Posted By Brian Peirce Can anyone advise if there is a minimum distance requirement from the building being evacuated for the safe place of assembly? A colleague has mentioned that some years ago he was advised the distance should be at least 200 metres from the bulding being evacuated. I am unable to find any reference to this. My understanding is that the place of assembly should be part of a risk based approach. The building in question is a multi occupancy 14 floor office block with low risk office activity. Thanks in anticipation of responses.

Posted By Terry Smyth I agree entirely with Sean! When you have identified a suitable place, indicate by signage the chosen assembly point(s) and make sure that they are also marked on your fire action signs that are in the building (usually at fire call points and/or final exit points. Regards Terry

Posted By James Goodstadt You may also be able to get an answer by asking your question on the forum of the "Means of Escape" website - http://www.means-of-escape.com/toast/toast.asp Hope this helps Regards James Goodstadt

Posted By Kate Graham My colleagues were convinced there must be a regulation about minimum distance that wouldn't allow us to use our car park - they thought we ought to be crossing the road and using someone else's car park! Common sense did prevail as I pointed out we could always cross the road later if flames were indeed pouring out of the building (most people's image of a fire evacuation it seems). Kate

Posted By Andy Lightbody I am unaware of any specific distance in any Regulations relating to fire, however, the demolition regulations require a safety zone twice the height of the building as being the potential collapse zone. A risk assessment on the potential of explosion may require this increased. In your case, assuming a 3-4 metre storey height the zone should be about 112 metres (i.e 4m X 14 storeys x 2) from the building in any direction in which it could collapse. It should be remembered that a role call needs to take place at the assembly point and confirmation of all present provided to the Fire Brigade Officer/Building Manager in control of any fire event. The further the assembly point is away, the longer to action the role call due to the time for all to get there and longer to notify the persons in charge of any unaccounted persons by returning to the Incident Control Post. Assembly points requiring crossing of roadways should be avoided due to the risk posed by the roadway itself. Having said all the above, in my experience of numerous premises evacuations you will be lucky if all personnel attend the assembly point from a multi-storey building either due to lack of training within individual organisations and or panic reaction in a real fire situation.

Posted By Terry Smyth As a fire officer, it's interest to see such a diverse expression of view points. It is imperative that assembly points are clearly identified with appropriate signage, as even though evacuating staff members are aware of the procedures, visitors and contractors are not. The green safe indication rectangle with the words assemmbly point (in white) are recognised internationally. It is important that a role call is taken and the results given to the fire officer of the first attending appliance to arrive. If someone has not been accounted for, the officer will immediately initiate search and rescue procedures which will enevititably require additional resources. the officer will therefore commit manpower to carry out a search of (possibly a burning building)in the location were the person unaccounted for was last seen. the officer will not be at all happy if he has done so, exposing his colleagues to unnecessary danger, if the person has just gone of for a smoke etc. If anyone needs to leave an assembly point for whatever reason, they should inform the person assuming responsibility of their intentions, and must not re-enter the evacuated building for whatever reason. Exceptions to the assembly point exist for residential care homes and hospitals,whereby protected refuges are used but thats another topic in itself. Regards terry

Posted By Sean Fraser Not sure if the Brigade have a legal right to make you follow their requests, but since they are far more competent at than any of us (excluding ex-fire officers of course!) so we would be foolish not to adhere to their advice! Fire officers on this forum have already mentioned the dangerous nature of fire and the way it can be "hidden" inside wall cavities and seeming to have been controlled and extinguished, only to re-appear later with possibly catastrophic consequences. In the same way that First Aiders are advised to call ambulances and then relinquish control to medical staff on arrival, anyone calling the Fire Brigade in needs to let them take charge when they arrive. After all, they are the experts!

Posted By Matthew Joseph O'Farrell I think the 200m zone may refer to the fire risks connected with storage of gas cylinders - LPG, Oxygen, acetylene, etc. Regards M.