System Factors Influencing Fire Emergency Preparedness Among Healthcare Workers in Selected Hospitals in Botswana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70619/vol6iss4pp1-14766Keywords:
Fire emergency preparedness; System factors; Hospital fire safety; Healthcare workers; Fire safety training; Fire drills; BotswanaAbstract
Hospitals are among the most complicated building structures, and their infrastructure can easily contribute to hazardous and sometimes fatal incidents if strict fire safety procedures are not in place. Despite global efforts to improve hospital safety, thousands of fire incidents happen every year, putting patients and healthcare workers at risk. With an emphasis on understanding the system factors influencing preparedness, this study assessed healthcare workers' fire emergency preparedness in selected hospitals in Botswana. Safety, Health, and Environment officers from seven hospitals participated in key informant interviews, while semi-structured questionnaires and observational checklists were used as part of an analytical cross-sectional design. The association between the variable was assessed using binary logistic regression. The results showed that hospital systems significantly influence preparedness levels. Only 34.3% of healthcare workers had received fire safety training, and only 18.5% had taken part in fire drills in the previous year, indicating significant gaps in institutional initiatives. Gaps were noted between system-provided resources and actual operational competence, 79.5% of healthcare workers knew the location of fire extinguishers, while 40.5% understood how to use them correctly. Inadequate funding for fire safety implementation was cited by 75.1% of respondents, and institutional compliance with safety standards varied greatly among Hospitals (47.2%–100%), indicating system-level weaknesses. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that organizational culture barriers and budget adequacy (aOR= 0.400, p=0.025; aOR=0.411, p=0.030, respectively) were system determinants of fire preparedness, with both characteristics reducing rather than increasing the odds of preparedness. Overall, only 27% of healthcare workers were adequately prepared, and 87.7% were unsure of their emergency responsibilities, highlighting systematic gaps in policy enforcement, communication, and training. These results demonstrate that system factors, specifically resource allocation, organized training programs, regular drills, and institutional policy oversight, are essential determinants of fire emergency preparedness in Botswana's hospitals.
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