LION looks at the many reasons that fire and safety training should not be overlooked, set aside, or reduced to a minimum when planned and organised

We usually think of fire safety training as a meticulous and complicated process. Companies are looking at the impact it will have on their team member’s working day and its impact on their output on the day planned. It is believed that this can be a waste of time when trainees take it as a day or half a day off.

Fire safety officers and trainers can struggle and meet resistance when organising such training drills. They need to be mindful of not losing time trying to get the attention and focus of their audience, trying to get them from point A to B as fast as possible, wasting as little time as possible in a day that will already be too short to cover it all. Having the time necessary to set up a realistic scenario that everyone could encounter in their daily life is also a challenge.

But did you know that you have three minutes to get yourself to safety when a fire happens and, after that, the fire is already out of control? Or that most uncontrolled fires are caused by small objects such as cigarettes and candles? Or that Christmas time is one of the worst times for fires? Christmas lights, candles, and light decorations are hazardous. Fire safety is absolutely critical during the holidays. The bottom line is that a fire can happen anywhere and anytime. When not handled carefully, a fire outbreak can lead to loss of life and valuable assets.

We all know firefighters have one of the most challenging and risky jobs in the world; they risk their lives to save others. After reading all those facts, getting basic fire safety knowledge is the bare minimum we should expect from ourselves. Furthermore, the maximum number of deaths and injuries are often due to fire mishaps resulting from employees not knowing the appropriate fire safety and exit strategies to follow during a fire emergency.

To keep yourself and the people around you safe, you need to have the knowledge to prevent and fight the fire. Having fire safety training is an essential source of this knowledge. Fire safety training also helps you know how to use firefighting equipment such as smoke alarms or fire extinguishers to put out a fire.

Essential training

Fire safety training is crucial and should be provided to employees. It is one of the best investments that a company can make. Fire safety training in the office not only helps keep employees safe but also helps prevent fire disasters. Training like fire safety courses also give employees reassurance in identifying sources of fire within the office, as well as helping them to decide how to deal with fire situations.

The best way to prevent a fire in the workplace is by providing suitable training to all employees. Fire safety training sessions teach employees how to recognise fire hazards to feel safe working in a particular environment. Training should cover some critical points including such as that electrical wires should not be near a heat source or located under rugs and carpets; the emergency exits of the office buildings should not be blocked.

Fire safety risk assessment

A fire safety risk assessment comes under fire safety training that helps the employees recognise what areas of their office building or workplaces need improvement for fire prevention and safety. During the training exercise, they learn to assess their workplace fire safety risk based on certain aspects. This might be whether the office has planned emergency routes, emergency lighting, and sufficient exit. Also, for business that have employees with disabilities this should be taken into account when making any evacuation plans.

All businesses need to demonstrate to their employees the fire evacuation plan and double-check they know where the emergency exits are so that staff or workforce can safely evacuate the office premises in the event of a fire. A fire safety training program is beneficial for the employees to take proper action when detecting fire warning signs.

Training employees on how to use a portable fire extinguisher is essential. Staff should know where the fire safety alarms and all the emergency exits are located in the office building so they can activate them if necessary.

The skills obtained from this training are helpful for quick and efficient response when a fire outbreak. It can also help in removing fire hazards. A lack of proper fire safety training can make even the slightest incident much more devastating.

Training tips

Maintain fire-safe practices regularly. Perform a fire risk assessment and keep it up to date. These are the two most essential thing that everyone should know in addition to how to protect themself from fire and not intentionally causing fires unless in a controlled environment. Fire safety is a major topic that must not be neglected. Choosing the right fire safety training equipment partner is crucial.

At LION, we understand the influence of training and the consequences of lack of training. We are committed to properly preparing anyone who may have one day to prepare for the real thing. We realise that a reliable training partner should be able to propose the right training solution by removing potential risks without sacrificing the realism of the training simulation.

Since developing our first industrial-grade smoke generator, we have committed to utilising innovative technology and high-quality, durable construction in product design and implementation. This passion has led us to develop advanced fire safety and emergency training products.

LION Fire and Technical Training Products and Solutions simulate every fire or emergency response situation facet. The training products, units, structures, and props are constructed accurately to scale. They are built into objects and appliances that would be found in real life. LION focuses on creating the most realistic training scenarios possible, allowing trainees to experience the full impact of an emergency.

Escalating training

LION is more than just a “run-of-the-mill” training equipment manufacturer. We believe there are safer, more cost-effective methods to prepare employees to face dangerous situations. We are committed to helping global fire safety officers in teaching their colleagues fire safety in unique ways. We propose training as an escalating program that supports your team wherever they are on their training journey.

With our vast range of digital, live-fire products, your trainees can become proficient with the basics before building up to live-fire training. We will suggest the best proper hands[1]on training – that most aligns with your training objectives – to build the skills to move them further along this spectrum.

as an escalating program that supports your team wherever they are on their training journey. With our vast range of digital, live-fire products, your trainees can become proficient with the basics before building up to live-fire training. We will suggest the best proper hands[1]on training – that most aligns with your training objectives – to build the skills to move them further along this spectrum.

How does LION work?

We aim to learn from everyone and value curiosity and personal initiative to understand and exceed our customers’ needs. We use teamwork and feel responsible for doing whatever it takes to deliver solutions. Long-term partnerships based on trust, transparency, and collaboration are at the heart of LION’s success and values.

To make sure that we can propose the proper training solutions, we build our own fire and training experience to be able to walk in our customers’ shoes. The unique portfolio we sell pushes us constantly to care that every emergency responder and firefighter that uses our training equipment get the experience they need to be safe and successful on every call.

We are ready for the next generation’s training!

This article was originally published in the October edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.