Pre Prep Fire Training

Fire warden training is a great qualification to have in a school or business setting. It can be delivered to staff en mass and provides enhanced protection for the students, staff and the building. Many training packages will be run differently, but the core content of the course should remain the same as certification is standard. Generally, it will contain a component on understanding fire, how it's created and how it spreads. In a school, you may have a "safety walk" around the school, identifying potential hazards and seeing where the various fire escapes are located. Finally, you should be involved in a practical scenario using fire extinguishers and fire blankets. This guide will provide some key information to prepare you for the course.

How Is Fire Made?

Fire is created when a heat source combines with oxygen and a fuel source. By removing one of these components, the fire will be extinguished. The heat source in a school could be anything from an electrical spark from a printer to a hob in the kitchen or a student with a lighter. The fuel is likely to be paper or foam boards in the ceiling or perhaps even wood in the workshop, whilst oxygen is of course all around. Keeping these three components apart is the key to fire prevention and this is in part what fire warden training will cover.

How Does It Spread?

One of the biggest killers in a fire is the spread of toxic smoke, which is as deadly, if not more so, than the fire. The fire and smoke will spread given enough fuel and uninterrupted corridors. Fortunately, many schools will have fire doors that are magnetically held open but close automatically when the fire alarm is triggered. These are specially-made doors that can slow the fire and smoke dramatically.

The Practical

When doing the practical activity you are likely to need to use a foam extinguisher or CO2 one along with a fire blanket. These have different uses that will be explained in more detail on the course, but generally, these are different extinguishers for different fires. CO2 is used for electrical fires, whereas foam is used for all types other than electrical. Fire blankets themselves can be used for pan fires in a kitchen but also for dousing a victim on the floor. Familiarise yourself with the different types of fire extinguishers before you go to give yourself the confidence to fight the fire.