Safety Tips: Fire Extinguishers for Schools

Schools and universities are large, busy spaces. Thus, effective fire safety and protection protocols are required. Fire extinguishers for schools are an important consideration to focus on.

In today’s post, we’ll talk about fire extinguishers used in schools. We’ll also touch on some detailed preparation and planning required to ensure fire safety at schools and other academic places.

Make sure your school is prepared for fire emergencies.

Dealing with Fire Emergencies in Schools

With typical school schedules, the bell sounds several times, signaling the start or end of different activities.

Students hurry to their classes, take breaks, wait in common areas, play outside, hang around in the library, or get a quick lunch at the school cafeteria. These activities are all commonplace and predictable in all schools and universities.

All of a sudden, however, the fire alarm starts going off. There’s no planned fire emergency drill or practice. It’s the real thing happening. Is your school prepared? Does the school staff know how to use fire extinguishers for schools?? Do you have a proper emergency plan in place?

Whether it’s a fire in the school kitchen or the science room, you should know the correct fire extinguishers for schools to use to combat what type of fire – because, as you know, fire extinguishers are the first line of defense against fires.

Another vital thing to note is the location of the fire extinguishers. Every member of the school staff and administration must know where the fire extinguishers are placed. The locations of the fire extinguishers for schools must also be accessible to the school staff.

Aside from the location and accessibility of the fire extinguishers, the school staff must be trained on how to use the fire extinguishers properly. In a fire emergency, knowing how to operate this useful piece of fire protection device could mean the difference between life and death.

With the right fire extinguisher training and education, this vital component in fire protection is not something to take for granted.

Fire Extinguishers for Schools: Proper Maintenance

What if your trained employees rushed to use a fire extinguisher, but it won’t function or put out a fire properly? That’s obviously a scary and stressful situation. However, that’s the kind of scenario that is entirely unavoidable – if you follow the proper maintenance steps.

We’ve talked about the location and accessibility of fire extinguishers being of utmost importance. Another noteworthy consideration is proper maintenance, inspection, and repair of fire extinguishers.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), regular maintenance of fire extinguishers for schools and anywhere else – whether it’s for commercial or residential use – should be a priority to ensure their optimal function.

What type of fire extinguisher should we use at our school?

The type of fire extinguisher you need will depend on what class of fire you’re combatting. When choosing fire extinguishers for schools

Here are some essential things to keep in mind. A fire protection company or your fire extinguisher provider can better explain these points to you, so you can determine how best to apply them to your school’s specific needs.

Is the fire extinguisher the right kind for the type of environment (in the school) it is in?

What is the travel distance between the fire extinguishers?

What are the fire safety requirements for schools, universities, and other academic buildings based on local codes?

Schools should be well-equipped with fire extinguishers.

Addressing these points and making sure the school is well prepared for fire emergencies to require expertise. This is why we strongly recommend having a consultation with an accredited fire safety and protection company.

These professionals have the knowledge, experience, and tools to provide your school with fire safety and protection requirements. They will arrange to survey your entire school. This allows them to know precisely where to place the fire extinguishers, what type you need for which area of the school, and how many are needed.

They can also provide your staff with training, education, and other helpful information you will need about fire safety at school.