Fire evacuation procedure for Kirkintilloch Baptist Church, 52 Townhead, Kirkintilloch

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EMERGENCY ESCAPE PROCEDURES

FIRE WARDENS 

• The Stewards on duty for a church service or meeting will assume full responsibility act as Fire Wardens.
• At smaller meetings or gatherings, the person organizing the meeting will act as Fire Warden, or delegate to another member attending the meeting.
• The senior Steward/Fire Warden will clarify each Fire Warden’s duty prior to the commencement of each service/meeting.

ACTIVATION OF FIRE ALARM 

• At the activation of the fire alarm, the Fire Wardens will ensure that everyone in the building is evacuated before leaving the building themselves.
• The senior Steward/Fire Warden will telephone and notify the Fire Brigade of the situation.

EVACUATION OF THE BUILDING 

• The Auditorium will be evacuated through the glazed double doors located at the south end of the room, and the fire escape door at the west end of the stage. Each person should make their way to the nearest exit. The Fire Wardens will ensure that the doorways are kept clear and that everyone is directed to the appropriate exit.
• On leaving the Auditorium (through the glazed double doors), each person should then take the shortest route to exit the building – either through the Main Entrance onto Townhead, or through the West Entrance into the car park. 
• Groups meeting in the Hall should leave the building through the nearest exit – either through the fire escape door into the car park, or through the glazed double doors and then through the West Entrance doors also leading to the car park
• Any groups meeting in the first and second floor rooms and the Upper Room will evacuate the building by means of the fire escape stair. On reaching the ground level, the exit should be through the door on the right leading directly on to the outside pavement. The leaders and helpers working with Sunday groups will act as Fire Wardens for their group, and be responsible for evacuating their whole group.
• The members of the band and ministry team will not evacuate with the rest of the congregation from the Auditorium, but will first ascend the stair at the east end of the stage to first floor level, and assist the leaders and helpers to evacuate the Creche and the Sunday School group on this floor – through the fire escape stairway. The members of the sound and visual team located on the balcony will also make their way directly to assist with the evacuation of these groups.
• Parents and family must not attempt to access the first and second floor rooms but make their way directly out of the building. The Steward responsible for the Main Entrance doors will direct people through the Main Entrance and away from attempting to access the fire escape stairway.
• In the event that the stairwell is impassable with smoke, those using the second floor rooms or the Upper Room should shut the doors to the stairs, use coats to block gaps around the doors, and open the windows and shout for help and wait for the Fire Brigade to arrive. Those using the first floor rooms should escape by the stair to the stage in the Auditorium, but only if the stairwell is impassable with smoke.
• The lift must not be used in the event of a fire.
• Escape from the Ministry Centre should also be through the nearest exit – either through the front door onto Townhead, or through the stairwell into the Crush Hall and through the fire escape stair onto Townhead.
• Escape from the Coffee Lounge should be through the nearest door – either east access to/from Townhead or north fire door. 
• The Fire Wardens will check that the building has been completely evacuated, including all classrooms and toilets, and then make their own way out of the building.
• On exiting the building everyone will assemble in the paved square which runs between the east end of Sainsbury’s and Townhead (the Assembly Area). Those exiting through the Main Entrance, fire stair, Coffee Lounge, and Ministry Centre doors will make their way to the assembly area directly along Townhead. Those exiting through the doors at the west end of the building should make their way across the car park and roadway to the west of the building.  
• The Fire Wardens will carry out a check that all people have reached the designated Assembly Area and the group leaders will carry out a register check for the individual groups.
•  The senior Fire Warden will liaise with the Fire Brigade on their arrival.