Safety

Fire Drills

Fire drills are an important requirement that serve to prepare and educate our staff in the event of a fire. Staff is expected to participate in fire drills and respond according to department expectations and institutional policy.

Fire drills are critiqued and opportunities for improvement are identified and addressed.
In addition, equipment and system problems and failures are reported immediately for correction.

Healthcare Occupancies
Drills are required at least once per quarter, per shift, in every Health System building or area that is classified as a healthcare occupancy. A healthcare occupancy is a building or portion of a building used on a 24-hour basis for the housing and nursing care of four or more persons who are incapable of self-preservation under emergency conditions without the assistance of others.  This includes Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA, Outpatient Surgery Center on the sixth floor of 200 Medical Plaza at Westwood, Santa Monica Outpatient Surgery Center on 16th Street, and UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center..

Business Occupancies
Drills are required at least once per year, per shift, in every Health System building or area that is classified as a business occupancy. A business occupancy is a building or portion of a building used to provide medical treatment or services on a less than 24-hour basis, the facility does not provide sleeping accommodations or anesthesia, and patients are mostly capable of self-preservation.

Off-Campus Leased Space
Drills in off-campus, leased space are conducted annually, in compliance with local regulations.

Fire drills include the following:

  1. Simulated and/or actual removal of patients, staff and visitors from affected area
  2. Fire alarm activation
  3. Reporting event by calling 911 and/or #36
  4. Overhead page announcement
  5. Activation of Fire Response Group
  6. Fire and smoke containment observations
  7. Review of evacuation procedures
  8. Fire suppression procedures
  9. Implementation of area-specific fire response duties
  10. Fire drill cancellation notification
  11. Post drill evaluation and discussion

For addition information, reference Policy HS 8403 Fire Drills (PDF).