fire evacuation procedures
I wonder if you would be able to assist.
on staffing, fire evacuation and fire safety regulations in extra care and/or sheltered housing.
It is an area that is causing concern to more than one provider of extra care housing in our locality.Fire officers have expressed concerns about "staying put" policies. Their preference is for staff to evacuate, before their arrival at any fire.
Our concerns are that this may in itself create other issues or concerns. Queries have been raised about evacuation times, training, and the number of staff on site in extra care schemes at night time. Suggestion being that all extra care schemes need 2 plus people on site each night.
Are schemes in other parts of the UKhaving similar issues raised by the fire safety officers? We would really like to hear from any providers or commissioners who have encountered similar queries, and are able to advise us on any negotiations or agreements they have reached- especially on minimum nightime staffing levels!
Hi Lynda,
your question popped up when I was serching the LIN for similar advice - Ii appreciate you posted this a couple of years asgo now, if you are still around and want to make contaxct I would be happy to share our experiences with you --we have 6 schemes in the HCA programme, all designed to the same standard, and invariably viewed differently by each FO.
regards
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Hi lynda and Dave.
We deliver Sheltered Housing to support local authority properties. We have complex's that our staff visit and spend much of the day working in. Monday to Friday 8.00am to 4.00pm.
We are also in the same position, or whether to stay put or evacuate. Our fire policy for tenants in there flats is to stay put if they feel safe to do so and not effected by the fire.
What policies do you have regarding staff visiting these tenants. Many of our complex's are multi-storey blocks. What do your staff do, stay put of evacuate.
in sheltered housing current strategy reflects your own organisation's experience.
in new purpose built extra care, which has a far higher degree of fire safety designed in (1 hour pods, L1 alarms systems in communals and L3 in flats) we are receiving conflicting advice from fire safety experts - much depends on the appetite for risk the organisation or your insurers is prepared to take on. we are currently still staffing to be able to manage a progressive horizontal evacuation until we have a definitive poasition and we would always want to agree arrangements with the local FO.
A good question!!
The nature of the fire safety order dictates that each premises is treated individually. Contrary to the broad brush approach which applied under the old legislation. This however when dealing with Housing groups with a number of premises can be somewhat of a burden.
Each premises must be dealt with in its own right,
To establish a stay put policy that would be considered as acceptable, and I paraphrase considerably here would be
1.Ensure the premises has a suitable Fire Risk Assessment which has clearly addressed the compartmentation within, special attention given to attic space compartmentation separating flat from flat, and suitable fire resisting front doors including self closing devices.
2. Fire evacuation strategies fully shared and understood by residents and visitors (Full evacuation from communal lounges and shared spaces) Stay put within a flat unless on fire
3. Telecare systems in place, linked to suitable fire detection
4. PEEPS in place for all tenants and Information shared with Fire Services on non ambulant higher risk residents.
5.Fire Safety Checks undertaken or offered for all residents within the premises
6.Consideration given to Water suppression systems being fitted to the premises as a whole and or Personal systems where appropriate
We can never provide complete safety from fire from non ambulant residents, nor do I think that residents expect this. However by undertaking the above as a minimum certainly should ensure a suitable and acceptable risk based approach to stay put within extra care premises.