A Fire Safety Organization is a committee that consists of one Fire Safety Manager (FSM) and at least three Fire Safety Officers (FSOs), appointed by the owner or building management in charge of the overall premise management, as required in the Fire Services (Fire Certificate) (Amendment) Regulations 2020. They are responsible for the fire safety of the Designated Premises where they are appointed through several roles and responsibilities laid out in the Regulations.
Fire Prevention
Removing Fire Hazards from the premises is the key to fire prevention. The Fire Safety Organization should conduct regular fire risk assessments to identify potential fire hazards, IN FIRE SERVICE ACT 1988 DIFFERENT DEFINITION OF FIRE HAZARD (Please Refer Section 2, Fire Service Act 1988 as follows:
“fire-hazard” means—
(a) any unlawful alteration to any building such as might render escape from any part thereof in the event of a fire materially more difficult or less easy than it would be if the alteration had not been made;
(b) the overcrowding of any place of public entertainment or public gathering such as might render escape from any part thereof in the event of a fire difficult;
(c) any removal or absence from any building of any firefighting equipment or fire safety installation that is required by law to be provided in the building;
(d) the presence within or outside any building of any fire-fighting equipment or fire safety installation or any facility, installed in accordance with the requirement of any written law or as required by the Fire and Rescue Department, that is not in efficient working order;
(e) inadequate means of exit from any part of a building to any place, whether within or outside the building, that provides safety to persons in the event of a fire; or
(f) any other matter or circumstance that materially increases the likelihood of a fire or the danger to life or property that would result from the outbreak of a fire, or that would materially hamper the Fire and Rescue Department in the discharge of its duties in the event of a fire;
Emergency Response Preparedness
To handle fire emergencies effectively, emergency response preparedness of the premises and the people according to the emergency response plan is a crucial responsibility of the Fire Safety Organization. It covers:
- Coming up with a comprehensive Fire and Emergency Response Plan (FERP) that outlines evacuation procedures, escape routes, assembly points, and staff responsibilities.
- Maintenance of firefighting equipment, fire safety installation, and the fire command center to ensure proper functionality.
- Conducting fire safety and emergency response training for the premise occupants at least once a year.
- Conducting fire drills at the premises at least once a year.
Incident Management When A Fire Or Emergency Happens
In the event of a fire or emergency, the Fire Safety Organization should manage the situation before the arrival of the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (BOMBA). Their priority is to ensure a safe and orderly evacuation by providing clear instructions to premise occupants to gather at assembly points through designated escape routes. FSMs and FSOs are also the first responders to contain small fires using Fire Safety Equipment available if it is safe to do so. When BOMBA arrives, the Fire Safety Organization will hand over the incident by providing all essential information.
Compliance With Laws And Regulations
The Fire Services Act 1988 mandates that Designated Premises must have an established Fire Safety Organization. To apply for and renew the Fire Certificate, the Fire Safety Organization must prepare the Fire and Emergency Response Plan (FERP) and the Fire Safety Report (FSR) for submission. Besides that, they need to make sure all relevant documentations are kept at the fire command centre. FSMs and FSOs are required to attend courses and training as required to stay updated on the latest fire safety regulations and best practices..
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A Fire Safety Organization plays an important role in the designated premises. Besides the appointment of FSM and FSOs in the Fire Safety Organization, the owner or building management in charge of the overall premise management must ensure that the Fire Safety Organization can carry out their duties well by:
- providing adequate firefighting equipment and fire safety installations at the premises.
- providing them with information related to fire safety and emergencies.
Together, we can prevent and mitigate the impact of fire on our lives and livelihoods.
