FIRE POLICY AND EMERGENCY EVACUATION
PROCEDURE
Owner: Heads of School & President
Reviewers: School Senior Leadership Team, President
Approved by: President
Date approved: February 2025
Next review due by: February 2026
CONTENT
1. SCOPE Introduction
The safety of all students, staff, visitors and contractors on site at the time of a planned drill or genuine emergency is paramount. It is the responsibility of the Heads of School, Heads of Facility, Security Manager and the School Proprietor to ensure that fire risks are actively minimised and termly evacuation drills are carried out. The danger if a fire breaks out depends on many different factors, consequently, it is essential that staff should be familiar with the different spaces in which they may be teaching/working or the students may need to access for their learning.
The Fire Drill listed below will be practised when the fire alarm sounds.
2. PREVENTION AND PROTECTION
The school meets all local fire regulations and is inspected by local authorities on an annual basis. The following protocols are in place to minimise risk of fire:
• Where possible, furniture and fittings made of fire-resistant materials are used in the buildings.
• Electrical systems and equipment are inspected regularly (internally) to ensure they are functional and annually to meet local requirements.
Checks are regularly undertaken to ensure that escape routes and emergency exits are not obstructed.
• All buildings are fitted with fire-fighting and safety equipment, such as extinguishers and fire blankets. Staff receive training in both August and January in the use and locations of this equipment. (See Prevention and Firefighting Training presentation.)
• Visitors to the school are furnished with a leaflet including information about emergency procedures and muster points upon arrival in Reception.
• Areas of higher risk for fire, such as the Food Technology Studio, have controls on the electricity to appliances to avoid accidents related to negligence in turning off any equipment. Appliances do not receive power between the hours of 18:00 and 7:30.
• Staff responsible for higher risk areas such as Science laboratories, Art and DT receive training and follow the health and safety regulations outlined by CLEAPSS. Hazardous substances are stored according to the Health and Safety Policy in locked cupboards and designated locked rooms. Students are not permitted to access preparation or chemical storage
rooms and can only engage with such materials with a qualified adult present. Students are taught how to engage with specialist equipment within the context of lessons. Such spaces are equipped with appropriate PPE and fire fighting equipment in case of emergency. This includes specific extinguishers for both electrical and chemical fires. Science laboratories are equipped with cutoff switches for both electricity and gas.
• Escape routes are clearly marked and kept free of clutter. In this regard, in the stairwells, corridors or other evacuation routes, it is forbidden to set up boxes or workplaces, to store materials, furniture or objects, to place photocopying machines, juice/coffee dispensers etc., which could obstruct the evacuation of persons and goods, as well as the access of the Fire Brigade or any other emergency personnel. In case of a loss of power, emergency lighting and lit exit signs are activated. All buildings are fitted with alarm systems that can be manually and automatically activated for drills and genuine incidents of fire.
• Smoking is prohibited on Crawford House Foundation property.
3. PURPOSE
Aims and Objectives
Fire drills are intended to ensure, by means of training and rehearsal, that in the event of fire or emergency:
• The people who may be in danger act in a calm and orderly manner.
• Those people who may have designated responsibilities carry out their tasks to ensure the safety of all concerned.
• The escape routes are used in accordance with a predetermined and practised plan.
• Evacuation of the building is achieved in a speedy and orderly manner.
• An attitude of mind whereby people will react rationally when confronted with a fire or other emergency at school or elsewhere is promoted.
• Locations of classes at the muster point for each group are distributed amongst staff and posted around school. These are updated annually, or when required.
4. PROCEDURE
All drills and emergency procedures are overseen by the Security Manager in collaboration with the Heads of School and Head of Facility.
In the event of an emergency: Alarm Operation
• Anyone discovering an outbreak of fire should, without hesitation, sound the alarm by operating the nearest fire alarm call point/panic button. The alarms are easy to activate by lifting the plastic cover and pushing.
