Glossary
Simultaneous evacuation.
An evacuation strategy where all residents of a building leave when the fire alarm sounds, regardless of which flat the fire is in. Used in residential blocks where the stay-put strategy is not appropriate (typically because of compartmentation concerns or external wall issues).
When simultaneous evacuation is used.
Most commonly, simultaneous evacuation is used as an interim strategy on a building with known compartmentation or external wall concerns, while remediation work is planned and carried out. The FRA records the rationale for the strategy and the conditions under which a return to stay-put would be appropriate. In some buildings, simultaneous evacuation may be the long-term strategy where the building's design or condition makes stay-put genuinely unsuitable.
Implications for fire safety arrangements.
Simultaneous evacuation requires a fire alarm system audible throughout the building (typically with detection coverage exceeding the L-category appropriate for stay-put), means of escape capacity sufficient for all residents to evacuate at once, and resident communication about the strategy. It often requires a Waking Watch as a compensatory measure to ensure timely warning across the building. The cost and operational disruption are significantly higher than for stay-put.