Keeping a local Trust on the rails

Keep calm and carry out your duties best sums up the work of a fire warden. And every business employing more than five people must now have at least one.

If you'll excuse the slight misquote of the now-famous words of the war-time poster, the role of the appointed fire warden is vital to the safety of anyone in their care. It's not a difficult task, but training is essential, which is where we come in.

Our trained engineers are happy to visit your company premises, to check out fire safety regulations are being followed and we also run fire warden training at our headquarters - or at your site if you've got the space

The course covers all the roles and responsibilities of a fire warden and, as a bonus, includes practical training using fire extinguishers - another requirement of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (known as the RRO) which made the role obligatory under UK fire safety rules. Any company employing more than five people can be prosecuted if they do not adhere to these regulations, so it's well worth checking that you are in line.

A fire warden, or marshal, must be trained to RRO standards and one of his, or her, most important roles is to assess the danger to people and property and, if necessary, call the fire brigade. Since 2 April, 2013, Kent Fire and Rescue Service will no longer respond to a 999 call at a business without confirmation of a fire on the premises and the designated fire warden is the accepted "first responder" in this case.

The warden must also ensure safety drills are regularly carried out and that all staff - and visitors - know what to do if there is an emergency.

Satisfied customers for our fire warden training courses include staff at the East Kent Railway Trust, based at Shepherdswell. Cafe manager Wendy and her colleagues Allan and Debbie completed the course in May, with the blessing of trust general manager Simon Potter. We also fitted the railway's fire extinguishers.

For further information on courses, dates and prices, please contact us.