**Executive Summary**
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched a nationwide Fire Safety Week from May 4th to 10th, 2026, aimed at strengthening fire prevention and response systems in healthcare facilities. This initiative marks the introduction of the "National Guidelines on Fire and Life Safety in Healthcare Facilities (2026)," focusing on enhanced protocols for high-risk areas. Key action items include conducting rigorous safety audits, implementing self-certification mechanisms, and training healthcare professionals through mock drills and specialized courses.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Fire Safety Week Initiatives (May 4–10, 2026)**
* **Observance and Theme:** The week operates under the theme “Safe Schools, Safe Hospitals, and a Fire-Safety Aware Society: Together for Fire Prevention.”
* **Preparedness Activities:** Nationwide activities include systematic fire safety audits, mock drills, patient evacuation exercises, and live demonstrations of fire detection and suppression systems.
* **Educational Outreach:** The Ministry is hosting technical webinars to disseminate best practices and encouraging medical colleges to hold awareness initiatives like poster-making and quiz competitions.
**National Guidelines on Fire and Life Safety (2026)**
* **High-Risk Area Protocols:** The new guidelines introduce stringent safety protocols specifically for ICUs, NICUs, PICUs, and Operation Theatres (OTs).
* **Comprehensive Framework:** Provisions cover governance frameworks, risk assessment, infrastructure planning, emergency response systems, and compliance mechanisms.
* **Development Process:** The guidelines were developed through extensive consultations with experts from leading healthcare institutions and hospitals.
**Compliance and Capacity Building**
* **Digital Reporting:** States and facilities are urged to regularly upload fire safety audit details on the IHIP portal to institutionalize compliance.
* **Professional Training:** Emphasis is placed on the iGOT fire safety course, which has already seen over 50,000 participants, to ensure staff are sensitized to emergency responses.
* **Standardized Assessment:** The Ministry has circulated an updated and detailed checklist to all States and Union Territories for conducting rigorous fire and electrical safety audits.
**Impact Analysis**
**States and Union Territories**
**Impact**
Responsible for the regional coordination and effective implementation of national safety standards.
**Action Required**
Direct all public and private healthcare facilities to undertake audits and organize targeted awareness initiatives in medical colleges.
**Healthcare Facilities (Public and Private)**
**Impact**
Facilities must reassess existing infrastructure and adhere to stricter safety and evacuation protocols.
**Action Required**
Conduct rigorous fire and electrical audits using the provided checklist, upload results to the IHIP portal, and establish clearly defined evacuation procedures.
**Healthcare Professionals**
**Impact**
Required to be adequately trained and sensitized to respond effectively to fire emergencies.
**Action Required**
Complete the iGOT fire safety course and participate in mandatory mock drills and capacity-building exercises.
**Patients and Caregivers**
**Impact**
Beneficiaries of a safer, more resilient, and responsive healthcare ecosystem.
**Action Required**
Engage in awareness efforts and adhere to safety protocols established by healthcare facilities.
Key Entities Referenced
National Guidelines on Fire and Life Safety in Healthcare Facilities (2026): A comprehensive policy framework launched to establish protocols for risk assessment, infrastructure planning, and emergency response across healthcare institutions.
Fire Safety Week: A nationwide initiative (4–10 May 2026) involving audits, mock drills, and training exercises to institutionalize fire safety preparedness in health facilities.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The primary Union Ministry responsible for formulating the fire safety guidelines and coordinating their nationwide implementation.
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA): The key regulatory body coordinating a systems-based approach and organizing regional capacity-building programs to strengthen hospital fire safety.
IHIP portal: The digital platform designated for healthcare facilities to upload fire safety audit details to ensure institutionalized compliance and monitoring.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Launches Nationwide Fire Safety Week (4–10
May 2026)
Union Health Secretary Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava Leads
Nationwide Pledge on “Fire Safety in Health Facilities”
Ministry of Health Unveils National Guidelines on Fire and Life
Safety in Healthcare Facilities (2026), Strengthening
Comprehensive Safety Frameworks Across Healthcare
Institutions
New Guidelines Introduce Enhanced Protocols for High-Risk
Areas Including ICUs, NICUs, PICUs, and Operation Theatres
Fire Safety Week to Feature Nationwide Audits, Mock Drills,
Evacuation Exercises, Demonstrations, and Webinars to
Strengthen Preparedness and Awareness
Posted On: 04 MAY 2026 12:56PM by PIB Delhi
Reinforcing its commitment to ensuring safe healthcare environments, the Union Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare, in partnership with all States and Union Territories and in coordination with relevant
Central Ministries and Departments, commenced the nationwide observance of Fire Safety Week from 4th
May to 10th May 2026.
