3. Processes
3.1 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Fire Drill/Fire Evacuation
The evacuation procedures which are to be followed in the event of a fire alarm are in section 4 of this policy. This document details the responsibilities of staff and individuals during an evacuation and subsequent roll call.
All staff and teachers are assigned to specific duties to support students to make a safe exit towards the assembly point.
3.2 Assigned Duties
4. Fire Drill Procedure
4.1 Fire Alarm
Person discovering fire should break the glass of the nearest alarm. The Fire Marshal rings 995 on hearing the alarm. On hearing the fire alarm:
- All persons proceed to the assembly point in a calm, orderly manner.
- Staff assemble pupils in a line and lead them to the Assembly Point (school parking lot), walking rapidly, not running. The classroom door should be closed behind the last person to leave - this should be an adult wherever possible.
- Use the quickest directed route as per the map in your classroom (See figures 2 -9 unless a blockage makes this impossible. Be prepared to find an alternative route, if necessary.
- If pupils are in the first and second floor in the secondary block as well inside the MPH when the alarm sounds, the adults on duty/teaching should lead the children in a line to the assembly point via the Fire Exit Staircase. Pupils should not be brought back through the main building. If class teachers are not outside on duty, they should make their way to the assembly point to meet their class there. All double doors should be opened by those who are first to reach them and closed by the last person to pass through them.
- The receptionist will provide class teachers with their class lists and green/red cards. Teachers should check attendance for their class and then raise the green card. If there are children who are unaccounted for they should raise the red card.
- The receptionist will collect the staff signing in/out list and visitor ’ book before proceeding to the Assembly Point.
- The fire marshal will make contact with the caretaking staff to establish their whereabouts and to direct them to specific tasks as necessary and will attempt to identify the source of the fire from external visual observation. Where safe to do so, the zone triggered by the alarm will be noted.
- The HR Manager will report the safety and whereabouts of the caretaking staff to the Principal and will maintain contact throughout the procedure. The caretakers on duty will open the gates for the Fire Service and await their arrival and will discourage any casual visitor from entering the premises.
- Staff and students will stay outside until an all clear is received and shared the Principal via phone or verbally.
4.2 Students’ Reporting Procedure
Students to be lined up in alphabetical order at the Assembly Point (refer to figure 1). Receptionist to hand out the class registers to teachers so they may supervise roll calls. Once the roll call is completed, show a green card if all children are accounted for or a red card if there are any missing children. Headteacher to take appropriate action.
4.3 Staff/Visitors Reporting Procedure
The HR Manager will head count the staff and visitors, and then report the green or red card to the Principal. No-one should leave the Assembly Point until instructed to do so by the Principal.
