Fire Drills in Schools

Health and safety in schools is a legal obligation and all schools must ensure they comply with health and safety regulations. This means creating a school health and safety policy, compiling school risk assessments, establishing robust control measures, and reviewing and maintaining detailed safety procedures and documentation.

A fire risk assessment is a statutory requirement under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRFSO) (2005), and includes most commercial and public premises in the UK including schools. The RRFSO requires schools to undertake risk assessments to identify the general fire precautions needed to safeguard the safety of occupants such as pupils, teachers and school staff, and any other visitors to the school premises in case of fire, including their safe means of escape should there be a fire.

School fires are not common, Home Office data shows that there are fewer than 500 school fires per year, with 90% of fires limited to one room or causing no damage. To put this into context, there are 29,158 schools in the UK (excluding nurseries). However, when a fire breaks out in a school, a speedy, safely managed evacuation of all occupants is crucial to avoid risk to life. To achieve this, schools must undertake fire drills on a regular basis so that all occupants are well versed in the procedure.

In this article we will discuss in more detail why fire drills are needed in schools, and we will examine the regulations and requirements governing fire drill safety in schools.

Why are fire drills needed in schools?

Fire safety is a critical aspect of maintaining a safe and secure environment for pupils, staff, and visitors in schools. Fires can happen unexpectedly, and schools need to be prepared to deal with such emergencies effectively. Ensuring that the whole school community understands the importance of fire safety, and that everyone has practiced fire evacuation procedures through participating in regular fire drills can prevent accidents, save lives, and protect property.

Fire safety training in schools raises awareness amongst pupils and staff about potential fire hazards in the school environment. It equips them with the knowledge to prevent fires and how to respond appropriately in the case of emergencies. As part of that safety training, conducting regular fire drills is essential to ensure that everyone knows how to act in the event of a fire.

Conducting regular fire safety drills can help schools identify and mitigate any weaknesses in their emergency and evacuation procedures. These changes and improvements can then be made to ensure everyone’s safety. Regularly practising evacuation can also help to improve response times and decrease the likelihood of panic during an actual emergency because everyone knows what to do. These drills help pupils and staff to become more familiar and comfortable with the procedures, allowing for a smoother and more efficient evacuation.

School fire drill requirements

A managed evacuation plan is legally required in schools in the UK and it is the role of the responsible person to oversee this plan, the responsible person is usually the Head Teacher. A well-designed evacuation plan is crucial for ensuring everyone’s safety during a fire.

All schools should ensure that fire drills are carried out on a regular basis at the school to test the proficiency of the evacuation plan. It can also be helpful if fire drills simulate real-life scenarios and involve all pupils and staff. By consistently practising the fire evacuation procedures, the school can identify any issues that need addressing and implement actions to address them.

Schools should appoint and train the requisite number of fire marshals/wardens as identified in the individual school’s fire risk assessment. In addition, all school staff must be trained on fire safety, including how to assist in evacuations. They should be aware of their responsibilities during a fire drill, such as checking that all classrooms and other areas such as toilets have been evacuated, helping all pupils to evacuate, particularly those with vulnerabilities, helping with the roll call to ensure that all pupils and staff are present, and that all the absences are accounted for.

Schools are required to maintain records of each fire drill, including the date, time, duration, and any issues that arose.

How often should fire drills be carried out in schools?

The frequency of the fire drills will depend on the regulations of the school, the size and complexity of the school, and the number of pupils and staff, but it is recommended to conduct the fire drills at least once every six months.

Many schools will schedule a fire drill every school term, and will conduct a fire drill as soon as possible after the start of a new school year. This ensures that new staff and pupils become familiar with the evacuation procedures as quickly as possible. It is crucial to ensure that every member of staff and every pupil is familiar with the school’s fire drill routine, including how to exit the building properly and where to assemble once outside the building.

Should a fire drill highlight any particular issues, it may be advisory to carry out another fire drill as soon as the problems have been addressed in order to test the improved procedure.

Schools should also regularly test their fire alarms to ensure that they are in good working order, it is recommended that this happens on a weekly basis and that a record is kept.

