Evacuation Plans for Aged Care & Healthcare Facilities

Emergency planning for aged care and health care facilities must be thorough because many people need a higher level of assistance. Many different groups are present at the same time, including: residents, patients, visitors, carers, nurses, contractors, and administrative staff. Some of these people may have limited mobility, some may have medical conditions, while others may have a difficult time responding to and following directions. Having a detailed evacuation plan will enable staff to know their roles before the event, which will help lead to a safer response and improved fire safety compliance in Sydney.

Planning for Vulnerable Occupants

When planning an evacuation for a care site, the needs of people who may not evacuate without assistance should be included. This could be elderly care, patients who use mobility aids, children, visitors who do not know the building, or people who are receiving care. The plan should detail how staff will assist these people and will not increase the risk. The remaining portions of the plan should detail staff control of movement along the pathways to corridors, exits, safety zones, and assembly points.

Clear Procedures for Staff and Visitors

Staff need clear procedures for the emergency that they will be able to follow under duress. The plan will detail what will occur upon an available alarm and identify the control staff. Visitors need clear communication and control of staff in order to achieve an orderly evacuation. The procedure manual will detail the steps that staff will need to follow for the fire emergency, response, evacuation, communication, and reporting.

Evacuation Diagrams and Assembly Planning

Healthcare and aged care settings need to use evacuation routes that are visually mapped, and evacuation diagrams are perfect for this because they illustrate routes. Staff, visitors and contractors are then able to learn and understand evacuation exits, assembly areas, and fire safety equipment. Overall, assembly areas should be designed with occupants in mind, as they may require seating and/or shelter, as well as supervision, and they may also be in need of assistance to evacuate safely because they may take extra time to exit the assembly areas.

Staff Roles, Wardens, and Communication

Emergencies at healthcare and aged care facilities require staff to perform designated functions as part of the emergency response. Staff wardens and designated staff should know who their assist/aid role targets are and the mechanisms through which they report information. During an emergency response, especially when a fire alarm or a drill is activated, communication needs to be direct. Staff may be required to communicate and/or coordinate with management, operational emergency or fire services, residents, patients, and, to a limited extent, their families. Effective communication facilitates the protection of vulnerable occupants.

Regular reviews and training

Staff are required to perform functions as part of the emergency response and are reliant on the established emergency plans and procedures. