For fire safety, the RACE and PASS methods are handy. But disabled people aren’t able to do these in fire events. For them, the perfect plan is nothing but PEEP.
So, what does PEEP stand for in Fire Safety? It is a short form of a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan. Well, this is a plan that allows disabled folks to make their way to exit safely in the event of a fire.
Here I’ll share everything about the PEEP method with helpful details on this topic. Let me lift the veil for you!
What Is a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP)?
A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan is what the PEEP stands for in a fire. It is an escape plan or tool that helps a folk who is badly in need of support.
So, if you can’t get out of the fire zones, a PEEP will help. After learning what PEEP is, let’s discover its purpose, responsibility, and other details below!
The Purpose of Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP)!
A PEEP has an essential intent! It is to make escape easier for folks who are unable to run as fast and safely as possible. This thing is possible if the responsible person takes the right route. Plus, this helps evacuate disabled people via support.
As disabled folks have a downside of mobility, especially in the case of a fire incident. They need a special plan to get out of the fire area. In that case, the PEEP helps and lets them exit safely.
In other words, the main goal of the PEEP is to give full support to those who can’t escape from the building by themselves.
For that, the responsible person sets up the place, assists, and offers essential information. Thanks to the thesePEEP system, disabled folks can get out of the place safely.
Who Needs a PEEP?
Well, it’s for folks who can get trapped in the building and seem unable to get out of the area. Such as:
- Not being able to walk or move body parts due to mobility loss.
- Not able to hear anything that is being told (mild, moderate, or severe case).
- Unable to see properly, blind, or blurred sight.
- Find it tough learning new things, can’t focus, or have trouble remembering words.
- Act unstable in an unpredictable way, purposely or unintentionally (poor mental health).
- Going through treatment or having a bad injury in body parts.
- Not able to walk or have physical pain to move down the stairs. Like pregnant women or children.
Who Is Responsible for PEEP?
There are a few people who basically have responsibilities of disabled people, staff, or close ones to give the needed help. These are:
The Manager
The manager has responsibility for its workers. Especially for those who can’t help themselves or contain mobility issues.
The same thing goes for a fire situation. Before the event of fire occurs, the manager needs to ensure the safety assessment with PEEP for its staff who need special help.
The Responsible Person
It is the duty of the building’s owner or the responsible person to ensure the safety of its workers who are disabled. For that, the person should talk to the disabled people to set the PEEP along with the required facilities.
For Your Information: The responsible person is either the one who has control of the building or the owner.
The Chosen Representative
The chosen representative or nominated one should discuss with the disabled folks who need help in the event of a fire. To ensure the protection of disabled ones, the person needs to prepare PEEP and any special care.
Note: If one needs help, the PEEP Questionnaire should be done by the responsible person or the chosen representative.
Are PEEPs a Legal Requirement?
According to Regulatory Reform (fire safety) Order 2005, there is a law that states both the manager and disabled folks require a PEEP.
Through this plan, it can ensure the safety of all people who struggle to escape from the dangerous spot. To make an urgent escape to use in the event of a fire, the responsible person needs to give this option.
The same rights in law go to those who aren’t able to get out by themselves. So that disabled folks can use the PEEP plan by having the proper spot.
The Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan Procedure!
A personal emergency evacuation plan should contain the following things so that people can escape fast:
Temporary Refuges
The essential part of an evacuation plan is the refuge team for short-period use. A team should go to the temporary safe place so that if disabled people come, they can help.
For a short period, all the disabled people can stay in the temporary refuge area, which should be fire-resistant near the exit.
Be sure this area is clearly signed and spacious enough for people to gather there and wait for a few moments.
Evacuation Lifts
Almost all lifts are a bad choice for emergency use. However, evacuation lifts can be beneficial to help escape disabled people to the exit.
Escape Routes
The PEEP should have all the details of escape routes. In the planning stage, it needs to have clear gangways and floor layouts so that one can locate them.
Also, ensure that the security devices on the doors are working by the evacuating person. Plus, be sure that there are many short routes for escape.
Deaf and Hearing-impaired Persons
All deaf and hearing loss people won’t understand the fire alarm sound in the event of a fire. However, they can see and understand people’s reactions. In that case, people should inform them about the fire or emergency incident.
But if they are sitting alone in a far-away room, inform them via visual indicators. Like: flashing the light, vibrating the pager system, and so on.
Blind and Partially Sighted Persons
Unlike deaf buddies, blind or partially sighted people can’t see but can hear. As they can’t see, it gets difficult to move urgently by themselves.
In that case, they need to be trained to get out of danger and reach the exit using a route. If a blind person uses the dog as a guide, the dog needs to be trained as well.
Training
The PEEP should contain a plan for staff to respond perfectly. For that, practical training like Fire Evacuation Drills will be beneficial to cats in the event of a fire.
Apart from that, the specific training or instruction for staff on how to use fire extinguishers or fire wardens.
Ending Note
The PEEP stands for fire safety, which is a vital thing to do in all buildings that have disabled staff, visitors, and so on.
As people often forget about them, the Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan can save their lives. So, ensure to take action if you are responsible for it. And, I hope this guide helps you to understand all about PEEP. See You Again!
