What does the acronym RACE mean?

The acronym RACE is a standardized fire safety protocol used across healthcare facilities to guide staff in responding to a fire emergency. R stands for Rescue — move anyone in immediate danger to safety. A stands for Alarm — activate the nearest fire alarm pull station and call the facility's emergency number to alert others. C stands for Contain — close all doors and windows to prevent the spread of fire and smoke. E stands for Extinguish — attempt to put out the fire only if it is small and contained, and only if it is safe to do so. This sequence prioritizes human life first, then notification, then limiting spread, and finally suppression. The distractors such as "Reply, accept, cure, end," "Run, ask, care, exit," and "Risk, achieve, crash, enter" are nonsensical in the context of fire safety and do not reflect any recognized protocol. Healthcare workers at all levels, including clinical and ancillary staff, are required to know the RACE protocol as part of standard safety orientation. Regular fire drills reinforce this knowledge to ensure rapid and appropriate responses during an actual emergency.