Fire Extinguishers.

[nearlythere]

Can anyone recall a story doing the rounds a few years ago where a care home had removed all extinguishers because the policy was that, in the event of a warning of fire, an immediate evacuation was to take place and no firefighting was to be carried out, so the provision of FAFFE was not necessary?

[wee brian]

Sounds familiar. Not something I'd recommend.

[Dinnertime Dave]

Easier to put a small fire out than move up to 10 residents.

[AnthonyB]

I've heard that as well, don't remember the detail. They must have had a lot of staff & equipment for full evac. Allegedly  it was accepted by enforcement as well...

Could be an urban myth but you never know these days!

As moving service users under emergency conditions can be a serious risk to their health in itself, let alone moving a whole compartment on night staffing, there is a case for first aid attack if it's in it's incipient stages (but not before the alarm being raised and the brigade called). A local authority we work for believes in this to such an extent that the training we do isn't just prevention, raising the alarm & PHE but includes practical extinguisher use for all staff.

[kurnal]

Here's one of a number of previous threads on this general topic though not in respect of care homes:
http://www.crisis-response.com/forum/index.php?topic=4984.0