White Paper exposes “alarming gaps” in residential fire safety plans

Recent English Housing Survey research highlights the fact that 59% of social-rented households include at least one person with a long-term illness or disability. Such individuals could be at higher risk if compartmentation fails, conditions deteriorate or the strategy becomes unsafe.

Evac+Chair’s White Paper argues that multi-faceted and building-specific plans must be in place and, importantly, need to factor-in the introduction of Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (RPEEPs) that came into force from this April, duly requiring identification and preparation for those individuals who may need help evacuating.

The company’s research uncovers an alarming gap between the understanding and application of this legislation, with most senior housing, property and care sector professionals interviewed rating their knowledge at between five and seven out of ten. One senior property manager rated their confidence in translating obligations into real-life action at just two out of ten.

Incomplete resident information, inconsistent assessment standards, building constraints and uncertainty around responsibility, staffing, training and equipment have been identified as key barriers, with the White Paper warning that identifying someone’s needs via an RPEEP achieves very little without the practical capability to support them.

Concerns are particularly acute across care environments, with separate Evac+Chair research conducted in conjunction with Care Home Magazine reporting that 78% of professionals interviewed only consider ‘Stay Put’ to be appropriate ‘sometimes’ or ‘rarely’ in those instances where residents have mobility or cognitive impairments. Overall, 79% of respondents feel that the use of ‘Stay Put’ in Care Homes should be reconsidered.

Realistic procedures

Summarising the new White Paper’s findings, Claire Blakemore (managing director of Evac+Chair) commented: “The ‘Stay Put’ strategy may be an appropriate Plan A, but no resident should be left without another way out of the building if the conditions supporting it start to crumble. RPEEPs are a significant step forward. However, they must now be backed by realistic procedures, trained individuals on-site and appropriate equipment in order to ensure that Plan B works when lives are at risk.”

Founded back in 1982, Birmingham-based Evac+Chair pioneered the original evacuation chair. Its equipment, training and support now help organisations in more than 70 countries to evacuate people with mobility challenges in both a safe and dignified manner.

This latest publication follows on from the company’s award-winning ‘Risky Business’ White Paper, which raised national awareness of gaps in inclusive workplace evacuation planning.

*Download copies of ‘Beyond Stay Put’ online