• The school campus is divided into four zones:
1. Crawford
2. Newlands
3. Ringwood
4. Art & media rooms, DT & Innovation hub, Dome, Wolf – Music rooms, Pool House – Food Tech room, AN rooms near pool, Dining Hall, Taylor, Gatehouse, Reception area, AS room, Greenwich Block
Calling the Fire Brigade
• All outbreaks of fire or any suspected fire, however small, should be reported immediately to the Fire Brigade by the quickest means available. The Head of Facilities and Security Manager will advise.
Evacuation of school buildings
• On hearing the fire alarm, pupils must be instructed to leave the building in single file and in a calm, orderly manner. No one should stop to collect personal belongings on their way out.
• The person in charge of each class must indicate the exit route to be used and everyone must be directed to the Assembly Point (the black & green central pitches). If this area is unsuitable due to the nature of the hazard/event then the front lawn will be used. Students must assemble according to the plans which are displayed around school.
• Staff responsible for pupils should ensure that all children in each class have left the room before exiting themselves. The last person who leaves an area should be an adult.
• No running is allowed and quiet should be maintained.
• On staircases everyone must descend in single file. Overtaking of classes or individuals is not permitted.
• In case of fire or dense smoke: Students are encouraged to crawl or stay low to avoid inhaling smoke, as cleaner air is closed to the ground. A handkerchief, a piece of clothing, or a sleeve can be used to cover the mouth and nose.
• Lifts must not be used. Efforts will be made to place students or staff with chronic mobility issues in ground floor classes. Those with temporary issues or injuries will be assisted in leaving the buildings.
• Anyone who is not in class when the fire alarm sounds must go immediately to the Assembly point - secondary staff are allocated to a form group and join these for registration.
• No one must be allowed to re-enter the building until told to do so by the Fire Service in attendance, or, in the case of a fire evacuation drill the Senior Leadership Team.
• Checks are regularly undertaken to ensure that escape routes and emergency exits are not obstructed. Should a staircase be blocked or inaccessible in an emergency, the escape slides should be used. Use of the slides will be practised in regular drill scenarios.
• For the Crawford building, the first floor will use the escape slide in room C 105.
• For the Newland building, the first floor will use the escape slide in room N 104 (N101 to evacuate via the stairs).
• For the Newland building, the second floor will use the escape slide in room N 205 (N201 and N207 to evacuate via the stairs).
How to use a slide:
Remove top cover.
Pull up and remove front panel.
Open window.
Throw protective canvas over the ledge.
Throw out Chute and let chute go down completely.
Tip up entrance.
Pull belt.
Push up entrance.
Connect + secure the Chute to the lashing points after confirm to users at top “good to enter”. Enter feet first.
Correct sliding position: arms crossed over the chest, tuck elbows into side of body, spread legs to slow down, lay down position for sliding.
Exit from the Chute.
Evacuation of Admin Buildings
Staff are to ensure all the children in their care have used the slide before they enter themselves. All staff are regularly trained on the set up of the slide and students periodically practice the use.
On hearing the fire alarm, the non-teaching staff will leave the buildings in single file and in a calm orderly manner, as described in the Activities carried out by British School of Bucharest staff in case of fire procedure.
HR should at all times have the updated list of first aid trained persons and also keep a record on the refreshing and new trainings and organise the trainings.
Roll Call – full roll call is initiated when alarms are sounded for all zones
• The Heads of School have overall responsibility to ensure that a roll call is conducted for each class or department in the event of evacuation of the premises. Colour coded clipboards will be distributed by a member of the administrative and leadership team. Once everyone in their charge is accounted for, the nominated staff member holds the register up for collection.
Secondary only: raise the red card is a student is missing from the register and a green if all are present. The red card must be held up regardless of any other information. If they are absent from the register provided a red card must be shown. The SLT link for that key stage then checks names on Door deck to ensure the student is off campus. Cards can only be lowered once the SLT link allows.
• All teaching staff (non + form tutors) are allocated to a teaching group for emergency evacuation registration. All on-site admin, kitchen, maintenance or other support staff gather in allocated locations at the muster point and are registered with their line manager.
• As soon as classes have assembled at the assembly point, a roll or count must be made to ascertain that no one remains inside of the building.
• Any visitors or contractors in the premises at that time must be included. The receptionist on duty must bring the visitors book from Reception.
• The count at the assembly point must be checked with the attendance registers for both pupils and staff and visitors book to verify that everyone is out of the building.
• No one returns to the building until the nominated person gives notice that this is feasible and that all people are account-
ed for. In case of a false alarm, The Heads of School should allow everyone to return to the building after establishing the cause of the false alarm.
Meeting the Fire Brigade
• The Heads of School and Security Manager must identify him/herself to the Fire Brigade on their arrival. In doing so vital information can be relayed to the Fire Officer which will dictate the necessary actions to be carried out by the Fire Brigade.
Typical information the Fire Brigade will want to know
• If everyone is accounted for?
• If anyone is missing: How many? What is their usual location? Where were they last seen?
• Where is the fire? What is on fire?
• Are there any hazardous substances involved in the fire or stored in the building? (i.e. Chemicals, Solvents, Liquified Petroleum Gas or Acetylene Cylinders etc).
Instruction, Training and Recording
As soon as practically possible, all new entrants being pupils, staff or support staff, should be conducted around the primary escape routes of the school.
They should also receive instruction on the school fire evacuation routine.
All members of the staff shall receive instruction and training appropriate to their responsibilities in the event of any emergency at induction and on an annual basis as prescribed by local authorities.
A record of the training and instructions given and fire drills held, shall be entered in the log book and will include the following:
• Date of the instruction or fire drill
• Duration
• Observations
• Required actions and date remedied
The most senior member of staff in each separate building is responsible for coordinating the actions of the staff in the event of fire.
Effective arrangements shall be made for a Director to carry out the above duties in the absence of the Heads of Primary or Secondary.
If the staff members assigned to various roles in this policy are not available, a substitute is assigned to that specific role. Nonetheless, if the substitute is also not available, The Head of Primary or Secondary will temporarily designate another substitute among the adequately trained staff.
All equipment related to the safe exit or management of fire is checked by a certified member of staff regularly.
The school carries out evacuation drills at least three times each academic year.
Liability for false alarms
Any person who knowingly and maliciously activates a fire alarm without a legitimate emergency shall be subject to criminal penalties and may be held liable for any costs incurred by emergency services, including but not limited to, the Fire Brigade.
5. RELATED POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Activities carried out by British School of Bucharest staff in case of fire procedure.
6. APPENDIX
CCAs
• When the fire alarm sounds, evacuate the building along the authorised routes (displayed in classrooms), following the green arrows.
• Students and all staff line up in silence on the black pitch or at the other designated areas. On arrival at the black pitch line up in the CCA group with CCA Tutor(s) at front of the line, other staff at back of line, assisting by keeping order and silence.
• The CCA Register is given to CCA tutors by CCA administrators and/or Administration team. Register is taken. CCA Tutor holds up register when completed (if the register is still in the possession of the CCA Tutor they should bring it with them to the muster point and check/ complete).
• Register is taken to CCA administrators by CCA tutor, who reports any absences. CCA administrators to check the attendance on the register.
No one re-enters the building until “all clear” is sounded.
• Students are dismissed when the “all clear” is given by the site coordinator.
CCA Registers
Procedure for distributing the registers at the muster point
The location of the completed CCA registers will depend on what time the emergency occurs. Whenever possible the completed CCA register should be used to check the attendance at the muster point.
The CCA registers could be located as follows:
• Crawford Dining room – CCA administrators will collect the registers and distribute to the CCA tutors at the muster point.
• Reception – the receptionist will bring the CCA registers to the Muster point and pass to a CCA administrator and/or senior teacher for distribution.
• Crawford Library – a CCA administrator will collect and distribute at the muster point.
• Secondary CCA tutors – if a Secondary tutor is still in possession of the register then they should bring the register to the Muster point.
• CCA Administrator – if a CCA administrator is in possession of registers they will bring them to the muster point and distribute
In the event that a completed register is not available an unmarked set of CCA registers should be brought to the Muster point by the Administration team and distributed accordingly.