The Nursery Manager has overall responsibility for the fire drill and evacuation procedures and the Deputy Manager assists in the implementations of such procedures. These are carried out and recorded for each group of children every month or as and when a large change occurs, e.g. a large intake of children or a new member of staff joins the nursery.
These drills will occur at different times of the day and on different days to ensure evacuations are possible under different circumstances and all children and staff participate in the rehearsals.
Registration:
An accurate record of all staff and children present in the building must be kept at all times and children/staff must be marked in and out on arrival and departure. An accurate record of visitors must be kept in the visitor’s book. These records must be taken out along with the register and emergency contacts list in the event of a fire.
No smoking policy:
The nursery operates a strict no smoking or Vaping policy, which acts as a preventative measure of the starting of a fire – please see no smoking policy
Fire drill procedure:
On discovering a fire:
Calmly raise the alarm.
Immediately evacuate the building under guidance from the person in charge.
Using the nearest accessible exit, lead the children and visitors out and meet at the closest Fire Assembly Point.
Close all doors behind you wherever possible.
Adults and children present on the ground first floor should evacuate the building via the closest designated fire exit. There are 3 exits on this floor which can be used.
Adults and children present on the first floor (pre-school rooms) should calmly walk down the stairs and exit via the closest designated fire exit. Caution must be exercised when escorting the children down the stairs.
Babies or children that are not able to walk unaided should be evacuated from the building through the fire exit located in the Baby Room. Use available baby wagon once outside to safely move babies to the nearest Fire Assembly Point.
If any practitioners are on lunch break during a fire drill the staff are to go immediately to the baby room to help with the children that are playing or sleeping.
Children or adults with mobility difficulties should be escorted from the building by the member of staff attending or caring for that individual/child. Additional support may be required, such as walking aids or another member of staff, depending on the person’s condition.
DO NOT stop to collect personal belongings on evacuating the building
DO NOT attempt to go back in and fight the fire.
DO NOT attempt to go back in if any children or adults are not accounted for.
If you are unable to evacuate safely:
Stay where you are safe
Ensure doors are closed and open windows
Keep the children calm and together
Wherever possible alert the manager of your location and identity of the children and other adults with you.
The person in charge is to:
Pick up the children’s register, staff register, phone, keys, visitor book and fire bag (first aid kit, nappies, wipes and blankets).
Telephone emergency services: dial 999 and ask for the fire service
At the fire assembly point area – (address at bottom of policy) – check the children against the register
Account for all adults – staff and visitors
Advise the fire services of anyone missing and possible locations and respond to any other questions they may have.
All practitioners within the room must take with them:
Room register
First Aid Box
Any medication if needed
Telephone in the event of fire.
Our first priority is to evacuate all children, parents and visitors out of the building as quickly as possible. Below are the procedures we will calmly adopt should the need arise.
Emergency Evacuation & Fire safety Procedures
Fire Risk Assessment:
The Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 2023 calls for all premises to carry out formal Risk Assessments with regard to fire safety in the workplace. A fire safety risk assessment (which is included in the overall daily risk assessment will be carried out every morning before the nursery opens by a senior member of staff).
Means of Escape:
The main exit routes are shown on a map which is located below the fire alarm control panel located near the front door of the nursery. Generally, they are via the fire exits located at the front and both sides of the premises. Adults and children should exit via the nearest and safest route.
Assembly Point:
Route A – From Front door exit: Children, staff and visitors should leave the building through the fire exit doors, turn left from the front garden, walk past the KS2 playground to the grassed area near Tasman Close
Route B – From Back Garden; exit next to playground: exit through wooden gate and stand at furthest point in basketball playground of Giffards Primary School.
Route C – From Back Garden next to brick shed: Exit through wooden gate and stand near Giffards Year 3 entrance.
Fire Warning System:
As soon as anyone discovers a fire, or is aware of any threat, e.g. suspicious package, terrorist attack warning etc., the fire alarm should be activated. Alarms must be acted upon immediately by all staff.
The premises are fitted with a fire alarm system which will activate in all rooms if set off.
Fire drills will be carried out every month. The Health & Safety Designated Officer who is responsible for overall fire safety, will formally record the results of fire drills. In her absence the next person in charge (Deputy Manager) will do this. Smoke alarms are fitted throughout the premises and the Health & Safety Designated Officer will test the smoke alarms weekly as part of the mandatory risk assessments.
Fire Fighting Equipment:
Fire extinguishers are installed at key locations around the building and are maintained in efficient operating condition. An attempt should only be made to tackle a fire after the building has been evacuated and only if it is safe to do so. No member of staff should place themselves in any danger. Operating instructions are printed on each extinguisher and should be read carefully before use.
Responsibilities:
Each room practitioner will have a primary responsibility for ensuring that all children, from within the room they are working at the time, are evacuated at the time the alarm is raised.
A “999” call will be made by the HSDO, or in her absence the next member of staff in charge. They will also be responsible for checking both all of the children’s room including the children’s and adults’ toilets and Staff Room to ensure that no-one is left behind.
The Nursery manager or next person in charge will be responsible for picking up the signing in iPad’s/books and will assist in evacuating the babies from the ground floor if possible.
Adults with the children will take a “head count” once all the children from their rooms reach the assembly point and check that their register accounts for all the children, when the manager calls them out from the main register. The manager will be responsible for ensuring that all staff and visitors are accounted for. Any missing persons must be reported immediately to the manager.
Safety Precautions to minimise risk:
Clear passageways to all escape routes
Clearly marked escape routes
Enough exits and routes for all people to escape
Emergency doors that open easily
Emergency lighting where needed
Training for all employees to know and use the escape routes
A safe meeting point for staff, children and visitors
All waste bins are to be emptied at the end of each working day.
Fire Safety Training:
All personnel will receive relevant fire safety instructions during the induction period, including:
Fire risk areas
Fire avoidance measures
Fire detection, alarm & evacuation drills
Operating firefighting equipment
Address of Fire Assembly Point: