARM "DRILLS" WHEN FIRE DEPARTMENT PRESENT
Principal or Designate
1. If the Fire Department is at the school , follow their
instructions for sending in an alarm. They will probably
ask you to react as in a "real" fire situation.
Teachers
1. Follow the same steps as for a fire alarm.
Custodians
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1. Follow the same steps as for a fire alarm.
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FIRE SAFETY PROCEDURE
Preamble
To ensure the safety of pupils, staff and public in case of fire,
it is necessary to plan, teach and practise proper procedures and
to keep all fire safety equipment in proper operation ,and condi-
tion at all times. This Procedure complies with the requirement
of the Fire Marshal 's Act, Education Act and the Fire Code of
Ontario.
PLAN
1. This fire safety plan is acceptable to the Chief Municipal
Fire Official , which includes the following measures and
shall be maintained for each building by the Principal .
a. the emergency procedures to be used in case of fire in-
cluding sounding the fire alarm, notifying the Fire
Department, provisions for access for firefighting, in-
structing occupants. on .procedures to be followed when
the fire alarm sounds, posting of exit notices, evacuating
endangered occupants including handicapped people and
confining, controlling and extinguishing the fire, etc.
b. the appointment and organization of designated supervisory
staff to carry out fire safety dutes,
C. the instruction of supervisory staff and other occupants so
that they are aware of their responsibilities for fire safety,
d. the holding of fire drills,
e. the control of fire hazards in the building,
f. the maintenance of building facilities provided for the
safety of occupants, and
g. the provisions of alternative measures for safety of occu-
pants during any shut down of fire protection equipment
and systems or part thereof,
h. a schematic diagram of building to be located at the fire
annunciator panel .
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Explanatory Notes:
e. this would include keeping any small quantities of flammable
liquids in safety cans, keeping storage of flammable materials
out of the boiler room, limiting the accumulation of loose
paper products, quantities of paper on corridor walls, etc.
f. the attached duties of the Custodian and the Maintenance
Department will cover this item.
g. an important consideration here would be an alternative plan
in the event of the fire alarm system being shut down for repairs.
2. A copy of the fire emergency plan shall be provided to each
teacher.
3. The procedure for conducting fire drills shall be determined
by the Fire Department in consultation with the Principal .
DUTIES OF PRINCIPAL
1. Appoint staff to call alarms to the Fire Department - 623-9111
or 983-9111.
2. Ensure a designate is left in charge of building when
Principal is out of building.
3. During the occupancy of the building, make sure that all exits
are unlocked and unobstructed, that corridor and stairwell
fire doors are not propped open and that corridors are
unobstructed at all times.
4. Establish an .evacuation plan for the building and ensure
that every occupant knows it and that it is practised.
5. Assign assistance for any occupants incapable of walking out
of the building during an evacuation.
_ 8
6. Provide occasional staff with details of procedure, i .e.
substitute teachers, nurses, library assistants.
7. Ensure that car parking does not obstruct the ready access
of Fire Department vehicles and equipment to the building.
8. Ensure that attendance records are carried out of the
building in the event a check is required to ascertain if any
pupils are missing.
9. Ensure that all occupants move to a position at least 40 feet
from the building after evacuation and clear of the entrance
to the building for fire trucks.
10. Within the context of this policy and procedure, make suitable
additional procedures to adapt to any particular local con-
dition.
11. Ensure elevators are not used during any fire alarms.
12. In the event of a bomb threat, notify the POLICE (not the
Fire Department) immediately. After discussion with them,
decide whether to evacuate the building. Co-operate in a
search of the building under their supervision. Usually,
they will ask to have teachers and custodians look over their
rooms, without touching anything, and point out any strange
or unknown article or package.
Notify the Superintendent of Operations of the threat incident
and action being taken.
13. If the fire alarm system becomes inoperative, alternate
protection must be provided, until such time as full fire
alarm protection is resumed.
