Fire evacuations review for high rise building

[Guest]

We all recognised the fact that an improperly ordered evacuation in a high rise blaze can send people into a smoky stairwell where they may be trapped by locking doors.

Because of this, some fire officials believed that only firefighters are authorized to order evacuations. What is your view on this?

Can building manager order an evacuation for the floors immediately above and below a blaze?
Or only fire personnel can order evacuations in high-rise buildings?

Is it morally acceptable to advise people not to evacuate unless they feel their [lives are] in imminent danger?

Lack of plan and procedures can lead to confusion among the occupants in high rise evacuation!

[Chris Houston]

Dear Poster,

There seems to be a lot of very similar recent posting regarding the evacuation of high rise buildings.

Just out of pure curiosity, can I ask why you ask?

To answer your points, I very much doubt if building managers would delay an evacuation, I think the more realistic problem is motivating the occupants to evacuate at all.

I don't think it is morally acceptable to wait until their lives are in imminent danger, I'd evacuate people as soon as there was any danger from fire, in the safest possible order.

Yes, lack of plans will not help - I think your stating the obvious there.

[Guest]

Chaos follows fire at...........

http://www.nbc5.com/news/3756116/detail.html

Are high rise buildings prepared for mass evacuation?

[Guest]

“Proper education of occupants on quick evacuation and escape routes, accessibility of fire engines to the structure, adequate water supply source, installation and proper maintenance of smoke-detection and control devices and a proper public-address system go a long way in minimising the damage. Lives are often lost through irrational behaviour triggered by panic,”

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040927/asp/calcutta/story_3803477.asp#

[wee brian]

The approach to this issue varies depending on which country you are in.

In the UK we would evacuate a building, sometimes progressively in phases or stages. This would be without the need for instruction by the fire service.

In other countries there is a presumption that you should wait for a firefighter to tell you that its time to evacuate. In my view by the time the fire service make that decision its cutting it too fine. But I am English and used to the approach used in the UK so I may be biased.

[Guest]

I m not English and not from UK, but I fully agree to wee brian:

Quote:
"In the UK we would evacuate a building, sometimes progressively in phases or stages. This would be without the need for instruction by the fire service."

In my view, this make sense and is a wise approach. However, the one from the building who is authorised to give order for evaccuation must be well-trained to do it rightly!

[wee brian]

Again in the UK - The common approach is that the fire detection system will automatically signal the evacuation.

In more complex buildings there will be a need for appropriately trained staff but even in these situations there is a tendency for the evacuation to be automatic unless the management staff intervene to delay it.

The only drawback is that false alarms can result in considerable disruption and therefore financial costs.

This is one of the resons why false alarm reduction is an increasingly important consideration in the UK.

The only variation on this approach in the UK is for Appartment Buildings. It is not considered appropriate to evacuate these buildings unless the fire service feel it is necessary. Each appartment (flat) is seperated from the others by compartment walls and floors. The fire detection systems in each appartment are independant of the others. IN general this approach works very well.