What to do in case of Fire?
If you discover a fire, move away from immediate danger, alert others and leave by a safe route. Call Triple Zero (000), ask for FIRE and follow the operator’s instructions. Once outside, stay outside.
In workplaces, apartment buildings and other managed facilities, follow the building’s emergency procedures and directions from wardens and emergency services. Hospitals and other facilities with assisted or staged evacuation arrangements may have specific instructions for different areas.
The guidance below concerns building fires. Bushfire emergencies require different planning and advice.
Raise the Alarm Without Delaying Your Escape
Warn people nearby as you move away from danger. Where safe, activate a manual alarm call point and notify the designated warden or responsible staff member in accordance with the building’s procedures.
Do not remain in danger to investigate the fire, locate its source or collect belongings. If safe as you leave, close doors behind you to help slow the spread of smoke and fire.
Use the Nearest Safe Exit
Follow the building’s evacuation arrangements and use a safe exit. The closest familiar doorway may not be the safest option if smoke or fire affects the route.
Leave belongings behind. If you encounter smoke, keep low while moving towards safety. Do not enter a smoke-filled corridor or stairwell simply because it is your usual way out. If the route is unsafe, use a safe alternative where available.
Can You Use a Lift During a Fire?
Use emergency exits or fire stairs. Ordinary passenger lifts should not be used during a fire.
Some buildings have lifts specifically designated for evacuation. Use these only as provided for in the building’s approved emergency arrangements and under the relevant instructions. Fire Rescue Victoria distinguishes these from ordinary lifts in its high-rise fire guidance.
Call Triple Zero (000)
Call from a safe location as soon as possible. Ask for FIRE and provide:
The property address, including the suburb.
The building, floor or area involved, if known.
Details of anyone trapped, missing or needing assistance.
Any other information requested by the operator.
Stay on the line until instructed to disconnect. Do not assume someone else has called. If you are trapped and cannot leave, call immediately and explain your exact location.
Go to the Assembly Area and Stay Clear
After leaving, proceed to the nominated assembly area if it is safe to reach and remain there for further instructions.
Keep away from smoke, building entrances, driveways and emergency vehicle access. Report anyone who may still be inside to the warden or firefighters, including their last known location.
Do not re-enter to search for someone or retrieve belongings. Wait until firefighters advise that returning is safe.
What If You Cannot Get Out?
If smoke or fire prevents escape, move away from it and close doors between you and the fire where possible.
Call Triple Zero (000) immediately. Tell the operator you are trapped, give your precise location and follow their instructions. Keep low to reduce smoke exposure. Where possible, block gaps beneath the door with available towels or clothing to help limit smoke entering.
If safely accessible, a window may help you attract firefighters’ attention. Do not attempt a dangerous climb or jump.
Should You Try to Put the Fire Out?
Evacuation and raising the alarm take priority.
CFA recommends leaving and calling Triple Zero. Its guidance limits attempts at extinguishing a fire to very small fires where appropriate equipment is available and the person is confident and capable of using it.
In a workplace, also follow your training and the facility’s procedures. Never allow an attempt to fight a fire to obstruct your escape or delay others leaving.
Plan Assistance Before an Emergency
Some occupants may need help receiving an alarm, understanding instructions or moving to safety.
Facility planning should identify how assistance will be provided, who is responsible and what arrangements apply if ordinary stairs cannot be used. Where appropriate, this can include a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan.
Staff should understand their assigned responsibilities before an incident. Improvised assistance can create additional risks, particularly where specialist equipment or patient movement is involved.
How Do Evacuation Diagrams Help?
An evacuation diagram provides a visual reference showing your location, exits, routes, assembly information and relevant emergency equipment.
Read it when you first visit or begin working in a building. Identify your location, check the exits and familiarise yourself with the assembly arrangements.
A diagram cannot show changing conditions during a fire. Use it alongside the facility’s procedures and follow directions from wardens and emergency services.
For more detail, read What Is an Evacuation Diagram?.
Keep Your Building’s Information Current
Changes to layouts, exits, equipment or assembly arrangements can affect the information occupants rely on.
COAD88 EVAC PLAN prepares new evacuation diagrams and reviews and updates existing drawings, with on-site services across Melbourne and much of Victoria and remote drafting available Australia-wide using suitable current plans and confirmed site information.
Contact COAD88 EVAC PLAN to discuss your evacuation diagrams.