Fire Evacuation Procedures

Evacuation Information

Evacuation Procedures

In the event of the fire alarm sounding continuously:

• Leave the building immediately via the nearest exit, and go to the evacuation assembly area, clear of Fire Service Operations.
• DO NOT return to the building until the all clear is given by the Fire Service.

Evacuation Assembly Areas

City Campus

• Block A, Grassed area in front of A Block.
• Block B, Roadway outside B Block.
• Block C, Wintec car park clear of building / Grassed area in front of A Block.
• Block D, Grassed area in front of A Block.
• Block E, Grassed area in front of A Block.
• Block P, Wintec car park clear of building.
• Block R, Grass verges, clear of building.
• Block S, Grass verge between S Block and the Marae.
• Car Park Building, Grassed area in front of A Block / Nisbet Street.
• Gallagher Hub, Grassed area in front of A Block.
• Kidz@Wintec, Wintec car park clear of building.
• Te Kopu Mania Marae, Wintec car park clear of building.
• Wintec Apartments, Wintec car park clear of building.
• Wintec House, Grassed area in front of A Block / Nisbet Street.

Rotokauri Campus

• Block C, Wintec car park clear of building
• Block D, Wintec car park clear of building
• Block E, Wintec car park clear of building
• Block F, Wintec car park clear of building
• Block G, Wintec car park clear of building
• Block H, Wintec car park clear of building
• Block I, Wintec car park clear of building
• Block L, Wintec car park clear of building
• Block M, Wintec car park clear of building
• Block O, Wintec car park clear of building
• Block P, Wintec car park clear of building
• Block Q, Wintec car park clear of building
• Hub, Wintec car park clear of building

Hamilton Gardens Campus

• Hort Centre, car park clear of building

Staff Responsibilities

Discovery of Fire

• Should you discover fire before the activation of the fire alarm system, activate the nearest fire alarm callpoint by breaking the glass and turning on the switch.
• Remove all persons from the room of the fire.
• Only if conditions permit should attempts be made to fight the fire.
• Close the door on the room of the fire.
• Assist in the evacuation of persons closest to the area of danger to the nearest exit.
• Continue evacuating persons next closest to the affected area avoiding moving them past the fire.
• Continue the total evacuation of the building to the assembly area.
• Ensure all toilet areas are cleared.
• Report to the Building Warden (or Fire Service Operations Commander outside of normal working hours) at the Fire Alarm Panel where areas are evacuated / or unable to check.
• DO NOT return to the building until the all clear is given by the Fire Service.

Staff Responsibilities After Hours

• Staff who occupy the building after normal working hours shall assume the role of Floor Wardens, and shall be responsible for their own evacuation, and that of any students or visitors to the Assembly Areas.
• In the event of the fire alarm sounding continuously, check your immediate area, and leave the building by the nearest exit.
• Report to the Fire Alarm Panel and advise the Fire Service Operations Commander where areas are evacuated / or unable to check.
• DO NOT return to the building until the all clear is given by the Fire Service.

Disabled Persons

What about people with disabilities?

People with disabilities - whether the disability is permanent or temporary, should not be forgotten in an emergency.

They should be taken to a pre-determined safe area near the stairs or exit doors and, if their disability prevents them from immediate evacuation, a person capable of helping them from the building should stay with them.

Once everyone else has safely left the building and the exit is clear, disabled persons should then be evacuated.

Disabled Persons Register

We are required by the regulations to have a Disabled Persons Register available at all times to the Building Warden and Fire Service.

The Disabled Persons Register is located in the Building Warden Checklist Manual with the Building Warden.

If you know of any person who is a regular visitor to the building, please ensure that person is entered on the register. Please also note the type of assistance they may require.

This will enable the Building Warden to quickly check during an emergency, whether there are other persons requiring assistance from the building, other than staff.

Means of Escape

Always ensure:

• They are kept clear of obstacles at all times.
• Exit doors are not locked, barred or blocked so as to prevent occupants from leaving the building.
• Smoke control and fire-stop doors are not kept open by methods other than hold open devices that comply with the building code.
• Stairwells and passageways which are designed specifically for means of escape from fire are not used as places of storage or places where refuse is allowed to accumulate.
• Flammable cleaning liquid or material or any other like flammable liquid or material should not be stored near or within any part of the building used as a means of escape from fire, and shall be in non-combustible containers with close fitting lids.