PRACTICE (DUTIES OF PRINCIPAL)
1. Principals shall conduct 3 fire drills in the fall term
starting early in September and 3 between January and June.
Every person in the school building shall participate in the
emergency drill .
2. The municipal Fire Department may attent at least one fire
drill at each school year.
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3. The drill shall simulate a genuine emergency situation i.e.
one stairwell blocked off at all floors, the corridor blocked
off at the boiler room door, etc.
4. Close observation is required to detect faults in the plan.
These should be corrected and the drill re-run immediately.
5. A record of all drills undertaken shall be kept in the office
with dates and time of evacuation from the signal to the
last person out.
6. Individual teachers should be asked unannounced and at random
to sound an alarm to commence the fire drills.
INSTRUCTIONS (DUTIES OF PRINCIPAL)
1. Classroom procedure shall be thoroughly rehearsed in each
classroom.
2. The reason for primary and secondary routes shall be explained
and both routes should be rehearsed by individual classes.
3. A teacher or custodian shall be assigned to check all
washrooms, change rooms, boiler rooms, store rooms, health
room - all ancillary spaces - to the maximum extent possible,
in order to ensure that everyone is out.
DUTIES OF TEACHER
1. Know the location of every alarm signal , traffic route,
stairwell and exit that will be used by the pupils under
their care.
2. Be responsible for the discipline of the class to ensure
as orderly and panic-free evacuation as possible.
3. See that classroom doors are closed when leaving the room.
4. Carry out the class register. Know their absentees.
Check attendance roll when clear of the building and report
any missing students to the Principal .
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5. Teachers of all shops and laboratories should shut off
any electrical equipment when the alarm is sounded.
6. Assign and train pupil monitors as required to carry
out the evacuation plan.
DUTIES OF CUSTODIANS
A. FIRE ALARM PROCEDURE
1. In the event of a fire emergency, pull the fire alarm and
attempt to extinguish the fire to the extent possible
without endangering your safety. If the fire is out of
control, leave the building and meet the Principal.
Assist the firefighters and direct them to the source of
the fire if required. Stay handy to assist the Fire
Department with your knowledge of the building and equipment.
2. In the event of an emergency evacuation (other than a
scheduled drill ) of the school, contact the Plant Department
as soon as time permits.
B. MAINTENANCE OF FIRE SAFETY EQUIPMENT
1. Doors in fire separations (stairwells and corridor doors
between different building additions or sections) shall be
checked as frequently as necessary to ensure that they
remain closed.
2. Fire dampers and fire stop flaps shall be inspected annually.
(Maintenance will assist in the location of the fire dampers).
The location shall be noted on a plan of the school and kept
with these instructions.
3. Door openings and the surrounding areas shall be' kept clear
of everything that would be likely to obstruct or interfere
with the fire operations of the door.
4. Disconnecting switches for mechanical air conditioning and
ventilating systems shall be inspected annually to establish
that the system can be shut down.
11 - V14(C 1
5. Every chimney, flue and flue pipe shall be inspected annually
and cleaned as often as necessary to keep them free from
accumulations of deposits.
6. Transformer vaults shall be kept locked so that unauthorized
personnel will not have access to them.
7. All required exit signs shall be clearly visible and maintained
in a clean and legible condition.
8. Internally illuminated exit lights shall be kept clearly
illuminated at all times.
9. Emergency lighting shall be checked weekly to ensure proper
operations.
10. Corridors and exits shall be maintained free of obstructions
at all times the building is occupied.
11. Exterior passage ways shall be kept maintained free of snow
and ice accumulations.
12. Portable extinguishers shall be inspected monthly. The date
and initials of the inspector shall be noted on a tag securely
fastened to the extinguisher. Any defects including low fills,
hose or tank damage or leakage shall be reported immediately
to the Maintenance Department.
13. Annual inspections, hydrostatic charges, internal re-charges
and any maintenance work shall be noted on a second tag
fastened securely to the fire extinguisher.
