What you need to do during an evacuation
During an evacuation, please use the designated fire routes. These will signpost you to an emergency fire exit door. You should then move to either a relative place of safety or – preferably – to a total place of safety.
Relative place of safety – horizontal evacuation to an adjoining building or designated refuge
Total place of safety − assembly point away from buildings
Please be aware that there may be occasions when evacuating into the open air is not in your best interests. In this instance you may hear the invacuation alarm after the evacuation alarm has been sounded. You should follow the evacuation procedure once the evacuation alarm has been heard, but if you subsequently hear the invacuation alarm then you should proceed to the nearest building rather than going directly to the assembly point.
Any visitors must be escorted out of the building by their hosts.
Fire Wardens will be available to assist with evacuation but it is important that evacuees leave quickly and calmly. The wardens will then sweep the building to ensure it is clear and First Responders will manage the evacuation with the fire wardens until the point at which they need to escalate it to a senior manager.
Once a fire alarm has been activated, no-one should re-enter the building until they are told it is safe to do so by either the First Responder or Evacuation Controller (Senior Manager) in charge of the evacuation process for that specific building.
If you need help during an evacuation
The University is keen to ensure that everyone can evacuate a building safely. It is therefore important that that Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) are written for all persons that may require them. There are many people with impaired mobility, for example wheelchair users, people with heart conditions, asthma, those who are injured and on crutches.
PEEPs will also need to be written for hearing impaired and deaf people, visually impaired and blind people, and people with cognitive disabilities.
A PEEP must be completed by the disabled person in conjunction with their line manager, supervisor, or other suitably responsible person
PEEPs should be written using the Standard guidance
There is a standard form for the PEEP downloadable from the links and documents section of this page
The PEEP will detail the extra measures needed to ensure the person has a satisfactory means of escape
Help in writing the PEEP can be obtained from the University Health Safety and Environment Service
Please send your completed PEEP to Security so that they are aware that you need assistance