Fire safety in schools

With the start of the new school year, schoolchildren spend a significant part of their time in schools, placing responsibilities both on staff and students. Fire safety must be a top priority. Adherence to fire safety rules is mandatory for everyone, including staff and students, as emphasized at an interactive lesson conducted by Örken East Kazakhstan Regional Scientific and Methodological Center for Informatization and Education Development of Education Administration of East Kazakhstan region, along with Anastasia Sklyar, a chief expert of State Fire Control Administration of Emergency Situations Department of East Kazakhstan region.

Combustible waste such as garbage, old desks and chairs, and dry leaves are strictly prohibited on school grounds. Burning of garbage and leaves is also forbidden. Roads and driveways must remain clear for fire trucks to access the area and should be free of snow and ice. Reservoirs, ponds, water sources and water supply systems with a network of fire hydrants are used for fire suppression. Hydrant covers must be kept clean and accessible. The buildings should have signs indicating the location of hydrants.

Every school develops a fire evacuation plan that outlines the notification, exit procedures from burning rooms and fire escapes. The evacuation plan consists of graphical and textual sections, with an open building layout, main and backup escape routes and locations of fire safety equipment and telephones. The textual section is approved by the head of the school and is a table listing actions, order and sequence, as well as the positions and surnames of the individuals responsible.

Teachers and educators must:

- Prepare children for evacuation (stop conducting classes, games, meals, quickly dress them).

- Announce the procedure, the direction of movement and the place of assembly.

- Open doors and lead children out.

- Close doors to reduce the spread of fire.

- Gather children at the assembly place.

- Provide first aid.

- Check the attendance list for all children; report to the headmaster or fire department commander.

Before the arrival of firefighters, high school students can assist in evacuating younger children, call for an ambulance and extinguish small fires. Each building must have at least two evacuation exits with open doors that can be freely opened from the inside. Emergency exits can be secured with mechanical locks, with keys kept by the responsible duty persons, clearly labeled.

In case of a fire, it is crucial to get out into the fresh air quickly, moving with short steps, holding your breath and maintaining orientation. It is important to teach children safety rules and control their interaction with fire. Safety is the key to protecting lives.