Fire Safety and Emergency Response
The fire triangle and classes
Fire needs fuel, oxygen and heat. Remove one and it stops. Classes: A solid combustibles (wood, paper, cloth), B flammable liquids, C flammable gases, D metals, and E electrical equipment in Indian practice. Match the extinguisher: water or foam for A, foam or dry powder for B, dry powder for C, special powders for D, and CO2 or dry powder for electrical fires.
Response sequence
Use RACE: Rescue anyone in immediate danger, Alarm the fire service and site alarm, Contain the fire by closing doors, Extinguish only if trained and the fire is small, otherwise Evacuate. Operate an extinguisher with PASS: Pull the pin, Aim at the base, Squeeze, Sweep. Evacuate by stairs, never lifts, stay low under smoke, and go to the assembly point for a roll call.
Prevention
Keep escape routes and fire doors clear, never wedge fire doors, obey hot-work permits, keep combustibles away from heat, and report damaged alarms, hoses and extinguishers.
Worked example. A computer-room panel smoulders. The guard raises the alarm first, isolates the power if safe, uses CO2 at the base of the smoke, and evacuates if flame spreads. Reasoning: water conducts and would risk electrocution and equipment damage; CO2 leaves no residue, but the alarm and evacuation still come before fighting the fire.
Traps that cost marks
Using water on electrical or liquid fires, taking a lift, re-entering to collect belongings, opening a hot door without checking it, and assuming a fire drill is only a timetable formality.