14. Extinguishers shall be recharged immediately after any
discharge.
1.5. The central fire alarm system shall be checked daily to
ensure that no trouble is indicated in the system. A
monthly check shall be made in accordance with Section 4 of
CAN 4-S536-82 STandard for Testing, Inspection and Maintenance
of existing Fire Alarm Systems (attached).
16. The standby power system (batteries) for the fire alarm systems
shall be checked monthly where applicable.
17. Hose cabinets shall be inspected monthly to ensure that the
hose is in proper position and that all of the equipment is
in place and in operable condition.
12 - q0
18. Standpipe and hose system equipment shall be used for fire
protection only.
19. Standpipe hose cabinets shall be conspicuously identified and
unobstructed.
19A. "Out of Service" hose cabinets will be so worded on the face
of cabinets.
20. Nose valves shall be inspected monthly to ensure that they
are tight and that there is no water leakage into the hose.
21. The standpipe system shall be flushed out annually using the
fire hoses which shall be checked at the same time and any
worn gaskets in the couplings at the hose valves and at the
nozzle replaced. The hoses shall be hung to dry and re-racked
after any use through the year. Initial a tag ,on the valve
signifying the completion of this operation and date it.
22. Fire hydrants shall be maintained free of snow and ice and
shall be readily available and unobstructed for use at all
times.
DUTIES OF MAINTENANCE
1. Custodians are required to inspect the fire damper and fire
flaps in their schools annually. Maintenance shall assist
them in locating this equipment and with the testing procedure
when called upon.
2. When any drapes, curtains or other decorative materials are
installed in any school building, they shall meet the require-
ments for a high degree of flame resistance as detailed in
the Fire Code.
3. Exit doors shall be equipped with approved hardware that will
release and allow the door to swing wide open when a force
of not more than 20 lbs, is applied to the hardware in the
direction of exit travel where required by the Building Code.
4. Except as otherwise required in this Procedure, maintenance
and testing of portable extinguishers shall be in conformance
with NFPA 10-1978, "Portable Fire Extinguishers".
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5. Portable extinguishers shall be inspected monthly by
Custodians and annually by a qualified person:
6. Portable extinguishers having defects shall be repaired
or recharged where necessary.
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7. Each portable extinguisher shall have a tag securely attached
to it showing the maintenance and recharge dates, the servicing
agency and the signature of the person who performed the
service. (One tag for monthly inspections by Custodians and
a second tag for annual inspections or emergency service).
8. A permanent record containing the maintenance date, the
examiner' s name and a description of any maintenance work or
hydrostatic testing carried out shall be prepared and main-
tained for each portable extinguisher by serial number.
9. After use, portable extinguishers shall be recharged in con-
formance with instructions given on the extinguisher name plate.
10. Extinguisher shells, cartridges or cylinders which show leakage
or permanent distortion in excess of specified limits or which
rupture shall be removed from service.
11. Retests shall be conducted at the original test pressure as
stated on the name plate.
12. A label shall be fixed to the extinguisher after testing
indicating the month and year the hydrostatic pressure
test was performed and including the test pressure and
the name of the person or agency performing the test.
13. Fire alarm systems shall be subject to the requirements of
Section 4:- "Periodic Testing of Fire Alarm Systems", of
CAN S-536-1979, "Standard for the Testing, Inspection
and Maintenance of Existing Fire Alarm Systems" (attached).
An annual inspection shall be made according to the standard.
14. During alteration of a building required to have a standpipe
and hose system, the system shall be installed or dismantled
progressively so as to provide protection to all floor areas.
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15. Plugs or caps on fire department connections shall be removed
annually and the threads inspected for wear, rust or obstruc-
tion. Resecure plugs or caps, wrench tight. This should be
done at the same time as the fire extinguisher annual main-
tenance.
16. When the standpipe and hose system or any part thereof is
shut down, notify the school principal and the Fire Department.
17. Fire hydrants on school property shall be maintained in
operating condition.