Ofsted fire safety requirements

The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) has specific fire safety requirements for schools that must be followed to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone in the building(s). These requirements include:

• All schools are required by law to conduct a fire risk assessment. This is a comprehensive evaluation of the premises to identify potential fire hazards, evaluate the risk to people and premises, and to determine fire safety measures required. Fire safety measures should be suitable for the age of the pupils. Ofsted emphasise the importance of maintaining a clear and uncluttered environment to minimise the risk of fire. This involves proper storage of flammable materials, regular removal of waste and debris, and ensuring that exits and escape routes are not obstructed. It is crucial to conduct regular inspections to identify and address any potential fire hazards.
• Schools must have the proper fire detection and warning systems in place. This includes smoke detectors, heat detectors, and fire alarms. These systems must cover all parts of the building, including classrooms, hallways, and other common areas. It is essential that these systems are regularly tested and maintained to ensure they are in proper working condition as they are required to quickly detect the presence of a fire and to alert the school’s occupants so that they can safely evacuate. Fire alarms must be tested regularly, and a record of these tests should be maintained.
• Schools must ensure that they have appropriate firefighting equipment in place and that the equipment is regularly inspected and maintained. This equipment includes the appropriate type and number of fire extinguishers, fire blankets, and hose reels. These items should be strategically placed throughout the building and be easily accessible in the event of a fire. It is also important to ensure that all staff members are trained in the proper use of firefighting equipment. Adequate fire safety signage must also be in place in all schools, including signs for fire exits, evacuation procedures, fire extinguisher locations, etc. Fire doors must not be blocked or propped open, and should be regularly inspected to ensure they are functioning properly. Schools must also cooperate with local fire authorities and allow them to carry out fire safety inspections.
• Written fire safety and evacuation plans must be in place. The evacuation plan must detail the procedures for safely evacuating all pupils, staff, and visitors in the event of a fire. This plan should contain the location of assembly points, the responsibilities of staff members in ensuring the safety of occupants and should outline any other procedures to be followed in the event of a fire. It is also important to detail the specific needs of vulnerable occupants, such as young children, the elderly, or individuals with disabilities, special arrangements may need to be in place to ensure that these individuals can safely evacuate in the event of a fire. All escape routes must be clear and accessible, and should be free from obstructions and clearly marked with appropriate signage. 
• Schools must ensure that all staff undertake fire safety training and refreshers, including the procedures to follow in an emergency and the proper use of fire extinguishers. Training records should be kept up to date. Schools must carry out regular fire evacuation drills, at least once a term, to ensure that pupils and staff know what to do in case of a fire. Records of fire drills must be kept.
• All schools must maintain fire safety records, these will include records of fire drills, fire alarm tests, equipment checks and training records. Should any incident of fire occur, this must also be recorded, and schools must continually review and update their fire risk assessment, fire safety plan and evacuation plan, particularly in view of any changes such as building alterations, or changes to staff.

Whilst the Fire and Rescue Service, local authorities, and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), are responsible for enforcing the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in schools, Ofsted will check that schools are complying with these regulations during their inspections to ensure that the environment is safe for pupils, staff, and visitors. Any breaches of fire safety may lead to a negative Ofsted report.

When to carry out school fire drills

As we have stated earlier, fire drills should be carried out on a regular basis, preferably once during each school term, and that scheduling a fire drill at the start of the school year will ensure that all new pupils and new staff members have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with and practice the individual school’s evacuation procedures.

As pupils and teachers can be in different locations within the school’s premises at different times of the day and different days of the week, it is important that fire drills are practiced at different times of day and different days of the week so that everyone recognises that there may be more than one evacuation route and assembly point.

Fire drills regulations

The legal framework governing fire safety in UK schools is designed to prevent incidents and mitigate consequences when they occur. At the centre of fire safety legislation in the UK is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRFSO) 2005. This comprehensive regulation requires schools to undertake a proactive approach to fire safety. Key responsibilities under this order include:

• Conducting a thorough fire risk assessment to identify potential hazards
• Implementing appropriate fire safety measures to mitigate identified risks
• Ensuring that fire safety equipment is installed, maintained, and accessible
• Providing adequate fire safety training including fire drills for all staff members and all pupils

In addition, all schools in the UK must appoint a responsible person(s) who will be accountable for enforcing fire safety within their school, these duties are often delegated to the head teacher or a governing body who should typically have good knowledge of fire safety protocols. All schools should also appoint one or more competent persons known as fire marshals or wardens, these fire marshals/wardens must be trained in assisting prevention and protection activities such as evacuation procedures and fire drills.

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act (HASAWA) 1974 also plays a significant role in fire safety in schools. It mandates that employers, including school administrations, must ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare of their employees and others affected by their operations.

Failure to comply with fire safety regulations can lead to fines or legal action from fire authorities and the potential closure of the premises if the risk is deemed to be severe..

Considerations when planning fire drills in schools

It is essential that escape routes, and the means provided to ensure they are used safely, are managed and maintained to ensure that they remain usable and available at all times when the school premises are occupied. Corridors and stairways that form part of escape routes should be kept clear and hazard free at all times.

Appropriate signs such as fire exit signage and assembly point signage should be prominently displayed throughout the school. They should also take into account the age and ability of pupils to easily see, recognise and understand them.

