Schools

[bittenyakka]

This isn't really a hypothetical but I heard that Linden park had a light that managed to fill a room up with smoke that other day which resulted in 2 aerials and 6 pumps as well as 5 or 6 ambos. now my Brigade regularly responds to  primary school out hours which is a 2 brigade response. As this school is in CFS area would an alarm there in the middle of the day cause 6 CFS brigades to be responded? Even before the first appliance has arrived.

[Firefrog]

An alarm should result in an appropriate and measured response. Normally fixed alarms would have a pre-planned resource requirement.

I think the large response would have come from the intelligence gathered via phone that the room had smoke in it. Considering that a school has large numbers of potentially young and vunerable people a large response is warranted.

[Camo]

Figure this then.

Our local Primary School (very small) is a one truck response with a fixed alarm (monitored via security company).

It is an old weatherboard school with gas bottles everywhere with very little water pressure from the mains.

GO FIGURE!

[Scania_1]

Just say the word Camo and we will dual respond with you...lol.

[5271rescue]

Time your group/brigade did a responce plan for all schools/hospital/shops/pubs/anything large where the public will be  also with security companys you need to get the premises to contact them and change (a) which fire service to call mfs or cfs if its a local brigade alarm number have them program that into the data base at security.(b)also make sure you ask that they  respond two brigades..... If you Follow SOPS it says two appliances/brigades to any call out..........

[Camo]

Well the last two times the MFS have been paged as well but the last time they didnt show up.  Why im not sure..

Although the next closest brigade is Wandilo i think but hey lets not get into politics.  Closest but not neccesarily the quickest.

Would be good to get paged at the same time as well instead of 7 mins later to a fixed alarm next door to the station.  but thats another issue.

[SA Firey]

This isn't really a hypothetical but I heard that Linden park had a light that managed to fill a room up with smoke that other day which resulted in 2 aerials and 6 pumps as well as 5 or 6 ambos. now my Brigade regularly responds to  primary school out hours which is a 2 brigade response. As this school is in CFS area would an alarm there in the middle of the day cause 6 CFS brigades to be responded? Even before the first appliance has arrived.

MFS response to a commercial fire is 3 x pumps,1 x BA,1 x aerial 1 x DO.As this was reported as a fire in a classroom.Two ambulance crews were initially sent and the onsite commander upgraded for further crews due to children with smoke inhalation. 

[SA Firey]

Figure this then.

Our local Primary School (very small) is a one truck response with a fixed alarm (monitored via security company).

It is an old weatherboard school with gas bottles everywhere with very little water pressure from the mains.

GO FIGURE!

Its not a fixed alarm when it is from a security company,is classified as a private alarm,(AIIRS Report Codes 709 Fixed Alarm,751 Private Alarm)and standard response to a fire alarm is ringing MFS if no answer at the premises.You should be a two appliance turnout to this risk at minimum.Also COSO/SOP 4.5 in relation to Fire Alarms should be followed by Group/Brigades.

[Camo]

Dont go getting all technical on me...im only a simple country boy 

If MFS respond as well then i guess the requirements are met.  But i wonder if this is just a coincidence they were responded or a planned thing?  And if it was planned then why didnt they show up when they were paged?

[Blue]

MFS didn't respond because they were assured that CFS were being paged and the job was confirmed to be well inside CFS area (unless of course the CFS shed was on fire too LOL).

As to why MFS were paged in the first place, who knows, it's a discussion for the Members only section I reckon as some have had their pride dented by miscommunication and a process that was out of all of our (the individual brigades) hands.

[5271rescue]

fixed and private alarms are the same the only diff is one is at brigade level and the other is with a security company....

[Footy]

Do any brigades (and I'm talking more country ones here) actually sit with the schools in their area and organise some sort of plan.
Although schools do have duty of care with students, what if there are students with intellectual disabilities who require special assistance?
And are brigades aware of what sort of supplies schools have that may be possible HAZMATS? It is possible for schools running Science/Art programs to have materials in a large number (think of a class of 30 kids where each one needs resources).

[Mike]

specific risk plans......

[Darius]

yes we have been for a walk around the local school (with other local brigades) as familiarisation, also listed things they need to improve (position of smoke detectors, keeping walkways to/from exits clear etc etc).  Have also assisted them with their fire plan.  They are putting in some new water tanks and will also install a hydrant for us as part of that (no mains water here). 

The Courier last week had an article about Upper Sturt school and the local CFS too: http://www.courier.net.au/ and http://thecouriernews.blogspot.com/2007/03/safer-schools.html

[bittenyakka]

well that's good to see some brigades are doing this kind of planning. but i think it needs to be done more regularly or even run a full BA exercise through it.