Fire
Clinical engineering does not typically bear primary responsibility for fire response.
However, there are specific aspects of fires that could involve clinical engineering. For example in an internal disaster, equipment under the clinical engineer’s control could have been the cause of the fire or could become involved as the fire propagates.
Similarly, a fire could require the evacuation of parts or all of the facility and the ability to continue providing critical support during and subsequent to evacuation. Maintaining an awareness of equipment that poses a recognized risk of fire, steps that can minimize the likelihood, and procedures to follow in the event of an equipment-related fire should be developed.
The role of clinical engineering in the event of a fire and evacuation should be determined, including: