A fire drill is a method of practicing how a building would be evacuated in the event of a fire or other emergencies. In most cases, the building’s existing fire alarm system is activated and the building is evacuated by means of the nearest available exit as if an emergency had actually occurred.
Fire drill procedures may vary depending on the building type, such as hospitals or high-rise buildings, where occupants may be relocated within the building as opposed to evacuating the building. Generally, the evacuation is timed to ensure that it is fast enough. The evacuation process should be reviewed post drill to identify any issues that occurred and/or require remedial action.
Here are some points for consideration post drill:
Fire Detection & Alarm System
☐ Was the fire alarm heard clearly in all areas of the building?
☐ Where utilised, were the visual alarm indications seen clearly?
☐ Was the fire alarm identified as such by staff?
☐ Was the fire alarm identified as such by contractors & visitors?
Evacuation Procedure
☐ Were the fire wardens aware of their responsibilities?
☐ Did the fire wardens follow procedure?
☐ Did staff exit the building promptly?
☐ Did contractors & visitors exit the building promptly?
☐ Were staff aware of their egress routes?
☐ Were contractors & visitors aware of the egress routes?
☐ Did all access-controlled doors release?
☐ Did all fire doors close?
☐ Were fire doors wedged open?
☐ Did lifts recall to ground floor?
☐ Did all equipment shut off such as Gas, BMS, Boiler, etc.?
☐ If applicable, was contact established with the monitoring company?
☐ Were all staff accounted for?
☐ Were all contractors & visitors accounted for?
If you would like more information or have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with us on 051 448774 or by email on info@guardianfire.ie