What to do if there is a Fire

What to do if there is a Fire

If there is a fire you need to know what to do. The main thing to consider is the safety of staff, customers and other visitors. Premises should be evacuated as soon as possible and everyone should go to a designated fire assembly point so you can make sure everyone is out of the building. Our Fire Assembly point is the Umbrella Bus Stop opposite the front of the Shop.

The shop does not have smoke/fire detectors or an audible fire alarm. Instead the alarm is raise by shouting "Fire! Fire! Fire!" . While evacuation is taking place someone also needs to call the Fire Brigade on “999”. If possible, before leaving the shop any cooking equipment, extraction, gas supplies and electrical equipment should be turned off, but his should only be done if you can do so without endangering anyone.

If you are unsure of where the Fire Exits, they are shown by green signs. It is important to make sure the fire exits are not blocked, either inside, or outside the building.

Putting out the fire may be possible if it is a small fire. Putting lids down on frying ranges may help, as this will restrict Oxygen to the fire.

The shop will have some fire extinguishers in appropriate places, which could be used. They should only be used by people who have had training to use them, as different types of fire need different types of extinguishers to put them out. Using the wrong extinguishers may make the fire worse. Fire extinguishers are all red with a colour-coded label stating what type of extinguisher they are. They will say which class of fire they are suitable for. The classes are

• Class A: SOLIDS such as paper, wood, plastic etc

• Class B: FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS such as oil, petrol, etc,

• Class C: FLAMMABLE GASES such as propane, butane, methane etc

• Class D: METALS such as aluminium, magnesium, titanium etc

• Class E: Fires involving ELECTRICAL APPARATUS

• Class F: Cooking OIL & FAT

Fire Extinguishers use 3 main methods to put out fire, all to do with removing elements of the fire triangle:

• Smothering - Stopping oxygen (or air) getting to the fire

• Starving - Taking away fuel, for example turning off gas supply

• Cooling - To take away heat.