Police detention centres Before discussing specific recommendations, the technical group found that about 120 of the approximately 370 inmate cells within the Federal Ministry of the Interior’s area of responsibility are located in detention centres or district or city police lock-ups. Only these inmate cells are intended for the long-term detention of persons. Detentions in the other rooms are only for the short term. This includes the detention rooms in police stations and the rooms in police stations where asylum seekers are detained in accordance with the Procedures Act of the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (BFA-Verfahrensgesetz); i.e. special units for incoming refugees. It was agreed that a high degree of observation and enhanced organisational and personnel-related fire prevention measures shall be ensured in police stations and in special units for incoming refugees. In addition, smoking is prohibited in these detention rooms . Therefore, the technical group refrained from recommending measures to improve technical or structural fire prevention in these short-term detention places. As a consequence, the future Technical Guidelines for Fire Prevention should only relate to police detention centres and district or city police lock-ups. After the adapted version of the Technical Guidelines for Fire Prevention takes effect, the Workplace Guidelines of the Federal Ministry of the Interior should be appropriately supplemented. Decrees and guidelines relating to the prison system should provide that long-term detention in rooms that do not comply with the recommended supplement to the Technical Guidelines for Fire Prevention should be avoided. Overall strategy for organisational fire prevention The technical group formulated several proposals to improve organisational and protective fire safety – which relate to all detention rooms. The technical group recommended that the Federal Ministry of the Interior develop an overall fire prevention strategy with target agreements and skills profiles for personnel. Training of personnel Training should enable police officers to recognise suicidal behaviour and take steps to de-escalate the situation if there is aggressive behaviour. In addition, fire prevention officers should receive basic theoretical training in fire prevention, and the other staff should participate in a fire-fighting drill at least once per year in the future. Detention rooms should be regularly inspected by the fire department, and there should be training in the area of body searches. The technical group also proposed that, in the future, respirators and exploration equipment should only be used in conjunction with appropriate training and preliminary medical examinations. This is to prevent staff from gaining the false impression that the use of this equipment is without risk. The technical group also discussed the options for timely, reliable reporting of fire and for extinguishing fire in inmate cells. It was noted that the use of fire alarms in inmate cells was unsuccessful in the past due to frequent attempts at manipulating them on the part of detained persons. The installation of 152