‘The family test’: Why fire safety should be front-of-mind for all workers

In understanding why fire safety is important in the workplace, Kalem Brown says to apply the ‘family test’.

“Think of a new employee in your area as a family member,” says Kalem, an RBWH Fire Safety Advisor.

“If that was someone in your family, would you want staff and wardens to know what to do in an emergency? How to get them out of the building if there’s a fire?”

Kalem recently joined his brother Jordan Brown in the role of RBWH Fire Safety Advisor. Their job as advisors is to help staff understand fire safety and the procedures to follow in emergencies.

A big part of that is the implementation of fire training across the service, something Jordan says is of critical importance.

“Firstly, it’s the law. Fire training is mandatory,” Jordan says.

“But it’s something you can do not just for yourself, but everyone around you – your colleagues, patients and their loved ones who are visiting – it affects their safety too.”

Kalem and Jordan say they enjoy helping staff and wardens understand fire safety requirements, and what action to take when fire or smoke is discovered to ensure people can evacuate buildings safely and quickly in a fire or hazardous materials emergency.

Principal Fire Safety Coordinator Craig Seaman says training is useful for any emergency situation.

“Fire and evacuation training provides employees and wardens with knowledge and skills to prevent and respond to fire emergencies, reducing the risk of property damage, injury and loss of life,” Craig says.

“It’s not just for fire, any time you have a general emergency you need to know the procedures to follow and your designated exits from the building.”

Kalem and Jordan came into their current roles from a security background, with both saying they’ve been interested in fire safety since they were kids.

“As a Protective Services Officer I’d work together with the Fire Safety Advisory Unit across several campuses within Metro North Health and I always loved the way they carried themselves and took on their fire safety duties, and focused on people’s safety,” Jordan says.

When an opportunity to join his brother in the team came up, he jumped at it.

For more information about Fire and Evacuation Training, contact the team on firesafetyadvisoryunit@health.qld.gov.au or visit the Fire Safety website.