Fire Warden Course (Australia): Lessons 2026

Lesson 1: Emergency plans and the law

Every workplace needs a plan for emergencies such as fires, explosions, medical emergencies, chemical spills, bomb threats, armed confrontations and natural disasters. Under regulation 43 of the model WHS Regulations, the person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), such as your employer, must prepare an emergency plan, keep it up to date and put it into action.

What the plan must cover

• An effective response to an emergency
• Evacuation procedures
• Notifying emergency services quickly
• Medical treatment and help
• Communication between the person coordinating the response and everyone at the workplace
• Testing the procedures, and how often
• Information, training and instruction for workers

The PCBU must consult workers, and their health and safety representatives if there are any, when making and reviewing the plan. The plan must be reviewed after changes to the workplace, the workforce or the work, and after it is tested. In a building shared by several businesses, they should work together on one master plan.

State rules and the standard

Rules differ by state and territory. Victoria has not adopted the model WHS laws; its Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 applies instead. Some states add building rules. For example, Queensland's Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008 requires a written fire and evacuation plan, and Western Australia's Health (Public Buildings) Regulations 1992 require emergency plans for some public buildings, such as cinemas and licensed premises.

Many workplaces follow AS 3745-2010, Planning for emergencies in facilities. This Australian Standard describes an emergency planning committee, an emergency control organisation, written procedures and training.

Lesson 2: The warden team

Two groups do the planning and the response. The emergency planning committee (EPC) writes and maintains the emergency plan. It appoints the emergency control organisation (ECO), the team of wardens who direct and control the response when something happens.

The colours come from AS 3745, as WA Health describes. Your site may use helmets, caps or vests. Keep yours close to where you normally work.

During an alarm the chief warden goes to the control point, checks the fire panel and collects reports from the floor or area wardens on whether their areas are clear. The chief warden stays in control until emergency services take over. Some sites, such as the Australian National University, have security officers act as chief warden after hours, so a guard may lead the whole response at night.

Lesson 3: Before an emergency

Most of a warden's work happens on normal days. You help keep the building ready so an evacuation can work. Report problems to the chief warden, such as:

• Exits or corridors that are blocked
• Fire doors that do not close properly
• Missing or damaged fire extinguishers
• Occupants who may need a personal emergency plan

People who need help

An emergency plan can set out help for people with hearing, vision or mobility impairments. A warden should know who on their floor needs help and what their plan says, for example who will assist a person who uses a wheelchair and which route they will take.

Queensland examples

Queensland's Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008 gives clear examples of good practice:

• Nothing may obstruct an evacuation route, including within 2 m of a final exit.
• Doors on evacuation routes must not be locked while people are inside.
• Chocking open a door to a fire-isolated area is not allowed.
• New workers get general evacuation instructions within 2 days of starting, then at least once a year.
• Workers get first-response instructions, such as how to use extinguishers and manual alarms, at least every 2 years.
• High occupancy buildings must have a fire safety adviser with a current qualification.

Lesson 4: During an evacuation

A warden's main duty is an orderly evacuation to a safe assembly area. Your job is not to fight the emergency. Follow your site's plan; a typical order is:

1. Put on your helmet or vest so people can see you.
2. Make sure the alarm is raised and that emergency services have been called on 000.
3. Tell people on your floor to leave by the nearest safe exit.
4. Check every room you can safely enter, including toilets.
5. Do not open a door that is hot or has smoke coming through. Leave it closed and report it.
6. Make sure people who need help get it, as their plan says.
7. Tell the chief warden when your area is clear, or what is not clear.
8. Go to the assembly area and stop anyone going back in.

Lesson 5: Fire classes and extinguishers

Australia sorts fires by the fuel that is burning. Using the wrong extinguisher can make a fire worse and put people at risk.

Extinguisher colours

• Red (water): Class A only.
• Blue band (foam): Class B, and A.
• White band (dry chemical powder): Class B and electrical; AB(E) powder also covers A.
• Black band (carbon dioxide): electrical and Class B.
• Oatmeal band (wet chemical): Class F, such as a deep fryer fire.

The PASS method

1. Pull the pin.
2. Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire.
3. Squeeze the handle.
4. Sweep from side to side at the base.

Lesson 6: After the emergency

When emergency services arrive, the chief warden briefs them and they take control. Nobody goes back inside on their own. The chief warden tells occupants when they may return.

Checklist after an event or drill

• Report anyone missing and anyone who was helped out.
• Write down what happened and when, while it is fresh.
• Take part in the debrief run by the chief warden.
• Report faults found, such as doors, alarms or equipment that did not work.
• Help review the plan if the event showed a gap.

Practice

Plans must be tested. Queensland requires evacuation practice at least once a year, and WA Health guidance asks for at least 1 evacuation every 12 months in public buildings. Drills show whether people know the routes, whether wardens can be seen and heard, and how long it takes to clear the building.