Glossary
Stay-put strategy.
The evacuation approach used in purpose-built blocks of flats in the UK. Residents in flats other than the one on fire remain safely in their homes while the affected unit is dealt with by the fire and rescue service. The strategy depends on adequate compartmentation between flats and common parts.
How stay-put works.
The strategy depends on three things being in place. First, the compartmentation between the flat on fire and the rest of the building must be intact. Second, the means of escape (typically a single staircase in low and mid-rise blocks) must remain usable for the few residents in the affected flat to evacuate, and for fire and rescue service personnel to access the building. Third, residents must understand the strategy and act on it: the building's fire safety arrangements and resident communications need to make the strategy clear.
When stay-put may need re-evaluation.
Where compartmentation is in doubt (post-Grenfell external wall systems, partial cladding remediation, internal compartmentation gaps), the dutyholder may need an interim simultaneous evacuation strategy with a Waking Watch in place during the transitional period. The FRA evaluates whether the stay-put strategy remains appropriate for the current condition of the building and the action plan reflects any change.