Knowing what to do before firefighters arrive could save lives. The Saint Lucia Fire Service wants that preparation built into school life, with evacuation procedures included in the curriculum and orientation for new students.
The push aims to ensure administrators, teachers and students can respond effectively in the first moments of an emergency, with particular attention to children and students with disabilities who may need assistance.
Owen Cazaubon, Divisional Officer in the Fire Prevention and Investigations Department, said schools need practical emergency plans—and school communities must be prepared to put them into action.
“We want to ensure that we prepare our administrators. Just in case we have a situation, first we want to have them put together a plan in case there is a situation, that they are prepared and they can execute the plan to, of course, save lives,” he said.
Those plans, he added, should also help protect school buildings and the surrounding environment.
Cazaubon said the Fire Service is placing greater emphasis on empowering the public to take appropriate action while awaiting professional responders. Schools are a priority because some students may require additional support during evacuations.
“So we want to ensure that we arm them with the information so in case there is a situation, they can be the first responders and of course we would come and support and quell the situation,” he said.
The Fire Service wants preparedness to become a routine part of education, extending beyond occasional training sessions.
“What we at the fire department we’re looking for is to at least have this part of the school curriculum and of course have it part of the orientation process,” Cazaubon said.
Under the proposed approach, students entering a school would learn its evacuation plan and practise it during orientation, helping them understand where to go and what to do before an emergency occurs.
