Updated guidance on simultaneous evacuation announced

Following consultation, The National Fire Chiefs Council have announced updated guidance on simultaneous evacuation and have introduced a number of key changes.

The guidance sets out measures to support the immediate safety of residents, whilst fully accepting that the principle way to reduce risk is to urgently remediate the non-compliant external wall systems.

The updates to the May guidance are set out below:

• Advises consultation with residents and leaseholders to explore cost/benefit options.
• Emphasises the need to consider the installation of common fire alarms where measures are now, or are likely to be in place for the longer term.
• Provides a clear distinction between waking watch and evacuation management as separate roles.
• Emphasises that residents can carry out waking watches and/or evacuation management duties so long as they are appropriately trained.

This has significant impact on buildings which are operating a waking watch due to cladding issues.