| Advice for carrying out Fire Drills | | | | occupants or where equipment or |
| Fire drills should be carried out to | | | | processes cannot be closed down. |
| check that staff understand the | | | | When carrying out the fire drill it may |
| emergency fire action plan, to ensure | | | | be useful to: |
| that staff are familiar with operation | | | | - Circulate details concerning the fire |
| of the emergency fire action plan, to | | | | drill and inform all staff of their duty |
| evaluate effectiveness of the plan and | | | | to participate |
| to identify any weakness in the | | | | - Ensure that any equipment which is in |
| evacuation strategy. | | | | use, such as cookers, can be made safe |
| The frequency of fire drills for each | | | | by isolating or turning off controls, |
| building will be different and should | | | | where appropriate |
| reflect the level of risk. Fire drills | | | | - In larger premises, nominate observers |
| should take place at least once a year. | | | | that can assess the appropriateness of |
| Where there is more than one escape | | | | actions and identify problems |
| route, the fire drills should assume | | | | - Inform visitors if they are present |
| conditions in which one or more than one | | | | A roll call should be carried out as |
| escape route are obstructed by smoke. In | | | | soon as possible at the designated |
| offices, a fire drill should involve | | | | assembly point(s) and note any persons |
| occupant evacuation and should commence | | | | who are unaccounted for. In a fire |
| on operation of the fire alarm. In | | | | evacuation this information would need |
| shops, fire drills should involve | | | | to be passed to the fire and rescue |
| rehearsal for evacuation and will | | | | service on arrival. The results of the |
| normally be scheduled when there are no | | | | fire drill should be recorded and stored |
| or few shoppers in the premises. | | | | with the fire risk assessment. |
| Where there is a possibility that | | | | Throughout the fire drill, the person in |
| someone may misinterpret the fire drill | | | | charge and any nominated observers |
| and call the Fire and Rescue Service, it | | | | should pay particular attention to: |
| may be appropriate to inform the fire | | | | - Inappropriate actions such as stopping |
| and rescue service prior to the | | | | to collect personal items, such as |
| commencement and on conclusion of a | | | | jackets and handbags |
| drill in order to alert them to the | | | | - Difficulties experienced by people |
| exercise and so prevent their | | | | with disabilities |
| unnecessary attendance. If the fire | | | | - Communication difficulties with regard |
| alarm system is connected to a remote | | | | to the roll call and establishing that |
| alarm receiving centre, inform the | | | | everyone is accounted for |
| receiving centre to ensure that the fire | | | | - The use of the nearest available fire |
| and rescue service is not inadvertently | | | | escape routes as opposed to frequently |
| called out to the premises, and inform | | | | used routes |
| the receiving centre when the fire drill | | | | - Difficulties with the opening of doors |
| has been completed. | | | | and fire escape routes being blocked |
| Within each building the fire drill | | | | - Doors not being closed as people leave |
| evacuation should involve all occupants | | | | rooms to prevent smoke and fire spread |
| except those having a designated role | | | | The significant findings of any fire |
| such as the need to ensure the security | | | | drill should be recorded with the fire |
| of the premises, the safety of the | | | | risk assessment and reviewed regularly. |