18. Arrangements should be made with the Region to do an annual
service on hydrants including the following:
a) The port caps shall be removed and the threads inspected
for wear, rust or other obstructions. Resecure caps
wrench tight.
b) The hydrant barrel shall be inspected to ensure that
no water has accumulated within the barrel when the
main valve is in the closed position.
c) Where the hydrant barrel is found to contain water
under b) the drain valve shall be inspected for operation.
d) Where the hydrant barrel is found to contain water
because of poor drainage which cannot be corrected,
provisions shall be made to prevent freezing during
winter conditions.
e) Hydrant water flow shall be inspected annually in
accordance with f).
f) The main valve shall be fully opened and the hydrant
operated with one port open and the water flow checked.
g) A record of the hydrant operation as described in f)
shall be kept. A summary of the location of all Board
owned hydrants shall be established, kept up-to-date
and attached to this Procedure.
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q(c)
Excerpt from the NATIONAL STANDARD OF CANADA, STANDARD FOR THE TEST,
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS - CAN 4-S536-
82.
REFERENCE ITEM 4: PERIODIC TESTING OF FIRE
ALARM SYSTEM
4. 1 GENERAL
4. 1. 1. Daily checks and monthly tests shall be conducted
by the person responsible for the proper opera-
tion of the fire alarm systems.
4. 1.2. Yearly tests shall be conducted by a person ac-
ceptable to the authority having jurisdiction
for servicing fire alarm systems.
NOTE: When standby power is provided by generators,
it is anticipated that the equipment will be
inspected, tested and maintained in accord-
ance with CSA C282, Emergency Electrical
Supplies for Buildings.
4.2. DAILY
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4.2. 1. The following daily checks shall be conducted and if
a fault is established appropriate corrective action
shall be taken:
A Check the principle and remote trouble lights
for trouble indication; ,
B Inspection of the AC power-on light shall be
carried out to ensure its normal operation
only if main power supply failure is not
electrically supervised.
4_3 MONTHLY
4.3. 1 . Every month the following tests shall be conducted
and if a fault is established, appropriate corrective
action shall be taken:
A One manual alarm initiating device shall be
operated on a rotation basis and shall
initiate an alarm condition;
B Intended function of all alarm audible signal
appliances shall be ensure;
C The annunciator panel shall be checked to
ensure that the tested devices annunciate
correctly;
- 16 - ( (c)
D Intended function of the audible and visual
trouble signals shall be ensured; and
E Fire alarm batteries shall be checked to
ensure that
(i ) Terminals are clean and lubricated
where necessary;
(ii ) Terminal clamps are clean and tight
where necessary; and
(iii ) Electrolyte level and specific
gravity where applicable, are as
specified by the manufacturer.
4.4 YEARLY
4.4. 1. Every year the following tests shall be conducted
and if a fault is established appropriate corrective
action shall be taken;
A Every reasonable effort shall be made to
test all components required in this
Subsection. In the event that some com-
ponents cannot reasonably be made acces-
sible, a list of such components and
their location shall be included in
the report. However, all such components
shall be tested at least once every three
years;
B The fire alarm system shall be operated
under general alarm conditions;
C A minimum of six manual alarm initiating
devices most remote from the standby power
supply shall be actuated individually with
the main power supply disconnected;
D Each manual alarm initiating device on each
floor, including sub-grade areas, shall be
activated on the main power supply;
E Operation of every audible and visual
signal appliance shall be ensured during
the testing of alarm initiating devices;
F Each automatic alarm initiating device shall
be tested for its intended function in
accordance with the manufacturer's instruc-
tions;
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G Each alarm signalling and alarm initiating
circuit and annunciator shall be checked for
electrical supervision and trouble indication;
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H Correct annunciation shall be ensured for
each initiating device tested;
I The fire alarm system control unit shall
be visually checked to ensure that the
control unit has not been altered other
than as specified by Clauses 2.3. and
2.4.
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