Fire safety
Residents should ensure they are familiar with what to do in the event of a fire.
Unless the fire is in your flat or immediately outside the safest option is usually to remain in your apartment ('stay put'), rather than endanger yourself by entering a potentially smoke-filled environment.
FIRE IN YOUR FLAT:
Do not stay to fight a fire unless you can extinguish it immediately.
Evacuate everyone in the flat.
Close all doors behind you and make your way out of the building.
Use the stairs, never the lift.
If there is a lot of smoke, crawl along the floor where the air will be clearer.
Call 999 as soon as you are able to do so, and notify security/the concierge of the situation.
FIRE IN ANOTHER PART OF YOUR BUILDING:
The advice is 'stay put': stay in your home unless heat or smoke is affecting you, or if you feel safer exiting the building and it is safe to do so.
Call 999 and ask for Fire. Then call the security office.
Close all windows and doors to restrict the spread of smoke.
Await further instructions from the London Fire Brigade.
If you become affected by heat or smoke, leave your flat as described above.
If you are in a communal part of the building and there is a fire, leave the building and call 999.
Modern apartment blocks are constructed to minimise the spread of fire, and will typically provide 30-60 minutes protection from fire.
Most fires start in kitchens, and you may wish to keep a fire blanket or kitchen extinguisher nearby.
In order not to compromise fire safety you must obtain approval for ANY alterations within your apartment.
Fire alarm
If smoke is detected in the lobbies or other communal areas the fire alarm will be triggered on the fire panel in the security control room. Security will investigate and call the fire brigade if necessary. *Please note, you will not hear a fire alarm in your building*
Automatic smoke extraction will be also be triggered - you may see the doors to the ducts open in your floor's lift lobby - and automatic fire doors will close in the ground-floor lobbies.
It is generally only in extreme circumstances (e.g., an an out-of-control fire in your apartment) that you should consider evacuating the building if you have not been instructed to do so. If you feel unsafe you should evacuate the building if it is safe to do so. In the event of evacuating the building, remember to use the emergency stair wells (not the lift), and if safe to do so close all windows and doors before exiting your apartment.
Smoke detectors
Your apartment is fitted with mains powered smoke detectors, with battery back-up to ensure safe operation in the event of a power failure. You should check your alarms work on a regular basis. A battery requiring replacement will emit a regular 'chirruping' sound. Smoke alarms have a limited lifespan and after 10+ years the smoke sensors may lose sensitivity. If replacing your smoke alarms consider whether a heat alarm may be more appropriate in certain locations.
In addition to the smoke detectors you can see in hallways and bedrooms there are also smoke detectors located in ceiling voids, connected to the FCUs (see Heating). In the event that the smoke detector is triggered, a running FCU will automatically switch off to prevent it from dispersing smoke and fumes. If you hear a chirruping coming from your ceiling but there’s no smoke detector visible you will need to open the ceiling hatch closest to the noise in oder to access.
Fire prevention
Residents have an obligation as part of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to make sure they don't compromise the fire safety of the block for themselves and other users of the building. To ensure this you must:
make sure that the smoke alarms in your home are working and regularly tested.
not overload electrical sockets, cover convector heaters or leave lit candles and heaters close to curtains and furniture. Use this handy ‘socket overload calculator’ to ensure that you are not overloading sockets and extension leads.
not block fire escape routes or leave items in common hallways/lobby areas that could be trip hazards or impede exit in an emergency. This includes prams, toys and bicycles etc.
ensure that the main entry door of your flat complies with the requirement of BN EN 1634-1:2008, which are: 30-minute fire resistance; self-closing; intumescent strips; and cold smoke seals.
make sure fire doors in common areas self-close properly and are not wedged, tied or otherwise held open.
not smoke in communal areas of the building.
not inadvertently damage the building's fire protection when making changes to your flat. All structural/material alterations made to flats must be authorised by the managing agent. Please note that door frames and living room doors have intumescent strips which expand on exposure to heat, forming a seal. This helps prevent smoke from getting through the door. Please do not paint the strip or use chemical paint strippers on the seals.
not use radiant heaters with a flame, such as gas or paraffin, or electric-bar heaters.
not ever leave candles unattended and do not leave light-reflecting objects close to where they may catch the sun and cause a fire to start.
only use rooms for their intended purposes, such as sitting, eating and sleeping. Do not use them as store rooms or workshops.
not store highly flammable materials in your apartment, balcony, car park space or communal areas.
familiarise yourself with the fire action plan, what to do if you discover a fire, the quickest and safest escape route, and the location of the 'break glass' fire alarm panel in your lift lobby.
understand the importance of building security, making sure doors are closed behind you when you enter/leave, and be vigilant for deliberate fire setting.
ensure you do not block entrances/exits to allow access for emergency services at all times.
report essential repairs needed to fire safety measures in your flat or elsewhere within the block.
contact the concierge/security immediately if you see or hear of a fire in another part of the building. Remain in the safety of your own home and await the advice of the Fire Brigade.
The London Fire Brigade have produced a leaflet on fire safety.
In the event of an evacuation of the building the fire assembly point is outside of Canary Riverside at Westferry Circus.