Most of us have put in place Fire Evacuation Procedures which we practice at least annually, but do we really give a great deal of thought to the Assembly Point? It’s usually ‘by the fence’ or ‘in the car park’; but is that an appropriate meeting place?
Remember that in an emergency we are sending people to this area so we mustn’t send them from one at risk area to another!
Make sure your assembly area is safe;
- Look at the hazards on and adjacent to your site and do your best to avoid them. There’s no point in putting the assembly point next to the oil store, or on the other side of a busy road.
- Since this is an assembly point to be used during an emergency it is likely that Fire Engines will arrive and be moving at speed; ensure the assembly point is kept away from the places where these vehicles will arrive.
- Think about the needs of the building users; the assembly point must be accessible to everyone and of sufficient in size to accommodate numbers without spilling out into traffic routes.
- Avoid fencing people in, ensure there is an escape route from your assembly point!