Would you stay ?

Just looking at the poster in our communal hallway that tells us to stay in our flats if there is a fire. Reading about the tower block fire, and chatting to neighbours. We all decided if there was a fire staying put would be last thing we would do and that we would try to make sure the more vulnerable residents were helped out too.

It made me wonder how many in flats will now ignore the advise to stay put ?

Re: Would you stay ?

My first instinct would be to escape as quickly as possible !!!

Re: Would you stay ?

Simple question...in a tower block what is the reason you're expected to stay put?

Obviously fire door essential.

But is it ASSUMED that the rescue services will reach you?

Through the door or through the window?

Re: Would you stay ?

We are told our flats are individual units that fire can't spread from one to another. But pull out my washing machine and I can see down to ground floor through the holes cut for pipe work. My upstairs neighbour can see down through his pipe hole into my bathroom ! That doesn't sound like individual units that can't spread fire to me. No matter how many fire doors they fit if the fire is spreading through the ducting !

Re: Would you stay ?

In this particular block aNd similar ones there is only one staircase so the firemen do not want to fight their way through residents coming down the stairs as they are trying to get hoses etc. up the stairs.

Re: Would you stay ?

Have you taken this up with the person in charge?
It's obviously a lie!
I think that right now you'd stand a pretty good chance of being taken seriously!

Re: Would you stay ?

If I lived in the upper floors of a block of flats Abseil Equipment and a decent anchorage would be essential for a quick exit....Shutting myself in.....Bugger that!

Re: Would you stay ?

Thank you for the explanation.

Re: Would you stay ?

We did when the posters went up and were laughed at. I'm just doing my own thing as others are going to. As long as residents we help each other I am fairly certain we can all get out. I do wish they'd release the fire exit Windows though, as they put metal barriers to stop them being opened fearing we might fall out ! Only if we stepped over the bloody bannister and I don't think any of us are that stupid !

Re: Would you stay ?

Hi

There is supposed to be a protected route, a means of escape.

This is the starwell, which is supposed to be protected by self closing fire doors, which have intumescent strips, these melt at high temperatures and seal the door into the frame.

When I was working for a stint as an EHO, we had regular joint inspections with Shropshire Fire and Rescue, for houses and flats in Multiple Occupation.

They were very knowledgeable people.

They set the standards, the EHOs served the legal notices and enforced them.

Duty of manager to take safety measures
4.—(1) The manager must ensure that all means of escape from fire in the HMO are—
(a) kept free from obstruction; and
(b) maintained in good order and repair.
(2) The manager must ensure that any fire fighting equipment and fire alarms are maintained in
good working order.
(3) Subject to paragraph (6), the manager must ensure that all notices indicating the location of
means of escape from fire are displayed in positions within the HMO that enable them to be
clearly visible to the occupiers.

The above applies to HMO's, basically the same for blocks of flats.

it is some years ago that I was involved in this, but at that time all the EHOs and Housing Inspectors where shown by the Fire Safety Officers how to identify a fire door and check that it was working.

The fire door is supposed to stop smoke from a fire getting into the escape route and just as importantly, provide safe refuge in your flat until the Fire Brigade come and escort you out.

At that time, the Chief Fire Officer, a man called Ian Kerr, was very keen on this joint working.

Something is seriously not right in this particular instance.