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Fire Safety Plans Made Simple Web-based Solution for Development and Coordinated Access
September, 2007
By Steve Fraser
Industry surveys indicate that a disconcerting number of property owners/managers are not complying with Fire Code requirements for fire safety plans. These plans, which outline critical information for emergency responders such as connections to the sprinkler system, people requiring special assistance, hazardous materials, etc, are often outdated or non-existent.
Churches, for example, have one of the lowest compliance rates, perhaps because typically volunteer management boards are not aware of the law, whereas hospitals and schools are more likely to have up-to-date plans. Other types of properties required to have fire safety plans - such as office, industrial and residential buildings - exhibit varying rates of compliance.
This can be a costly oversight. In December 2005, the Province of Ontario doubled the fine - to $50,000 - for building owners who fail to comply with the Ontario Fire Code. However, the costs will be much higher - including property damage and possibly lost lives - if a fire occurs and property owners have been negligent in their approach to safety.
A new Web-enabled tool for developing and updating fire safety plans allows for easier retrieval and coordination of the information that has traditionally been filed in paper-based plans. With this technology, the emergency response dispatcher could key in the address of the fire call and electronically retrieve the required information, which is then wirelessly sent to the fire truck. When the firefighters arrive at the site they are armed with a lot more than their gear and hoses; they are armed with information that can save lives, reduce property damage and improve firefighter safety.
Building owner/managers, fire departments and engineering firms in the fire-service industry can all take advantage of interactive, Internet-based software applications for the development, electronic submission, and maintenance of fire safety plans and related documents and forms.
The fire department would have wireless access to extract critical emergency information in real time. Building owners/managers would have an interactive, data-management tool for fire safety and emergency planning, while consulting engineering firms would have a productivity tool for fire plan development, document management, and the generation of drawings.
Separate products for consulting engineers and fire departments can network with each other. Consulting engineers and fire services providers can use the software to generate complete fire plan documents for commercial, industrial and multi-unit residential buildings. Users can import their own AutoCAD drawings, use CAD view/mark-up tools or use the system's drop-and-drag drawing software.
Software provides fire planning, data management and maintenance modules that can reduce costs and provide a value-added service, including:
* reducing the time and complications to develop and manage documents, layout drawings and evacuation drawings for fire safety plans;
* providing an integrated system that stores all required documents; and
* providing dynamic documents that can modify themselves based on jurisdiction, usage and building type.
An up-to-date fire safety plan can reduce the risk of personal injury, property damage, legal liability and business disruption. They ensure compliance with fire safety legislation and requirements of local fire departments.
Steve Fraser, P.Eng. is President of First Sentinel Technologies Inc., the Waterloo, Ontario based developer of eZfireplan and eZfirePak Web-enabled applications for developing fire safety plans. For more information, see the web site at www.ezfireplan.com.
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