Assessment of fire emergency preparedness of primary and secondary boarding schools in Jinja District and City, Uganda

Abstract

Introduction Fire emergencies in boarding schools are a critical public health challenge, an overall average of up to 1,007 incidents of fire are registered in Uganda annually, with up to 17 of these incidents occurring in schools/other learning institutions annually. Several consequences of fire outbreaks, including injuries, loss of lives and destruction of property, have been reported among schools in Uganda, this therefore requires a substantial level of preparedness in terms of its prevention, management and recovery. This study therefore assessed fire emergency preparedness of primary and secondary boarding schools in Jinja district and city to generate evidence-based recommendations to improve the safety of staff and learners in boarding schools. Methodology A mixed-method cross-sectional study was conducted in all 197 schools that provide boarding facilities in Jinja district and city- Uganda. Quantitative data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire administered among 197 participants comprising one purposively selected school Headteacher or next of kin per boarding school. In addition, an observational checklist was also used to check for the availability and functionality of fire safety measures in each school. For qualitative data, we conducted eight key informant interviews using interview guide. Quantitative data was captured using android mobile phones in Kobo collect application, exported to Excel 2016 for data cleaning and then transferred to STATA software version 14.1 for statistical analysis. A modified Poisson regression analysis was then conducted to establish the association between the independent factors and the level of fire preparedness among schools. Meanwhile, qualitative data was audio recorded, transcribed, and thematically analysed using NVIVO. Results Out of the 197 schools in this study, the majority, 62.94% (124/197) were primary schools, about two-thirds 67.51% (133/197), were privately owned. More than three quarters, 77.66% (153/197) had not registration to provide boarding facilities. Majority of the schools 90.36% (178/197) had never experienced a fire outbreak, most of them 77.66% (153/197) did not have annual budget/ financial allocations for fire safety and more than two thirds 82.23% (162/197) did not have fire safety management and mitigation policies. Notably, most schools (82.74% (163/197) did not conduct regular training on fire safety for learners and teachers. More than three quarters 92.39% (182/197) did not have fire safety signages and the majority 71.57% (141/197) did not have fire extinguishers/functional fire extinguishers. Most of the boarding schools, 82% (162/197) were inadequately prepared for fire emergencies. Schools that had undergone due registration as boarding schools were 20% more likely to be adequately prepared for a fire emergency than schools that had not undergone registration (APR = 1.19, C.I = 1.09-1.29, p-value = 0.000). Similarly, schools that annually allocate financial resources/budget for fire safety were 20%more likely to be adequately prepared for fire emergencies as compared to those that did not (APR = 1.22, C.I = 1.03-1.44, p-value = 0.022). Conclusion and recommendations Generally, most of the schools were inadequately prepared for fire emergencies. The preparedness level was associated with the school's registration status and annual financial allocation for fire safety. Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Sports should prioritize interventions that align with strict compliance/ registration for schools to offer boarding facilities and school authorities should allocate sufficient annual funding specifically for fire safety measures.