Question to STAO Safety Committee:
Should teachers be trained on fire extinguisher use?
Response
STAO does not have a position as regards this training, nor is it required by regulation. There are some organizations (National Research Council in their book, Prudent Practices in the Laboratory) that suggest that this training should occur. The decision to train or not rests with the Joint Health and Safety Committee, and the School Board (employer).
Question
Are there any videos that are available for training on the use of fire extinguishers?
Response
Yes. There are several youtube training videos that are available. Some of these are produced by reputable organizations (Fire Training Facilities, Fire Chief Associations, Municipal Fire Departments). STAO does not specifically endorse these videos. The decision to use these rests with the school board (employer) and the Joint Health and Safety Committee.These are three links to videos produced by the Markham Fire Department.The first is specific to maintaining fire extinguishers. (3.5 min long) The second one on the list is specific to their use. It is very short, 44 sec long. The third on the list is captioned and has a commentator that uses American Sign Language to relay the message contained in the captions. It describes fire extinguisher use. (3.5 min)
The link to the video below was produced at a State Fire Training Facility in Arizona. This facility was listed by the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association, affiliated with the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). It is detailed, covering fire extinguisher types, and how to use a fire extinguisher.(18.5 min)
We hope that the information contained in this response will help you to decide if Fire Extinguisher training should be included in your school board. If any new information as regards fire extinguishers is discovered as your school board studies this issue, please share that with our Safety Committee. If you have any other safety questions, please do not hesitate to contact our committee at info@stao.org. Feedback as to how useful this information has been, promptness of the response will allow us to improve on this service.
Dave Gervais
Chair STAO Safety Committee
The STAO Safety Committee frequently answers safety-related questions posed by Ontario teachers.