This is a massive question that can noty be easily answered without knowing lots of information.

But first do you have a fire risk assessment if not then get one carried out ASAP as it's required by law. if you do have one then read it and see what is recommended in there.

As for having heat detectors not sure as to the reason other than in the days where people could still smoke in there own flat. Which might still be the case if it is considered their private dwelling. I'm not clear how the care is set-up if the people can not react to a fire alarm how are they able to independently live on their own. does each flat have it's own kitchen or is it just a bedroom it's not clear if the RRFSO would apply in each individuals person flat or not or just to the communal areas.

i think it needs to be made a bit clearer on what the level of care is to know wht legislations applies or doesn't apply. In a more traditional care home then you would be responsible for evacuating the building and ensuring suitable procedures are in place. But still under the current wording of the RRFSO a lose of life in one room is considered acceptable or not preventable. changing to smoke detectors rather than heat detectors would give early warning and as well as sounding in the flat it might need to also sound at a central fire panel especially if the occupant would be unable to escape from the flat independently. what level of staff are on site to cover any emergency and also to provide care also is there 24hr cover.

Phil

Thanks Phil,

We do have an FRA which has not mentioned this topic at all. We have commisioned another on from a more professional firm due to some other things that were also missed (like 2 inch gaps down the middle of fire doors).

Currently we do allow for smoking and cooking in flats except for in the dementia units. This is because we do have and independant living policy. That is why we have this situation; we are giving high needs tenants a place in an independnt living scheme albeit Extra Care.

The heat detector is in the kitchen/living room, and there is a door separating the kitchen/living area from the hjallway and bedroom so a fire in these areas would be detected very late by the heat detectors. the are hard-wired smokes in each princial room.

We are aproaching this from a duty of care perspective rather that RRFSO although we have had talks with the FB regadrding this matter.

We are staffed 24 hours, but nowhere near enough to have a full evacuation policy.

I think we are in a situation where we will have to justify a 'resuce' policy for fires in an individual flat and provide adequate training but I feel uncomfortable with this... About as uncomfortable as the care staff feel about leaving someone to burn.

We are also giving consideration to restricting the cooking and smoking in flats dependant on care needs assessments and PEEPs but there are issues with this as well...

Basically a nightmare!

I would be of the opinion that if a fire did start in a flat then as well as sounding in the flat it should also be altered on the main fire control panel although this may happen after a short time delay. You can buy hush units which are fitted in the flat so if the detector is set off my burnt toast then the occupier can silence the unit but if there is a real fire and it isn't silenced within a set time period then it would alarm up on the main panel and possible the communal alarms depending how you want it setup.

i would move away from heat detectors to smoke detectors for the dependant areas as these should give early warning . as for entering a flat that has a fire alarm sounding then there could be steps that you take before entering like looking through letterboxes of feeling the door knob or door with the back of the hand and opening the door a fraction. One way or another you need to confirm if there is a fire or not as you will either need to call the fire brigade cancel them or start evacuating flats next to the one that's on fire.

Again this does need proper planning as to what is best to do in a given situation. but allowing people to cook and smoke in there flats who might then forget they have left something on in the flat is possible looking for something to happen sooner or later.

Phil