Fire Protection for Houston-Area Educational Facilities

Schools and colleges are responsible for educating students and protecting them from health and safety hazards like fires. With the large educational campuses in Houston and the surrounding areas, it can be a challenge to plan and prepare for an emergency adequately.

Still, by understanding the risks, training staff appropriately, and servicing fire protection equipment regularly, the chances of injuries and property damage can be significantly reduced.

Fire Risks on Houston Campuses & At Schools

Although many schools and college campuses have facilities like commercial kitchens, utility rooms, workshops, or science labs with equipment that can pose a risk of fire, most of the fires in educational facilities do not start in these locations. According to a 2020 report by the National Fire Protection Association, from 2014 to 2018, there were an average of 3,230 fires in a year in schools nationwide.

These fires most often originated in bathrooms or locker rooms, and nearly 2 out of 5 were intentionally set. This makes the role of fire protection equipment even more important for detecting the fire and alerting school officials quickly to organize a safe evacuation.

Establish a Fire Safety Plan for Houston Schools

Creating a comprehensive fire safety plan is essential for any educational facility, from elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools to universities and trade schools. Basic elements of the plan should include:

• Identifying fire risks by type and location
• Implementing safe use and storage procedures for flammable materials
• Establishing cleaning and maintenance procedures to minimize fire risk
• Designating staff to carry out evacuation and fire protection duties
• Creating an evacuation plan and procedures
• Establishing emergency procedures for use during a fire
• Developing maintenance procedures for fire protection systems
• Establishing regular training and maintenance intervals

It’s best to work with a qualified fire protection company to develop an effective fire safety plan and design appropriate training procedures for large schools, college campuses, and training facilities.

Train Your School and Campus Staff

During an emergency, school staff needs to be able to respond quickly and evacuate the building in a safe, orderly manner. It takes regular training and periodic fire drills to practice the fire safety plan and ensure it works as intended.

Staff should also be trained to use fire extinguishers and other fire safety equipment to help limit the spread of a fire or contain it to one area. Training should be updated annually at a minimum, and fire drills should be held quarterly or as frequently as possible.

Install & Maintain Fire Protection Equipment

For the best protection, educational facilities should have the following fire protection equipment in place:

• Fire alarm systems: A comprehensive fire alarm system can detect and respond to fires throughout the building and in high-risk locations like kitchens, bathrooms, or locker rooms, notifying school officials and authorities as soon as a fire is detected.
• Fire sprinkler systems: Activated by heat, fire sprinklers can inundate a fire with water automatically to extinguish it or limit its spread.
• Fire suppression systems: The school’s cafeteria should install a commercial kitchen fire suppression system to stop kitchen fires at their source.
• Fire extinguishers: Fire extinguishers should be installed throughout the school, especially in high-risk locations like science labs, utility rooms, mechanical rooms, and hallways. They can be used to stop fires at their source before they become too large to control.

All fire protection equipment should be inspected, tested, and regularly maintained according to local fire codes and NFPA procedures.

How Students Can Mitigate Fire Risks

Students can play an important role in preventing fires, especially for schools or college campuses with on-campus housing.

• Follow instructions when using equipment like Bunsen burners, soldering irons, or shop tools.
• Report any smoke or fires immediately.
• Note the locations of pull stations near classrooms and dorm rooms.
• Study the evacuation routes for each area of the building.
• Use caution when cooking or preparing food in dorm rooms.
• Avoid using candles or open flames.
• Store flammable materials like cooking oil, rubbing alcohol, or cleaning products carefully.
• Charge mobile devices on safe surfaces. 

Comprehensive Fire Protection for Schools, Colleges & Universities in Houston

When your school or college needs a qualified team to service its fire protection equipment and to provide training for fire extinguishers and more, turn to our experts at Kauffman Co. 

We provide inspections, testing, maintenance, and more for fire alarms, fire sprinklers, fire extinguishers, and fire suppression systems. We also install equipment from the industry’s top manufacturers. We feature experienced, certified technicians and 24-hour emergency service for all your fire protection needs.

Keep your educational facility in Houston as safe as possible with industry-leading fire protection services from Kauffman Co. Call (713) 893-1090 today or contact us online to discuss your facility’s needs with our fire protection specialists.