FIRE SAFETY AND EMERGENCY EVACUATION

Policy statement

Little Rockets ensure that our premises present minimal risk of fire, by ensuring the highest possible standard of fire precautions.  The person in charge and all staff are familiar with the current legal requirements.  When necessary, we seek the advice of a competent person, such as our Fire officer, or Fire Safety consultant.  The premises are regularly inspected in line with regulations.

Procedures

    The basis of fire safety is risk assessment.  These are carried out by a ‘competent person’.
    The premises manager has received recognised training in fire safety, sufficient to be competent to carry out the risk assessment, this will be written and will follow current guidelines.
    Fire doors are clearly marked, never obstructed and easily opened from the inside.
    Smoke detectors/alarms and fire fighting appliances conform to BSEN standards, are fitted in appropriate high risk areas of the building and are checked as specified by the manufacturer.
    Our emergency evacuation procedures are approved by the Fire Safety Officer, and are:
1.    Clearly displayed in the premises;
2.    Explained to new members of staff, volunteers and parents; and
3.    Practiced regularly.

    Records are kept of fire drills and the servicing of fire safety equipment.

    Any member of staff leaving Little Rockets must inform a senior member of staff, stating the number of children (if any) that they are taking with them, and where they are going.
    The children become familiar with the fire alarm through regular practices.
    All staff, volunteers and students are shown the fire meeting point and fire exits around the premises, and they are clearly marked.  Children are not left unsupervised in the building, and will always have an adult with them to lead them from the building.
    The emergency services are automatically alerted as soon as the fire alarm is sounded.
    If the children were unable to return to the nursery, the manager will telephone parents/emergency contact numbers to inform parents/carers that the children need to be collected.  If the Manager is unable to contact a suitable person for a child then two members of staff will remain with that child in a place of safety, as near to the setting as possible, and the Manager will continue to try to make contact.

The fire drill record book must contain:

    Date and time of the drill.
    How long it took.
    Whether there were any problems that delayed evacuation.
    Any further action taken to improve the drill procedure.