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Effect of Hospital Fire Safety Training on Emergency Evacuation Knowledge among Healthcare Workers in Nigeria

Abstract

Hospital fires constitute a serious threat to patients, healthcare workers, visitors, and healthcare infrastructure because hospitals contain oxygen systems, electrical equipment, flammable materials, medical gases, laboratories, kitchens, and other potential fire hazards. Effective emergency evacuation requires healthcare workers to understand fire prevention measures, recognize warning signs, activate alarms, use appropriate firefighting equipment, follow designated evacuation routes, assist vulnerable patients, and coordinate evacuation procedures. In Nigeria, inadequate fire safety training, limited emergency preparedness, poorly maintained fire protection equipment, unclear evacuation procedures, and insufficient emergency drills may affect healthcare workers' ability to respond effectively during hospital fire emergencies. Hospital fire safety training provides healthcare workers with knowledge and practical skills needed to prevent fires and respond appropriately when they occur. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of hospital fire safety training on emergency evacuation knowledge among healthcare workers in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory, and the Systems Theory of Emergency Preparedness. The Health Belief Model explains how healthcare workers' perceptions of fire risk, perceived severity of hospital fires, perceived benefits of preparedness, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence their willingness to acquire and apply fire-safety knowledge. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes learning through training, observation, practical demonstration, self-efficacy, feedback, and environmental influences. Systems Theory of Emergency Preparedness emphasizes the interaction between healthcare workers, emergency procedures, fire-protection infrastructure, communication systems, hospital management, and the physical environment in determining emergency response capacity. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how hospital fire safety training may influence emergency evacuation knowledge among healthcare workers in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental research design. The study population will comprise healthcare workers employed in selected public and private hospitals across Nigeria, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory personnel, healthcare assistants, administrative staff, and other workers who may participate in emergency evacuation activities. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select states, local government areas, hospitals, departments, and eligible healthcare workers. Hospital fire safety training will be assessed using indicators such as exposure to formal fire safety training, training frequency, duration of training, coverage of fire prevention procedures, fire alarm activation, use of fire extinguishers, identification of evacuation routes, emergency communication, patient evacuation procedures, handling of medical oxygen during fire emergencies, fire drill participation, practical demonstrations, simulation exercises, and refresher training. Emergency evacuation knowledge will be assessed using indicators such as knowledge of fire emergency procedures, recognition of alarm signals, appropriate actions when a fire is discovered, knowledge of evacuation routes and assembly points, appropriate use of fire extinguishers, understanding of emergency communication procedures, prioritization of vulnerable patients, knowledge of safe patient movement, and awareness of hospital emergency evacuation plans. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, standardized knowledge-assessment instruments, training records, fire drill reports, hospital emergency preparedness documents, and direct observation where appropriate. Emergency evacuation knowledge will be assessed before and after the fire safety training intervention. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize healthcare workers' demographic and professional characteristics, training exposure, and knowledge levels. Inferential statistical techniques, including paired sample tests, chi-square tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the effect of hospital fire safety training on emergency evacuation knowledge. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that hospital fire safety training has a significant positive effect on emergency evacuation knowledge among healthcare workers in Nigeria. Healthcare workers who receive structured fire safety training are expected to demonstrate improved knowledge of fire prevention, alarm activation, emergency communication, evacuation routes, fire extinguisher use, patient prioritization, and safe evacuation procedures compared with their pre-training knowledge levels. Practical demonstrations and simulated fire drills are expected to strengthen knowledge retention and improve healthcare workers' understanding of their responsibilities during emergencies. Regular refresher training may also help maintain preparedness and reduce knowledge gaps resulting from staff turnover or changes in hospital infrastructure. However, inadequate training frequency, limited access to fire safety equipment, insufficient practical drills, high staff workload, poor emergency signage, and weak institutional emergency preparedness may reduce the effectiveness of training. The study therefore expects regular, practical, comprehensive, and adequately supported hospital fire safety training to contribute significantly to improved emergency evacuation knowledge among healthcare workers in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on hospital fire safety training, emergency evacuation knowledge, hospital emergency preparedness, occupational safety, disaster preparedness, patient safety, healthcare worker safety, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, state ministries of health, hospital management boards, healthcare facilities, Federal Fire Service, fire safety authorities, occupational health and safety professionals, emergency management agencies, healthcare workers, and policymakers regarding strategies for strengthening hospital fire preparedness. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for institutionalizing regular fire safety training, conducting periodic evacuation drills, improving emergency signage and evacuation plans, strengthening access to functional fire-fighting equipment, training staff in patient evacuation procedures, establishing hospital fire response teams, and integrating fire preparedness into routine hospital safety and emergency management programmes across Nigeria.

Keywords: Hospital fire safety training, emergency evacuation knowledge, healthcare workers, fire safety, hospital emergency preparedness, evacuation procedures, patient safety, occupational safety, disaster preparedness, Nigeria, public health.