Fire Warden Terms and Glossary.

B

Fire Blanket

A sheet of fire-resistant material used to smother a small fire by cutting off its oxygen. Fire blankets are ideal for clothing fires and small cooking-oil fires, and are commonly found in kitchens and canteens.

Break Glass Call Point

A wall-mounted manual call point, usually red, that triggers the building fire alarm when the glass element is pressed or broken. They are sited on escape routes and beside final exits so anyone can raise the alarm quickly.

C

Class of Fire

Fires are grouped by the fuel involved: Class A (solids such as wood and paper), Class B (flammable liquids), Class C (flammable gases), Class D (metals), Class F (cooking oils and fats), plus electrical fires. The class decides which extinguisher is safe to use.

CO2 Extinguisher

A carbon dioxide extinguisher (black label) that smothers a fire by displacing oxygen. It is used on electrical fires and flammable liquids, leaves no residue, and should be used in ventilated areas.

E

Emergency Lighting

Battery-backed lighting that switches on automatically if the mains power fails, so people can see escape routes and exits during an evacuation. It must be tested and maintained regularly.

Escape Route

The continuous, protected path people follow from any point in a building to a place of safety outside. Fire wardens keep escape routes and fire doors clear of obstructions at all times.

H

Heat Detector

An automatic detector that triggers the alarm when the temperature rises sharply or passes a set point. Heat detectors suit kitchens and dusty areas where smoke detectors would give false alarms.

Hazard

Anything with the potential to start a fire or make one worse. Common fire hazards include ignition sources, overloaded sockets, blocked exits, a build-up of combustible waste, and faulty electrical equipment.

L

Life Safety

The guiding principle of fire safety: protecting people always comes before protecting property. Raising the alarm and evacuating safely matter far more than tackling a fire.

Local Authority Fire Service

The fire and rescue service provided by local authorities in Ireland under the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. They respond to emergencies, carry out fire safety inspections, and can issue enforcement notices.

M

Means of Escape

The structural and managed provisions that let everyone leave a building safely in a fire, including escape routes, fire doors, exit signage, and emergency lighting kept clear and ready at all times.

Maintenance

The routine testing, servicing and inspection of fire safety equipment - extinguishers, alarms, detectors, emergency lighting and fire doors - so it works when needed. Records should be kept for inspection.

P

PASS Technique

The method for using a fire extinguisher: Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep from side to side. Only tackle a small fire if it is safe, with an escape route behind you.

PEEP

A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan - a tailored plan for anyone who may need help to evacuate, such as a person with reduced mobility, hearing or sight. Fire wardens help make sure each PEEP is followed.

R

Fire Risk Assessment

A structured review that identifies fire hazards, decides who is at risk, evaluates and reduces the risks, records the findings, and reviews them regularly. It is a legal duty under the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003.

Refuge

A safe, fire-protected area where people who cannot use stairs unaided can wait for assistance during an evacuation, usually with a means to call for help. Refuges support PEEPs in multi-storey buildings.

S

Smoke Detector

An automatic detector that senses smoke particles and triggers the fire alarm, giving people the earliest possible warning to evacuate. Smoke detectors are the most common detector in offices and homes.

Sprinkler System

An automatic suppression system that releases water over a fire when heat activates individual sprinkler heads, controlling or extinguishing the fire and buying time to evacuate.

Safety Signage

Fire safety signs that mark exits, escape routes, extinguisher locations, assembly points and call points. Clear, well-lit signage helps people act quickly and correctly in an emergency.

T

Fire Triangle

The three things a fire needs to burn: heat, fuel and oxygen. Remove any one and the fire goes out. Most fire prevention and firefighting works by taking away one side of the triangle.

Travel Distance

The actual distance a person has to travel from any point in a building to the nearest safe exit. Keeping travel distances short and routes clear helps everyone escape quickly.

W

Water Extinguisher

A red-labelled extinguisher that cools burning material, used on Class A fires such as wood, paper and textiles. It must never be used on electrical or flammable-liquid fires.

Fire Warden

Also called a fire marshal, a trained person appointed to help prevent fires, keep escape routes clear, raise the alarm, lead a calm evacuation to the assembly point, assist people who need help, and carry out a head count.