Important Points to Remember

• How you react in a fire will depend on how well you have prepared yourself before it happens.
• Know the location of all the exits from the building.
• Learn where the nearest fire alarm is.
• Learn where your fire fighting and first aid equipment is located. Ensure you understand which types of extinguishers are provided for the types of fire likely to occur in your building.
• Before opening a door, feel it with the back of your hand. If it is hot, leave it closed and use another escape route. If it feels normal, brace your body against it and open it slightly - be prepared to slam it shut if heat or smoke rushes in.
• If you get trapped in smoke, crawl low at floor level because that is where the clear air will be.
• Close all doors behind you as you leave.
• DO NOT re-enter the building until the Fire Service has told you it is safe to do so.

General Information

What is a Fire?

Fire is a chemical process requiring the combination of three factors - Oxygen (Air), Fuel and Heat. Remove ONE of these components and the fire goes out.

How to Extinguish a Fire

Remove FUEL to starve a fire:

1. Switch off electricity.
2. Close gas supply valve.
3. Create a fire break.

Cool HEAT by using water:

1. Fire hose reels.
2. Water type fire extinguishers.
3. Automatic sprinklers.

Replace OXYGEN to smother the fire:

1. Carbon dioxide gas (CO2).
2. Foam.

Interfere CHEMICALLY with the chain reactions taking place in the flames:

1. Dry chemical powder.

Classifications of Fires

Fires are classified according to the nature of the burning material.

Class A

A fire involving combustible solid materials. e.g. wood, paper, clothing, bedding, upholstery, rubber, etc.

Action necessary to fight fire: Cool by saturation with water, and/or smother to exclude oxygen. i.e. Water, CO2 & Multi-Purpose Dry Powder extinguishers.

Class B

A fire involving burning liquids or liquifiable solids e.g. petrol, diesel, kerosene, cooking oils and fats, spirits, paints, solvents, etc.

Action necessary to fight fire: Isolate the fuel supply, contain the liquid, smother to exclude oxygen. i.e. Foam, CO2 and Multi-Purpose Dry Powder extinguishers.

Class C

A fire involving burning gasses or liquified gasses. e.g. various liquified petroleum gas systems used to fuel cooking stoves.

Action necessary to fight fire: Isolate the fuel supply, and then cool and smother the fire. i.e. CO2 extinguisher.

Electrical Fires

Action necessary to fight fire: Isolate the electrical supply then treat as Class A or B fire. i.e. CO2 or Multi-Purpose Dry Powder extinguisher.

Fire Extinguishers

Portable fire extinguishers carry a label indicating the class of fire on which they should be used.

Water type extinguisher

Fights the fire by cooling action. Direct the water jet at the base of the flame and keep it moving across the fire. A fire spreading vertically should be attacked at it's lowest point and followed up.

Suitable for Class A fires (burning solids). Not suitable for Class B fires (burning liquids) or for use in the presence of electricity.

Dry powder & CO2 type extinguishers

Fights the fire by smothering. Remove the safety pin. Direct the jet or horn towards the near edge of the fire, and with a sweeping motion drive the fire towards the far edge until all flames are extinguished - beware of reignition which generally involves the whole surface area.

Suitable for all classes of fire.

Foam extinguishers

Fights the fire by smothering with a foam blanket to exclude oxygen. Follow the instructions on the extinguisher. Aim the jet at the inside edge of the container or at the adjoining vertical surface above the level of the burning liquid. This breaks the jet and allows the foam to build up and flow across the surface of the liquid. Where this is not possible, stand well back, direct the jet above the fire and with a gentle sweeping motion allow the foam to drop down and lie on the surface of the liquid. DO NOT aim the jet directly into the liquid because this will drive the foam beneath the surface and render it ineffective. In addition, it may spread the fire by splashing onto surrounding combustible materials.

Suitable for Class B fires (burning liquids) and for most fires involving flammable liquids.

Fire Hose Reels

Fights the fire by cooling action. Follow the instructions on the hose reel and apply as a spray.

Suitable for Class A fires (burning solids). Not suitable for Class B fires (Burning liquids) or for use in the presence of electricity.

ALWAYS ensure that you have turned on the water supply tap in the hose reel cabinet before unravelling the hose.

When to Stop Fighting a Fire

DO NOT continue to fight a fire if:

• It is dangerous to do so.
• There is a possibility that the exit route may be cut off by flame and smoke.
• The fire continues to grow in spite of your efforts.
• There are gas cylinders threatened by the fire.

If you have to withdraw, close doors behind you whenever possible to confine the fire.

Fire spreads quickly; a speedy resourceful attack is essential and a fire extinguisher or hose reel is only as good as the person who knows how to operate it to the greatest advantage.