The means of escape that the school provides must be suitable for the evacuation of everyone likely to be on the premises. This may require additional planning and the allocation of particular staff roles with appropriate training, for example, for assisting disabled or pregnant persons. Fire marshals/wardens should have a ‘buddy’ system or Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) in place for more vulnerable pupils and / or colleagues. A PEEP is an individual plan for a person who may need assistance, for example, a person with impaired mobility or with a cognitive impairment, to evacuate a building or to reach a place of safety/refuge in the event of an emergency.

When planning fire drills, the responsible person should decide whether the drill is to be a scheduled or an unexpected fire evacuation practice. In other words, will staff and pupils be aware that a drill is about to take place or will it be a surprise. The responsible person should consider the advantages of both these options before making their choice, and then proceed to plan accordingly.

Schools should also decide how they are going to assess and evaluate the fire drills once they have taken place. It is useful to set the aim and measurable objectives, this could be in the form of a checklist that might include such things as time targets, actions taken by staff, pupil behaviour etc.

Fire drill checklist

A fire drill checklist is used to ensure that emergency evacuation procedures are established and prepared before the scheduled fire drill. It helps streamline emergency procedures and can be used to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the evacuation procedure and actions those involved. Some items that should be included in a fire drill checklist are:

• Date of fire drill
• Time of fire drill
• Was the drill scheduled or unexpected?
• Names of fire marshals/wardens
• How was the alarm raised?
• Did all fire alarm sounders operate properly? If no, detail
• Were any areas subject to fire alarm isolations? If yes, detail
• Number of people evacuated
• Time taken to evacuate
• Was a complete building sweep carried out? If no, detail
• Was the evacuation orderly? If no, detail
• Did everyone evacuate the building? If no, detail
• Did those evacuating report to the assembly points and remain outside at the assembly points until given further instruction? If no, detail
• Were escape routes clear and unobstructed? If no, detail
• Were exits clear and unobstructed (include objects, vehicles and people etc.)? If no, detail
• Did all fire exit doors open satisfactorily? If no, detail
• Number of people with a PEEP evacuated
• Did anyone request or require assistance from a safety/refuge point? If yes, detail
• Were fire marshals/wardens suitably identified? If no, detail
• Did fire marshals/wardens carry out their role satisfactorily? If no, detail
• Was communication clear and effective during the fire drill? If no, detail
• Was a check made that all persons are present and correct when at the assembly point and the register completed?
• Detail any issues, points or concerns not already covered (this section can highlight good practice and good performance as well as any issues to be addressed.)
• Learning points
• Follow up action(s)

The fire drill assessor should take careful note of the actions of all people taking part in the fire drill evacuation procedure. They should look out for any issues such as people stopping to collect belongings, slow reaction times, problems accessing fire doors or escape routes etc. and ensure that all fire marshals are active and in position. The assessor should also collect information from fire marshals/wardens such as did all occupants to use the fire escape closest to them and follow procedure. It is also useful to encourage pupils, teachers and staff to report any safety concerns or potential hazards that they might have identified during the fire drill.

Using a fire evacuation drill checklist will help schools to identify all the possible issues and take actions to address them. It will also help to identify what needs more attention, what kind of training is needed for staff and what is working well.

School fire drill policies

A school fire safety policy summarises all of the key information about the school’s fire safety strategy and should be set out in writing and be flexible enough to allow for modification. Some schools may include details of their fire drill procedures in this policy, whereas others may detail these in a separate Fire Drill policy. Whichever format is used by a school, it is important that the contents of the policy include information on:

• Staff roles and responsibilities in the event of a fire
• The frequency of fire risk assessments, fire drills and training
• The procedure for testing fire safety equipment
• Assembly point locations for staff, pupils and visitors
• A step by step evacuation plan that will be followed if a fire breaks out
• Special considerations for vulnerable occupants
• The procedure for liaising with the Fire Service
• Fire drill review and evaluation procedure

A school fire drill policy demonstrates the school’s commitment to ensuring that everyone is trained, practiced and prepared in the event of a fire. The policy should clearly communicate the fire evacuation procedure to all the school’s community, pupils, staff, visitors and parents/carers to ensure that everyone knows how to respond efficiently in the case of an emergency. It should be written in an accessible format and tailored to the needs of the various audiences, for example, an easy to read version may be more appropriate for younger pupils.

Final Thoughts

A well-practiced school fire evacuation procedure is crucial to ensure the safety and well-being of all pupils, staff and visitors. By practicing these procedures through regular fire drills, schools can help to reduce panic and confusion during real fire emergencies, identify any issues that may impede a safe evacuation, and safeguard the welfare of the school community