As a resident within a block of flats in the UK, it’s crucial to have a plan in place in case of an emergency. One of the most critical decisions to be made is whether to stay put or evacuate.
Fire Safety in a building cannot be managed without knowing the building’s fire evacuation strategy. ‘Stay put or Evacuate?’ is a question that has raised a lot of conversation since the Grenfell Tower tragedy in June 2017 and is still discussed today. Fire Risk Assessments form the foundation on which the entire fire strategy for a building rests, as well as other key fire safety information pertinent to the building, so it is highly important that these are kept up-to-date and are carried out by a competent person or organisation.
But what are the different fire evacuation strategies and when should they be applied?
Stay Put
The ‘Stay Put’ principle has been widely applied since the 1960s and is still used in many blocks of flats today. Generally, the Stay Put policy is designed to work best in purpose-built blocks of flats. It works by allowing residents to remain in their own flats in relative safety in the event of a fire in another flat.
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) supports a ‘Stay Put’ policy wherever possible as it reflects the building regulation requirement that each flat should be its own fire-resisting compartment – therefore effective compartmentation is key for this strategy.
A ‘Stay Put’ Policy involves the following approach:
- When a fire occurs within a flat, the occupants alert others in the flat, make their way out of the building and summon the fire and rescue service;
- If a fire starts in the common areas, all persons in these areas make their way out of the building and call the fire and rescue service;
- All residents who are in their flat and are not affected by the fire are expected to Stay Put until directed by the fire and rescue service.
Simultaneous Evacuation
Alternatively, where compartmentation cannot be confirmed or designed into the building to support a Stay Put policy, Simultaneous Evacuation will often be recommended and adopted. For this to be applied, alarm and detection systems should be suitable to alert all residents and allow them to evacuate in a timely manner.
Phased Evacuation Policy
If you manage a tall and complex residential building, it is likely that the ‘Stay Put’ policy will not be appropriate. If there is a whole building smoke and fire alarm in place, phased evacuation policy may be put in place. This means, evacuating only those at immediate risk first (usually floor of origin and sometimes floor above or below) then allow people not at immediate risk to delay starting their evacuation.
Choosing the most appropriate policy can make all the difference to those living, visiting and working within these buildings and keeping everyone safe. For further advice or guidance contact us at www.4siteconsulting.co.uk or 01376 572936.
