Fire Response RACE and PASS
Key Points
- RACE guides immediate fire response: Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish or Evacuate.
- Actions should occur in coordinated parallel roles when staffing allows.
- PASS guides extinguisher operation: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep.
Equipment
- Unit fire alarm pull-station access
- Portable fire extinguisher
- Evacuation aids (for example transfer chair/cot)
- Facility emergency communication pathway
Procedure Steps
- Recognize fire or smoke hazard and activate team emergency response.
- Rescue: Remove patients from immediate danger, prioritizing those needing mobility assistance.
- Mark evacuated rooms when required by facility process to prevent missed occupancy checks.
- Alarm: Activate nearest alarm pull station and notify emergency responders per policy.
- Contain: Close doors/windows in affected area if safe to slow fire spread.
- Extinguish or Evacuate: If fire is small and conditions are safe, use extinguisher; otherwise continue evacuation.
- For extinguisher use, follow PASS: Pull pin, Aim at base, Squeeze handle, Sweep side to side.
- If suppression is unsafe or ineffective, withdraw and continue evacuation route.
- Support vertical or horizontal evacuation path based on incident location and safety plan.
- Document event timeline, actions taken, and patient outcomes after stabilization.
Common Errors
- Delaying alarm activation while attempting solo suppression → late facility response.
- Focusing on flames instead of fire base during PASS → poor extinguishing effectiveness.
- Incomplete containment actions → faster spread to adjacent areas.
- Attempting suppression beyond personal safety threshold → staff injury risk.
Related
- transport-under-transmission-based-precautions - Essential movement planning principles also apply during emergency relocation.
- airborne-precaution-room-placement-and-entry - Room-entry and safety workflow discipline supports emergency response reliability.