PEEP Guidance

[Guest SDS]

Hi, 

We have been asked to document a PEEP for a new resident in our supported living facility. The facility provides self-contained accommodation (flats) for service users with mental health/substance use and the only support provided is in relation to these issues (they are generally mobile and live mostly independently). As it stands, staff members on site are not expected to assist in an evacuation. Some blocks are staffed at all times, others have no staff on site at all. This specific site does have security staff on site overnight. 

We have a new resident who uses an electric wheelchair and has been placed on the second floor of the building. On a day to day basis, they are capable of getting around the building without support and live independently. My concern is that the lift they use to get to and from their floor is not a fire fighting lift and is not to be used in the event of a fire. 

The building itself is newly built and the flats have a stay-put policy. Initially we were told that it may be acceptable for the service user to leave their flat and they can go either direction in the corridor to the next compartment and if necessary keep moving compartments (all ventilated) until they reach one of the staircases. I proposed an evac sled is provided in the staircases but the argument is that staff are not on site to assist them down the stairs using the sled. The added complication is that the occupant is bariatric and therefore would require more staff than there are available anyway. 

Is it acceptable for the evacuation plan to be that the resident evacuates horizontally and waits in the staircase (effectively a 'refuge') until fire service intervention? There are no flats that are accessible without having to navigate stairs in the building - ground floor is occupied by offices only. All flats are on upper levels. 

 

Any help would be appreciated. 

 

 

[AnthonyB]

Traditionally no, but as it's flats the Government's response to the Emergency Evacuation Information Sharing Plus (EEIS+) consultation and Residential PEEPs policy does appear to allow fire service rescue as an option from common areas as long as the PEEP is sufficient to enable independent evacuation from the flats where the fire is.