What is fire marshal?
A fire marshal is primarily responsible for the identification of potential fire hazards in a building. The marshal is usually identified and appointed by the ‘Responsible Person’ – The individual in charge of the overall safety of people in a building.
What are the responsibilities of Fire marshals?
A fire marshal can be thought of as a combination of law enforcement and fire protection in the most basic sense. Conducting fire and arson investigations is one of a fire marshal’s key duties.
He may also serve as a fire inspector or they may collaborate. In the event of an emergency, a fire inspector verifies that structures are in compliance with applicable fire codes. These structures could be public ones, like hospitals or public schools, or they could be workplaces, like factories or offices.
Making ensuring a structure is ready for an emergency is the job of an inspector. When something goes wrong, a fire marshal is in charge of figuring out how and why.
Nursing Revalidation provides the best course for Fire Marshal for Care Homes.
More Specific Fire Marshal Responsibilities
Depending on the local rules and, of course, on their prior expertise, fire marshals are permitted to carry out a wide variety of tasks.
Fire marshals who are simultaneously hired as law enforcement officers may be able to conduct arson arrests. These are the fire marshals that we previously mentioned, who may be seen wearing badges or carrying weapons.
- Ensuring that all evacuation routes to be used in case of fire remain unobstructed
- Carrying out routine housekeeping to get rid of materials that pose the risk of a fire, such as rubbish
- Checking to see that hazardous/flammable materials are properly stored
- Making sure that fire safety signs are properly placed
- Ensuring that emergency evacuation signs are functioning properly
- Ensuring that all firefighting equipment is properly stored and regularly serviced
- Checking to see that fire detection equipment and fire alarms are functioning optimally every week
- Nominating deputies who will help ascertain that the building is fully compliant with fire safety regulations
Responsibilities of a Fire Marshal in an Emergency
- Raising the alarm when a fire starts
- Ensuring that fire doors and doors to other fireproof spaces are closed
- Ensuring that people who have vulnerabilities are assisted in evacuating in case of a fire safely
- Carrying out a roll call to ensure every person has been evacuated when a fire starts
- Liaising with emergency response personnel who respond at the scene of the fire
- Using firefighting gear to curb the spread of the fire if it is safe to do so
Role of a Fire marshal in care homes?
Fire marshals also referred to as fire wardens, are laypeople who have received training to assist with workplace emergency fire evacuation protocols. Care Homes are required by law to staff themselves with enough fire marshals to handle any emergency. The role of a Fire Marshal in care homes is:
- Assess fire risks.
- Spot and report hazards.
- Take appropriate action in the event of a fire.
- Administer first aid.
- Fight fire where necessary.
- Ensure a safe, efficient evacuation.
The best course to learn fire marshal for home care
Nursing Revalidation provides the best course for Fire Marshal for Care Homes.
The main outcome of this training course is to provide you with the knowledge to carry out the functions of a fire marshal. Please note, this course also contains all of the content in the Basic Fire Awareness and Fire Extinguisher courses. This course is a variation on the Fire Marshal course that contains information that is specific to employees of care and residential homes.
The bottom line
This fire marshal course online raises awareness of the dangers associated with fire and the practical steps that can be taken to minimize and control the risks that fire presents.