After a slew of fires broke out in hospitals in Mumbai and across the state, the state health department has come out with guidelines for government-run hospitals and recommended mock drills every three months. The health department said all fire extinguishers must be filled before they expire and they must be easily accessible. A fire safety audit must be conducted and all lacunae must be sorted. The circular says that mock drills must be conducted every three months and officers of the fire department and the disaster management must also participate. The circular also says that fire extinguishers must be kept in all high risk areas. All exit areas must be clear of hindrances and "do's and dont's" must be put on boards near lifts. All hospitals in rural areas must also have sprinklers, alarms and extinguishing systems. Nurses and doctors must be constantly present in the ICU and patients who are bedridden must be taken care of.