The observance was inaugurated with a nationwide pledge ceremony on the theme “Fire Safety in Health
Facilities,” led by the Union Health Secretary, Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, reaffirming the collective
commitment of healthcare institutions and stakeholders towards strengthening fire prevention,
preparedness, and response systems.Addressing the occasion, the Union Health Secretary, Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava highlighted that the
theme of this year’s Fire Safety Week —“Safe Schools, Safe Hospitals, and a Fire-Safety Aware Society:
Together for Fire Prevention”, underscores that ensuring safety within our institutions is a shared and
collective responsibility. She noted that Fire Safety Week provides an important opportunity to reassess
existing infrastructure, evaluate whether facilities have been adequately audited, and identify gaps and
discrepancies that need to be addressed. Emphasizing capacity building, she stressed that healthcare
professionals must be adequately trained and sensitized to effectively respond to fire emergencies. She
further urged all States and healthcare facilities to regularly upload fire safety audit details on the IHIP
portal, noting that such practices would institutionalize compliance and serve as a continuous reminder for
maintaining safety standards.
The Union Health Secretary also expressed satisfaction that over 50,000 participants have already
completed the iGOT fire safety course, including several government institutions, and highlighted the
importance of scaling up such efforts. She concluded by emphasizing that through Jan Bhagidari (people’s
participation), a meaningful and sustained impact can be achieved in strengthening fire safety across the
country.Addressing the occasion, Shri Krishna S. Vatsa, Member and Head, National Disaster Management
Authority (NDMA), emphasized the need for a proactive, systems-based approach to fire safety in
healthcare facilities. He underscored that a nationwide campaign must be undertaken to strengthen fire
safety in hospitals and informed that NDMA is planning to organize five regional programmes, along with
similar initiatives at the State and district levels, to build capacity and enhance preparedness. He
highlighted the importance of instituting self-certification mechanisms for regular audits, coupled with
sustained awareness efforts on fire safety. Stressing the need for preparedness at the facility level, he
stated that every hospital must have adequately trained healthcare professionals equipped to respond to
fire emergencies, along with clearly defined and practiced evacuation procedures
Speaking at the occasion, Shri Sunil Kumar Jha, Director General (Fire Services) emphasized the critical
importance of a proactive and systems-based approach to fire safety in healthcare facilities. He highlighted
that hospitals represent highly sensitive and complex environments, where even minor lapses can havesevere consequences. Stressing the need for strict adherence to safety norms, regular audits, and capacity
building, he underscored that preparedness, coordination, and continuous vigilance are key to preventing
fire incidents and ensuring effective emergency response.
On the occasion, the Ministry also officially launched the National Guidelines on Fire and Life Safety in
Healthcare Facilities (2026). These guidelines have been developed through extensive consultations with
experts from a wide range of leading institutions and hospitals, ensuring a robust and comprehensive
framework to enhance fire safety across healthcare facilities.
The guidelines comprehensively address multiple critical dimensions, including governance frameworks,
risk assessment and mitigation, infrastructure planning, emergency response systems, training and
capacity building of healthcare personnel, compliance mechanisms, and awareness generation. They alsoincorporate updated provisions for specialized high-risk areas such as Intensive Care Units (ICUs),
Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs), and Operation Theatres
(OTs), where stringent safety protocols are essential.
A comprehensive array of activities has been envisaged across the country during Fire Safety Week to
amplify awareness and institutional preparedness regarding the prevention and mitigation of fire hazards
in healthcare facilities. In addition to the nationwide pledge ceremony, these include systematic fire safety
audits, mock drills and live demonstrations on fire detection and suppression systems, patient evacuation
exercises, and a series of technical webinars designed to disseminate best practices and technical
knowledge.
In order to ensure effective implementation, the Union Health Ministry has circulated an updated and
detailed checklist to all States and Union Territories, urging them to direct all healthcare facilities—both
public and private—to undertake rigorous fire and electrical safety audits. States and Union Territories
have also been encouraged to organize targeted awareness initiatives, particularly in medical colleges and
large tertiary care institutions. These initiatives include poster-making and quiz competitions, as well as
hands-on demonstrations on the optimal use of fire detection and suppression equipment and systems,
thereby fostering a culture of safety consciousness among healthcare professionals and students alike.
The Ministry has called upon all stakeholders to actively engage in the week-long observance and to adopt
the prescribed guidelines in both letter and spirit, with the overarching goal of ensuring a safe, resilient,
and responsive healthcare ecosystem for patients, caregivers, and healthcare workers across the nation.
National Guidelines on Fire and Life Safety in Healthcare Facilities (2026) can be accessed through
this link: https://www.mohfw-dohfw.gov.in/static/uploads/2026/05/62dc36c7ac9aeedefb0e969de50686d1.
pdf
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