Building Fire Captain Program Policy

Policy Number: #400

Responsible Executive(s):

  • Senior Vice President and CFO

Responsible Office(s):

  • Physical Plant, Environmental Health and Safety

Date Adopted: 01-01-2021

A. Purpose

The Regis University Building Fire Captain Program has been established to continue the commitment to providing a safe environment for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors during an emergency. The program is intended to empower employees from each academic and administrative building on campus with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to help building occupants (students, faculty, staff, and visitors) evacuate, assemble, shelter-in-place or lock down as quickly and safely as possible in an emergency.

Fire statistics indicate that deaths occur because people are apathetic towards early fire warning systems like fire alarms. This apathy usually consists of failing to react immediately upon activation of the fire alarm system. To combat this apathy and provide on the ground assistance before and during an emergency, Regis University has developed this program.

All Building Fire Captains (BFC) must have supervisor approval and support to join the BFC team. BFCs are never required to put their own safety in jeopardy or carry out any task that they cannot perform comfortably or safely. There is no compensation, beyond regular wages for one's primary position, for serving as a BFC.

B. Scope

All faculty, staff, students and visitors to the University campus must be aware of their responsibilities regarding fire and life safety, and adhere to them while on university property or when conducting university related business, regardless of geographic location. Each faculty, staff, employee or student is responsible for keeping their classrooms, labs, offices, residence hall rooms or operating areas orderly and free of potential sources of ignition. Supervisors must ensure that employees understand and follow the guidance provided

It is the University’s policy that all building occupants evacuate any campus building upon activation of the building’s fire alarm system. All University staff, faculty, students and campus users are responsible for ensuring that they are familiar with evacuation procedures in case of a fire alarm in any University building.

The BFC role is to assist in disseminating information to building occupants regarding fire safety and evacuation of the building, any relevant details regarding a possible fire, and ensuring the safe assembly in designated evacuation assembly locations of persons leaving the building.

C. Policy

Building Fire Captains shall:

  • Work in their assigned building full time, or have their primary workplace in the building
  • Have knowledge of the building’s layout, operations, and contents
  • Have basic knowledge of other staff who work full time in the building, especially those with special accessibility needs that may not be able to evacuate during an emergency.

General guidelines

Adhere to the highest standards for the safe operation of facilities and the protection of our employees, students, and visitors through the following actions:

  • Assist in evacuation drills if requested.
  • Upon request, assist in the development of personal action plans for persons with access or functional needs.
  • Serve as the point of contact for emergency responders regarding building information, training, and walkthroughs.
  • Maintain communications with alternate fire marshals, if any, on all matters related to the University/ building Emergency Plan.
  • Serve as primary point of contact in the event of an emergency in a building during working hours
  • Serve as point of contact for building safety reports
  • Follow direction provided by the University and community emergency responders and inspectors during emergencies, construction related activities, inspections, identified corrective actions or special events.
  • Take appropriate actions during life safety system alarms.
    • Assist in guiding building occupants and guests in emergency procedures and evacuation responsibilities
  • Do not tamper with life safety equipment or control systems.
  • Conduct periodic walk-thru of building and report issues to the Physical Plant
    • Report related issues or raise questions to your supervisor or through the Physical Plant main office at 303-458-4944 or physplan@regis.edu so that action can be taken to prevent or correct safety concerns. All reporting will be done without fear of reprisal.

In an Emergency

Building Fire Captains shall assist in facilitating a safe and orderly evacuation of occupants from danger to safe areas away from the floor/building during an emergency.

  • Immediately obey evacuation alarms and orders to evacuate.
    • As you make your way to the exit, tell others to evacuate.
    • Close doors and shut off lights as you evacuate
    • Use the stairs, do not use the elevator
  • Direct people to the designated Evacuation Assembly locations.
  • Contact Campus Safety and/or meet with emergency responders once safe and provide any known pertinent information of the incident i.e. fire size, location, hazards, number of people injured, etc.
  • From a safe distance, prevent people from reentering the building until the all clear instruction has been given by Campus Safety or Fire Department.

You are NOT responsible for:

  • Checking the fire panel to locate the exact position of the alarm;
  • Investigating the cause of the alarm;
  • Clearing the rest of the building;
  • Helping to evacuate people stuck in the building;
  • Resetting the alarm;
  • Giving the "all-clear" to re-occupy the building

USE OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

Fire extinguishers are to be used by trained individuals ONLY. At no time should anyone jeopardize their safety or that of others in attempt to fight a fire. If in doubt, leave the area immediately. If safe, turn off the lights and close the door behind you, activate the fire alarm (pull stations are located along exit pathways), and notify the fire department immediately by dialing 911 and then call campus safety.

Look on the front of a fire extinguisher to determine what sort of fire the extinguisher will put out. Usually, extinguishers are labeled with the letters ABC. Each letter signifies a class of fires the extinguisher will suppress.

