Conducting a Successful Fire Drill in the OR

According to ECRI, approximately 90 to 100 surgical fires occur each year in the United States.1 Although OR fires are rare, they do happen, and staff members should be prepared to handle this emergent situation. To be able to do this, the safety officer must coordinate with the alarm company and local fire department so they are aware that when the activation occurs, it is only a drill. RACE (Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Extinguish/Evacuate) is an acronym that personnel use to remember their duties in the event of a fire, and PASS (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep) is an acronym that personnel use to remember their duties for discharging a fire extinguisher.2 Also, in the briefing, discuss the different types of fire extinguishers that can be found in your area and where they are located, and each team member's assignment during the drill. [...]review with the charge nurse his or her role during the emergency, such as determining if an evacuation is necessary and notifying the rest of the team where the fire is located and where they should evacuate to ensure that the charge nurse can account for all team members after the evacuation.