The importance of Fire Marshal Training

Fire can ruin businesses, which is why every step needs to be made to try and stop a fire from occurring. This includes fire training and sometimes the appointment of a fire marshal (sometimes called a fire warden), depending on the size of your business.

If you've been given the responsibility of Fire Marshal then it means you have been given the responsibility of making sure others are safe and know what to do in the event of a fire. This is quite a responsibility and it means you will need to have a full understanding of your place of work so you can understand how is best to exit the building quickly and effectively.

fter being appointed as the Fire Marshal you will be required to undergo training to ensure you are as best equipped as you can be for the role. The training will also help you to understand your responsibilities and carry your role out safely should an emergency occur. At the start of any employment, employees are required to receive fire safety training and fire marshal training usually follows on from this training.

Some of the areas included within the training cover how a fire develops, how to undertake risk assessments, carry out fire drills and clarifies your duties as a fire marshal. The training will usually include the theory of combustion and the factors required to start a fire. By understanding this, it can usually be easier to prevent a fire from occurring. Within the workplace, prevention is often the best course of action as fires can be difficult to control once they break out.

Even so, the training will also cover practical aspects such as how to fight a blaze using the extinguishers provided. There are usually at least two extinguishers provided, and it's important that everyone understands which extinguisher is used for what. For example, electrical fires shouldn't be extinguished with water extinguishers as this can cause even more damage.

When a fire occurs, the marshal is also responsible for ensuring the alarm is raised and the staff are safely evacuated from the building. They will need to do a 'head count' in the designated meeting point to ensure everyone is accounted for and there is no one left within the building.

Fire training is a vital part of health and safety for every organisation, and the fire marshals role is very important whatever the size of the organisation.