Importance of emergency preparedness in hospitals

BLAIRSVILLE, GA – Union County Fire Department (UCFD) recently completed a walk through of Union General Hospital to familiarize all shifts with the building and emergency protocols, so firefighters can appropriately respond to all situations.

James Bradley, Union General Hospital Maintenance and Cecil Solaguren, Environment of Care Director escorted firefighters through the hospital. They began with a view of the outside of the hospital to determine the best areas for apparatus placement, and then discussed where to place apparatus and best areas to enter the building. Inside the building, firefighters were shown the locations for the alarm panels, sprinkler systems, electricity shut off, the water shut off, and the various gas shut off locations.

The power control plant was reviewed to familiarize firefighters with the systems that control the electrical power, backup power, heating, cooling, ventilation, and water for the hospital. These systems are complicated and can be extremely dangerous. Firefighters must be familiar with the various dangers and the procedures to shut these systems down in the event of a fire or emergency.

The most important was the alarm panels and fire sprinkler systems. They reviewed the panel location and operating procedure.  These panels can provide indicators of a fire’s location, size, and if sprinklers have turned on. By having access to this information quickly, firefighters can accurately determine the procedures for hospital personnel and responders.

Firefighters also looked over the fire sprinkler systems and how each system operated. They must know how to determine if a sprinkler head has been activated and a fire engine can support how that sprinkler. Additionally, they need to know how to cut the water off to the sprinklers after the fire is out to minimize water damage.

UFCD thanked Union General Hospital, the staff, and the administration for allowing us to perform the walk through and for all the assistance that they provide to the department.

Dealing with fires and emergencies can be difficult. There can be many factors and unknowns. Critical actions must take place in a short amount of time to control the chaos. Being prepared is key to dealing with these factors in any emergency. Being prepared requires knowledge, plans, and practice.

Image courtesy of UCFD Facebook Page.