The Role of the Fire Assembly Point

A fire assembly point is a designated place of safety where people have been told to wait after evacuating a building in the event of a fire or other emergency.

Using a fire assembly point will help to ensure:

The safety of evacuated persons
That a roll call can be taken to ensure that all persons are accounted for
That easy access to the premises is maintained for fire brigade appliances
That a point of contact is maintained between fire brigade and the fire safety manager should information be required for search and rescue of trapped or missing persons or for firefighting operations
That information in respect of the current situation can be relayed to all those affected
That family members or groups can be reunited
That any injured persons can receive first aid

Technical Guidance Document B (TGD B) to Part B of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations defines a Place of Safety as "A place, normally in the open air at ground level, in which persons are in no danger from fire." A fire assembly point does not have the same meaning as a place of safety even though the two terms are often used interchangeably. While a place of safety does not have to be a fire assembly point, a fire assembly point must always be a place of safety.

The key requirement then in selecting a suitable place of safety for a fire assembly point is that there should be no danger to the assembled persons from the fire. The following factors should be considered:

It should be sited clear of the risk of radiant heat, smoke, toxic gases, falling masonry/debris, and any explosive risk
It should be sited so that people ideally do not have to mix with site traffic or cross public roads on route to it
It should ideally not be sited in a noisy location that may make it difficult for any person conducting a roll call to hear responses
It should not obstruct emergency service vehicles or hinder firefighting operations
It should ideally be within the perimeter of the grounds
It should be far enough away from the building to afford protection from the fire but not so far away as to discourage people, particularly people with mobility impairments, from using it
It should be visible and easily identifiable by appropriate signage and lighting

It may be necessary to provide more than one fire assembly point depending on the scale or complexity of the premises, weather conditions, hazardous materials location, occupants needing to exit from opposite sides of a building, number and mobility of occupants, etc. Where multiple assembly points are used they should be clearly identifiable and uniquely numbered so that they can be readily differentiated from each other. Multiple assembly points will be more difficult for fire wardens to manage, particularly where the evacuation strategy requires all persons to be accounted for as the attendance register/roll call procedure will need to be synchronised from more than one location.
Fire Assembly Point Sign

Not all buildings will have private grounds where a suitable fire assembly point can be sited, e.g. retail outlets and offices in town centres. When siting an assembly point in a public space, you should choose a space that can safely accommodate the number of people likely to use it. The evacuated persons may need to form an orderly line and be supervised, so clear instruction and regular fire drills will be particularly important. It is not necessary (and usually not possible) to use an assembly point sign in a public space so a clear description and a diagram of the location will be essential. For a small premises such as a shop on a street, for example, the assembly point may be on the public footpath outside of a neighbouring shop at least four or five shops away.

On their way to the assembly point, all evacuating persons should behave as follows:

They should remain calm and not panic or run
They should not stop to collect personal belongings
They should close all fire doors behind them and close windows if possible
They should assist in evacuating others who may need help, but without taking personal risks
They should abandon equipment in a safe condition where applicable, e.g. turn-off cooking equipment, power tools, portable heaters, machinery, etc

At the assembly point, all evacuated persons should behave as follows:

They should remain calm and stay together as an ordered and disciplined group
They should not hinder emergency service vehicles or firefighting operations
They should not re-enter the building until authorised by the fire safety manager (in the event of a false alarm) or by the officer-in-charge of the fire brigade (in the event of their attendance)
They should not engage in loud conversation that may make it difficult for the person conducting the roll call to hear responses

You will have statutory responsibility for the health and safety of evacuated persons while they are on your premises and grounds. Discharging this duty of care may also involve:

The provision of seating for elderly/infirm/disabled persons
The provision of survival blankets and rain ponchos during inclement weather
The provision of a first aid kit and trained first aider
Calling an ambulance if required
Informing the fire brigade immediately on their arrival of any trapped or missing persons
Not using the fire assembly point if you have received a bomb threat or other terrorist threat

The design of fire assembly point signs should comply with I.S. EN ISO 7010:2020. It is also noted that I.S. 3217:2023, the Irish standard for emergency lighting systems, requires that sufficient emergency lighting should be provided along the external routes to the fire assembly point and at the fire assembly point where it is likely to be used outside of daylight hours.