PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to ensure all children and staff at Happy Hearts Nursery remain safe in case of fire.
DEFINITIONS
Safety – freedom from harm or danger
Drill - to fix something in the mind or habit pattern of by repetitive instruction
Evacuation - the action of evacuating a person or a place.
POLICY STATEMENT
At HAPPY HEARTS NURSERYwe make sure the nursery is a safe environment for children, parents, staff and visitors through our fire safety policy and procedures.
Happy Hearts Nursery has an annual maintenance contract with Fireman Safety Services Company that ensures all fire related safety and procedures are set in place.
Happy Hearts Nursery has an overall responsibility for the fire drill and evacuation procedures. These are carried out and recorded for each group of children every three months or as and when a large change occurs, e.g. a large intake of children or a new member of staff joins the nursery. These drills will occur at different times of the day and on different days to ensure evacuations are possible under different circumstances and all children and staff participate in the rehearsals.
The Fireman Safety Services checks fire detection and control equipment and fire exits in line with the timescales in the checklist below.
Registration
An accurate record of all staff and children present in the building is kept at all times and children/staff must be marked. An accurate record of visitors is kept in the visitor’s book. These records must be taken out along with the register and emergency contacts list in the event of a fire.
No smoking policy
The nursery operates a strict no smoking policy – NO SMOKING signs are displayed at appropriate locations in the nursery.
Fire drill procedure
On discovering a fire:
- Calmly raise the alarm by ringing the alarm.
- Immediately evacuate the building under guidance from Fireman Safety Services
- Using the nearest accessible exit lead the children out, assemble at Front entrance gate No. 2
- Close all doors behind you wherever possible
- The staff has to guide the children through the escape route indicated in the EVACUATION PLAN which is displayed in each and every classroom.
- Children below two years are to be assisted by their nannies/babysitters to follow the EVACUATION PLAN.
- Do not stop to collect personal belongings on evacuating the building
- Do not attempt to go back in and fight the fire
- Do not attempt to go back in if any children or adults are not accounted for
- Wait for emergency services and report any unaccounted persons to the fire service/police.
If you are unable to evacuate safely:
- Stay where you are safe
- Keep the children calm and together
- Wherever possible alert the manager of your location and the identity of the children and other adults with you.
Checklist for the teachers-
- Pick up the children’s register, staff register, mobile phone, keys, visitor book and fire bag/evacuation pack (containing emergency contacts list, nappies, wipes and blankets)
- Telephone emergency services: dial 999 and ask for the fire service
- In the fire assembly point area - check the children against the register
- Account for all adults: staff and visitors
- Advise the fire service of anyone missing and possible locations and respond to any other questions they may have.
Remember
- Do not stop to collect personal belongings on evacuating the building
- Do not attempt to go back in and fight the fire.
- Do not attempt to go back in if any children or adults are not accounted for.
IMPLEMENTATION DOCUMENTS
Please refer to the following documents to ensure the effective implementation of the policy:
- Fire checklist
- Fire drill log
