Hospitals must be primed to deal with fires

Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital in Sion, popularly known as Sion hospital, is one of the two major hospitals that will get the smoke filtration systems. File pic

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to set up smoke filtration systems at BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central and Lokmanya Tilak hospital in Sion. The civic body, however, has no plans to set up the system in peripheral hospitals yet.

With the installation of the smoke extraction systems, the civic body aims to reduce harmful gases in the air, which could prove hazardous, and increase visibility, thus making an impact during the evacuation of people should a fire break out.

The systems will be installed in regular and neonatal intensive care units.

While this is a step forward, medical facilities - whether equipped with these systems or not, have to be fire-ready.

Also Read: Take strict action against those responsible, say doctors after stabbing incident in Yavatmal

This means existing fire-fighting equipment in hospitals must be up-to-date and functional. All exit routes be free from obstruction so that there can be smooth evacuation. Medical equipment, stretchers and wheelchairs cannot block staircases or corridors.

An evacuation route map must be set up at different spots in the hospital. The sound system and alarms must work well at all times so that all instructions can be heard clearly.

Staffers must be trained in responding to fires to avoid panic, crowding and confusion, which can exacerbate a tense and difficult situation. Safety drills and fire education are a must.

Patients will be doubly vulnerable at times of emergencies, so training and preparedness have to be of the highest order.

While upgrading medical facilities and adopting new technology is vital, it is also important that we make the best of what we have currently and whatever is available at hand. Hospitals need to be primed to take on these challenges.