  • A: Ordinary Combustibles - Fires in paper, wood, drapes, and upholstery
  • B: Flammable Liquids - Fires in fuel oil, gasoline, paint, grease, solvents.
  • C: Electrical Equipment - Fires in wiring, overheated fuse boxes, conductors, and other energized electrical equipment.
  • K: Kitchen: grease fires
  • D: Metals - Fires in certain metals, such as magnesium and sodium,

An extinguisher marked "A, B, C" will put out fires involving ordinary combustibles (e.g., paper and wood), flammable liquids, and electrical equipment.

IMPORTANT: Do not use an inappropriate extinguisher on a given fire. Such a practice can make the fire worse and/or cause injury to the user. A common error is the use of a water extinguisher (A) on a grease or electrical fire (B or C).

To operate most fire extinguishers, PASS:

  1. Pull the pin. Some units require the releasing of a lock latch, pushing a puncture lever, inverting or other motion.
  2. Aim the extinguisher nozzle (horn, or hose) at the base of the fire.
  3. Squeeze or press the handle.
  4. Shoot the retardant at the base of the fire, sweeping from side to side.
  5. Do not leave the fire immediately, stay and watch for re-flash if safe to do so until emergency response personnel arrive.

Although the above instructions apply to most extinguishers, there are exceptions, e.g., foam and water extinguishers require slightly different actions. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS on all extinguishers in or near the work area. Before attempting to fight an electrical fire, turn off the power to the involved electrical device. Turn off the circuit breaker or switch, or unplug the device.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION DRILLS (Fire Drills)

In accordance with fire regulations, emergency evacuation drills complying with the provisions listed below shall be conducted at least annually or when required by the fire code official. Drills shall be designed in cooperation with the local authorities.

  • Purpose. Emergency evacuation drills shall be held to familiarize occupants, employees, and staff with the evacuation procedure.
  • Leadership. Responsibility for planning and conducting the drills shall be assigned to a competent person(s) designated to exercise leadership.
  • Time. Drills shall be held at unexpected times and under varying conditions to simulate the unusual conditions that occur in case of fire.
  • Records. Records of required emergency evacuation drills shall be maintained and include:
    • Identity of the person/s conducting the drill, date, and time of the drill
    • Number of occupants evacuated
    • Problems encountered
    • Time required to accomplish complete evacuation
  • Notification. Prior notification of the emergency evacuation drill is not required.
  • Initiation of Evacuation. Where a fire alarm system is provided, emergency evacuation drills shall be initiated by activating the fire alarm system.
  • Accountability. As building occupants arrive at the assembly point, efforts shall be made to determine if all occupants have been successfully evacuated or have been accounted for.
  • Recall & Reentry. No one shall reenter the premises until authorized to do so by the official in charge, Campus Safety Officer.

D. Definitions

Combustible materials - A combustible material is a solid or liquid than can be easily ignited and burned. OSHA, DOT, and other federal regulations, apply specific technical definitions to this term. Combustible solids are those capable of igniting and burning. Wood and paper are examples of such materials.

Daisy Chaining - a term that refers to the practice of plugging a power strip or extension cord into another power strip/extension cord. This is dangerous because an excessive amount of power is being drawn from one single wall outlet, which means the power strip or wall receptacle could easily overload.

Egress (means of) - In general, a means of egress is considered an unobstructed way to get from any occupied portion of a building or other structure to an area of safety or "a public way." A means of egress consists of three parts:

  • The exit access: Where you enter the egress point from inside the property.
  • The exit: How you get from inside the building to outside the building.
  • The exit discharge: The exterior point where you exit the property.

Evacuation assembly location - an outside location at least 50 feet from the building, away from roads and walkways used by emergency vehicles

Fire Drill - An organized practice to prepare occupants of an office, school or other public building for evacuation in the event of a fire. The purpose of a fire drill is to familiarize and re-enforce proper evacuation routes and practices. The goal is to have the proper actions be an automatic response whenever fire alarms sound, so that everyone safely evacuates the area in an orderly manner.

Fire suppression systems - Fire suppression systems are used to extinguish or prevent the spread of fire in a building. Suppression systems use a combination of dry chemicals and/or wet agents to suppress equipment fires.

Hazard Communication Point (HCP) – Regis University building specific location to relay known hazardous conditions to emergency response personnel. IE ongoing chemical experiment that could cause a buildup of flammable gas while fume hoods shut down due to alarm and evacuation.

E. Training

Building Fire Captains shall be trained annually to help prevent, mitigate and report fire emergencies. BFCs shall receive mandatory fire and life safety training to include but may not be limited to:

  • Fire safety in the workplace
  • Fire extinguisher operation
  • Fire emergency procedures
  • Evacuation procedures

Training records shall be maintained by the Environmental Health and Safety office.