Plan for the worst - How to manage a situation where fire develops in your premises

After completing your online fire risk assessment and fire safety report, and having carried out all the actions raised by the process, it might seem that there really is nothing else for a responsible person to do, to avoid and manage situations involving fire risk.

Sometimes it is the case that even when all necessary and legal precautions have been taken, unforeseen circumstances can still cause fire in your premises, and we are going to look at what you can do when that situation occurs.

The first point to be made is that even if your building alarm system contains an 'auto-dialler' facility to alert the emergency fire and rescue services to the alarm, this may not be sufficient to save your premises (and sometimes its occupants) in the case of a fire.  

The fire services throughout the UK have employed their own risk assessed system to avoid the dangers of sending out huge fire trucks to false alarms and false positive reactions from alarm systems. Their risk limitation methods can include driving at normal traffic speed or sending out a smaller vehicle response initially. Therefore it is always best to call '999' (from outside the building) in case of a fire.

A personal '999' call can also assist the fire service not only in recognising the potential severity of the fire, but also information such as directions to the building or pinpointing a rendezvous point for you or your representative to meet the fire service. 

Additionally, it is sensible and useful to prepare a 'fire emergency' file containing as much of the following information as you can provide:

• Building plans, these should indicate access points into your building, escape routes and any internal fire-fighting facilities, consider laminating these plans for durability
• Rising mains, their inlets and outlets, particularly where there are multiple mains installed
• Building risks, for example, chemicals in use or stored, highly flammable / dangerous materials or the presence of compressed cylinders
• Fire alarm panel(s), where applicable, the location of these panel(s) should be available, these can give additional information on the location of the fire and any subsequent spread
• Access, are doors secure?  Are keys available?  If access is made available, the attending Fire Service will be able to move around the building freely
• Fire precautions installed, facilities such as gaseous suppression will be significant as it may be undesirable to open doors to rooms protected unless in a controlled manner.  Smoke ventilation systems would also be of significant interest
• Fire-fighters switches for emergency use, e.g. discharge lighting installations such as neon lights
• Environmental considerations to be taken into account
• Business recovery / salvage plans
• The evacuation strategy in place and details of any areas still evacuation, for example persons with mobility impairments following a pre-determined Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP).

Much of this information will already be held in your company fire safety manual. If you do not have one for each site, sign up for our online service for each of your sites and let it methodically and easily guide you through the production of all relevant safety and legal requirements.

Fire is always a possibility, and so planning beforehand is key.  Should a fire occur, having the correct information to hand in time for the arrival of the Fire Service increases the two main objectives of any fire safety design: life safety and property protection.

If you would like some help beyond that offered by Complete Fire Safety Management's online system, or would like to arrange an appointment with one of our senior fire safety advisers - simply call Peter Gyere on 020 8668 8663.