California JPIA Member City of Bishop Hosts Fire Extinguisher Safety Training for Regional Agencies
Recently, the City of Bishop brought together employees from multiple local agencies for hands-on fire extinguisher safety training, demonstrating how collaborative approaches to workplace safety can strengthen emergency preparedness across the region. The training, conducted annually by the city for its 45 full-time employees, was opened to other California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (California JPIA) member agencies in the area to enhance the learning experience and foster regional collaboration. Hands-on fire extinguisher training helps employees understand and discern between when it is appropriate to intervene and when evacuation is the safest option. While fires at city facilities are relatively infrequent, even small incidents can escalate quickly if employees are unsure how to respond. “The intent isn’t to turn employees into emergency responders, but to improve awareness, confidence, and decision-making during the first moments of a fire while supporting Cal/OSHA and Injury and Illness Prevention Program requirements,” said Tony Leite, the California JPIA senior risk manager for the region. For the City of Bishop, which operates with a volunteer fire department, having all staff receive the same safety training provides a common knowledge base during emergency response. The training familiarizes employees with different types of fire extinguishers and teaches them when and how to use them. “Having all the staff receive the same training means we are all speaking the same language when we respond,” said City of Bishop City Clerk Robin Picken. The training isn’t limited to hypothetical scenarios: staff complete a live fire exercise. “We all agreed that we benefited from the training, especially the hands-on operation of a fire extinguisher on a real fire,” Picken … Read more »
