Can you guys and girls help me?

[Guest]

Hi folks

To cut a long story short our organisation has sold of some land to another firm who are constructing a brand new building on it. Part of our conditions of selling them the land was that they incorporated our nursery and creche facilities in their new building and that we would have a joint nursery between both organisations.

The proposed new nursery is on the first floor of the new building. With over 60 children ranged between 3 months to 8 years old potentially going to use the facilities we feel that a first floor location is ludicrous particularly as staff will have to evacuate these young children down a flight of stairs to safety.

Obviously the building layout will have gone through planning control and has been accepted as being ok by them and the brigade.

But does anyone have any suggestions on how to evacuate 60 kids with just 10 members of staff down a flight of stairs.

Ive looked into evacuation cots but having searched the internet cant find a supplier!

Can anyone help?

Best wishes!

[AnthonyB]

This may sound daft, but you could get the older children out quickly with minimal staffing by making "fire drill" into a game (educates, removes panic & allows practice) With an adult at the front and back the kids could be taught to form a "conga" line down the stairs (but in a careful manner!). By involving the older kids in this way and practicing in advance of the event you can leave the majority of the staff free for the really young.

For the babies, why not ask your local hospital's fire officer as to how they would evacuate them if the need should arise.


Of course you shouldn't have accepted the first floor in the first place and your land deal should have been more specific, but it's too late for that.

[smoke monkey]

Lets do some maths....

60 kids..divided by 10 teachers = 6 kids per teacher.
If a teacher cant handle evacuating 6 kids then God help us all.

Regular fire drills is the answer..and making sure everyone keeps calm.

Send them down stairs in groups of 6 kids or 10...spaced apart by a few seconds..to eliminate bottle necks at exits and you should be ok.
Also ask your local fire station to come and gice you some advice and they will be only too happy to help.

[nearlythere]

Make sure the proposal goes through the proper development process with Building Control. It will identify the nature of the risk and the level of passive fire safety measures required to include an early warning detection of fire.
As smokey monkey says contact your fire & rescue service. It is legally obliged to provide you with assistance.

[Mr. P]

Good call Nearly, also for creches & nursery, other agencies get involved. 
Smoke Monkey, it's not just a case of doing math.  For different aged children - it's different ratio's.