Fire emergency action

Shout out

If you discover a fire:

• Do not attempt to extinguish fires unless you have received training.
• Raise the alarm verbally: evacuate and break the glass on a red call point on your way out.

Get out

• Evacuate immediately when you hear the alarm. Do not finish tasks, collect items or lock doors.
• Any visitors and students you are supervising are your responsibility, ensure they evacuate.
• Follow green running figure and arrow signs to shortest exit route (which may not be the way you came in).
• If your escape route is blocked turn around and follow signs in another direction.
• Do not run: it can cause panic and injury. Do not use lifts.
• Close doors behind you to slow the spread of fire and smoke, and to help protect others. Only lock doors if there is a high-security risk.
• Aid persons that may require assistance with evacuation, if safe to do so. Or help them to get to a protected staircase or refuge point and inform the Building Evacuation Controller.
• Report information to our Building Evacuation Controller (the ones wearing a reflective jacket) on areas or people affected by smoke or fire, or who have failed to evacuate.
• If you cannot escape the area, get as far away from the fire as you can, preferably to a lower floor or a protected staircase. Contact Security staff using intercoms in protected staircases or by calling 0800 389 8455.

Stay out

• Go to the nearest dedicated point. Our fire wardens will direct you to it.
• Keep away from the exterior doors, the Fire and Rescue Service may need access and you may block the exit.
• Do not enter until you are told to by Security or fire wardens, even if the alarm stops sounding (as it may be silenced for the Fire Service). Wait until Security staff have instructed you that the building is safe to re-enter. Please re-enter the building in an orderly fashion. Staff should enter before students.

Protecting your safety, the safety of your colleagues and the Security team is paramount in a fire. Failure to evacuate, or tampering with fire alarms and fire safety equipment, puts lives at risk and can result in disciplinary action for the offender.

• Fire evacuation map – Luton Campus [PDF]
• Fire evacuation map Bedford Campus [PDF]

Disabled persons

If you have a permanent or temporary disability that may mean you have difficulty in evacuating our buildings, you can arrange to have a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP). Please speak to your manager or, for students, Student Support: disability@beds.ac.uk) to arrange for a PEEP. Managers can seek advice from the Health and Safety Team by emailing healthandsafety@beds.ac.uk

Find out more about Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans

See also

• Fire responsibilities
• Fire Safety policy [PDF]
• Building Evacuation Controllers Record of Evacuation [DOC]