Posted By David
Could someone please clarify whether a fire drill is required within a block of flats that the residents own, but pay a service charge.
In a bed and breakfast or small hotel just setting the alarm off once a week is good enough, however, with 200 flats within a block, how can this be achieved.

Look forward with your comments.

Dave

Posted By David
Hello Bob

Rob, the building is owned by an organisation, these are the responsible persons for the building, even though the flats have been purchased. Tests of call points are completed every week, so surely a fire drill is required.
Look forward to your comments.

Posted By Rob Randall
Hi Dave,

as I said in my previous reply the answer is no because all of the flats are individual private dwellings regardless of whether they are owned by an organisation or owner occupied.

Regards,

Bob R

Posted By Rob Randall
Merv,

You say

"They may be private flats but I would maintain that it is the responsibility of the proprietor to ensure that everyone has evacuated or been accounted for."

The proprietor is most definitely not responsible either legally or ethically. they are private dwellings.

The whole thing is a logistical nightmare. Are the residents in or out? Are they perhaps just not aswering the door? Do they want to take part in a drill, after all they are under no obligation and some would probably even ignore the fire alarm. How many people live in each flat? Do they have any visitors?

You yourself admit that you have never achieved a 100% roll call (a useless system in my view anyway) but how would you propose to "sweep" private dwellings?

Regards,

Bob R

Posted By David Bannister
Shaun appears to be spot on in my view.

My mother lives in a block of flats with 18 individual dwellings on 4 floors. Whilst she is not the oldest she is one of the more frail residents and although she is still able to live on her own she needs assistance with some aspects of living. She is fully alert but rather deaf and slow-moving.

I believe that any attempt to arrange a fire drill for this block of flats is pointless and probably dangerous too.

There is no alarm system in place, other then individual residents own standalone arrangements.

There have been large numbers of fires in blocks of flats/apartments and sadly large numbers of fatalities. How many fatalities or casualties have occurred in adjacent dwellings? I don't know the answer but I suspect that it is a very low number, thanks to standards of building specification and construction, separation and the emergency services.

As a final point, I worry very much about other residents using wedges to prop open landing doors and have previously thrown the offending things in the dustbin. My mother knows better now - I've been very assertive in my education and she has taken up the challenge to remove this habit from the residents.

Posted By Richard Hammer
Surely david bannister the FRA would have advised a Grade 2 LD2 FIRE SYSTEM IF THE PROPERTY IS NOT BUILT IN ACCORDANCE TO THE BUILDING REGS.?
Installing battery operated smoke detectors on landings as a temporary measure {having a system of checks being recorded}.

Wouldn't the less able persons be more at ease if they knew an emergency plan was in place and the fire services knew about it.
Even though fire may stay within that private dwelling normal human behaviour is to try and escape and not stay put.

In my experience some of the flat front doors are in such a state that smoke would be the main hazard if the staircases are not protected.....again all info that should come out in the FRA.

Posted By David Bannister
I know my last post is repeat of the original posting but now I'm confused.

Posted By Mark Duff
The Fire Safety Order does cover common areas of residential blocks but not the individual dwellings.

As there is no requirement for an evacuation drill for the dwellings arranging such a drill could have serious implications. The responsible person may make themselves liable for any injury caused by the drill. They may also leave themselves liable for financial losses (imagine the security risk of all those unattended dwellings!).

Develop an emergency plan, discuss it with your Fire & Rescue Service and issue copies to all residents.

Residents may not have the physical or mental capabilities to undertake such an exercise and you have neither the ability or right to make such assessments.

Introducing hazards that were not there can lead to serious legal and financial implications. Morally - a mans home is his castle and where he goes to get away from people controlling his life!!!

Duffer