Fire Safety Plan

No’.

SUBJECT MATTER:

ACTION PLAN:

1.

How are persons warned of a fire?

Alarm may be raised by shouting “Fire” and/or automatic smoke detection as installed actuating and sounding an alarm signal.

2.

What are the key actions upon discovering a fire (or suspected fire)?

Raise the alarm, get out of the building (by the nearest available exit), get the Fire and Rescue Service out (999 call). Stay out (do not collect, unless they are in your very immediate vicinity personal possessions or return into the building to collect personal possessions).

3.

How are premises to be evacuated including, any special provisions for disabled persons and/or persons with other issues that may delay their evacuation?

Persons on discovering a fire and/or who hear a shout of or actuation of the alarm for ‘Fire’, should leave the building by the nearest available exit. Persons with mobility and/or other issues which might delay their escape from the building should be assisted by others to a place of ultimate safety. Regular users of the premises who have mobility and/or other issues which might hinder their effective escape from the building in an emergency, should have a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan carried out for them by the Premises Responsible Person or the Fire Safety Manager. Emergency Lighting in the form of rechargeable torches are located -

1. Rehearsal Room behind the Tuba desks/seats

2. Bar area – behind the Bar counter

these should be used if the premises lighting fails at time of evacuation

4.

Where should persons assemble after they have left the building?

The Fire Assembly Point is across the road in the Square opposite the Band premises and opposite the gate entrance to the Phoenix Public House.

5.

What are the procedures for checking whether or not the premises have been evacuated?

None at present but it is advised that there are appointed persons to act as Fire Wardens who will sweep the premises as far as it is safe to do so and to then report their findings at the Assembly Point. An alternative/addition to this is to get persons to sign in/out of the premises but it is advised that just a Fire Warden sweep of the premises is more effective and workable.

6.

Identify key escape routes from each floor.

First floor -

• Internal staircase and exit through single final exit door at base of staircase

• Push Bar Escape door from the Rehearsal Room area, down metal external steps, out through gated area to Assembly Point across the road

Ground floor -

• Single (inward opening door) at base of internal staircase and exiting out into South Street

• Double outward opening doors in the Bar area (one leaf fitted with a push bar opening device) exiting out and into the Square

7.

What arrangements are in place for fighting fire?

There are both Water and Carbon Dioxide Portable Fire Extinguishers located on both floors of the building. These should only be used by trained operatives.

8.

What duty posts/roles are in place for assisting with safe evacuation and sweep of the building in an emergency?

There are no appointed Fire Wardens and Assembly Point Controllers appointed. It is advised that these posts are established and that training to understand these roles is given to appointed persons.

9.

What arrangements are in place for persons especially at risk in order to assist their effective evacuation (older people, children, persons with disabilities)?

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans can be made for regular users of the premises for persons with mobility and other issues which might hinder their evacuation. For public events, on site Fire Wardens should assist anyone with difficulties evacuating the premises to a place of ultimate safety out and away from the building.

10.

What arrangements are in place to ensure that there are suitably fire safety trained persons on site for events other than Band rehearsals?

None at present. Posts holders need to be established and they need to be trained.

11.

Are there power supplies that need to be isolated if there is a fire?

If it is safe to do so, the electrical consumer unit switch should be switched to ‘Off’. If not safe to do so, this should be communicated to the Fire and Rescue Service on their arrival and the location of the switch indicated for them. The Main switch for electrical supply to the building is in the Men’s WC at end of the Ground Floor corridor.

12.

What specific arrangements are in place for high fire risk areas?

The Music Library has a high fire loading and currently the practice of disconnecting all electrical equipment in here and closing the door when the premises are unoccupied are the only control measures to minimise the likelihood of a fire in this location and containing it should a fire break out.

13.

How are the Fire and Rescue Service to be called and who is responsible for this?

The Fire and Rescue Service should be called by phoning 999. Anyone can do this and there should be a question asked at the Assembly Point that this has been done.

14.

What procedure is in place for meeting the Fire and Rescue Service on arrival at the premises in response to a ‘Fire Call’? What information will be relayed to them? Who is responsible for this?

Not currently in place formally. Need to appoint and train Fire Wardens who will meet the Fire and Rescue Service on arrival and who will inform of the following -

• Whether all persons are out of the building

• Where the fire is (if known)

• Location of the Music Library (high fire loading)

• Electrical power situation (on/off) and where the Mains Switch is if not ‘Off’.

Should also provide the Fire Officer with a laminated set of floor plans of the premises if it was safe to retrieve these before exiting the building

15.

What arrangements are in place for regular fire safety training of Band Members and for carrying out Fire Evacuation Drills?

None at present

16.

If an emergency occurs, what plans are in place for -

• Lone Working

• Persons with personal belongings in the building and who have been evacuated

• Arrangements for alternative accommodation (if the premises are unusable – temporary/permanent)

• Procedures in the event of inclement weather for persons evacuated and who may be at the Assembly Point for a considerable amount of time

None currently. Training required for lone working. Personal belongings retrieval following a fire would need to be established with the Fire and Rescue Service and/or a structural engineer to deem whether premises are safe to enter. If not, then arrangements might be made with the Fire and Rescue Service to bring items to the Assembly Point. Foil Blankets could form part of a Fire Emergency Grab Pack that also contains laminated floor plans of the building (as previously mentioned), which are taken to the Assembly Point and which could be used for protection against the cold. Waterproof covers/cagoules/bin bags could also form part of the Grab Pack contents

17.

Observation and actions by any occupier of the premises at all times other than in an emergency

Observation of any situation and/or event which is deemed to be a fire hazard, poor fire safety practice and/or a ‘near miss’ fire safety situation, should be reported to the Premises Responsible Person and/or the Premises Fire Safety Manager (for post-holders please see below). In the absence of either of these two post-holders, please take any necessary remedial action, photograph/notes as necessary and report as soon as possible to the post-holders.