Fire Safety & Evacuation Policy

In-line with the health and safety policy, Happy Feet Preschool, ensure the premises is as risk free from fires as possible.

Aim:

To ensure the building is regularly checked and maintained to a safe standard. The preschool is in a community hall, which regularly runs fire alarm checks to ensure the equipment is working sufficiently. Smoke detectors are fitted with the premises, and fire extinguishers are visible conforming with the British Standards.

In the unfortunate event of a fire Happy Feet Preschool staff must follow the procedure in place.

Procedure:

-       When the alarm sounds, all staff and children meet in the middle of the room, if the fire is inside the meeting point is the shed.

-       The manager will gather the children’s contacts, the register and work phone

-       The deputy manager will head count all the children and take the register, whilst the manager does a search of the building and outside area

-       Children and staff exit the premises calmly via the nearest fire exit

-       The meeting point is the green outside the preschool

-       The children are head counted, and the register is taken again

-       We wait calmly and wait for the fire brigade to arrive to ensure the building is safe to re-enter.

-       In cases of a serious fire emergency, parents are called one by one to come and collect their children from the preschool

The emergency fire procedure is displayed in the setting for staff to see, and another copy displayed on the parents notice board. New staff will be shown the fire procedure in their induction and any visitors will be made aware of the procedure.

The adjoining building test their fire alarms every Wednesday, as the buildings are attached our fire alarm also sounds. We are given a 30-minute warning prior to the test so staff are aware it’s a false drill. We still expect staff and children to meet at the allocated point and complete a head count. The children are then asked about the drill to ensure their knowledge and understanding is up to date. 

To fully ensure the children and staff are aware of the procedure, we will practice the complete evacuation from the building at least once a month.

Records of all fire drills and recorded, ensuring all the following information is documented.

• The date and time the drill occurred
• How long the drill took
• Was the evacuation successful?

Is there any further action that can be implanted to improve the procedure?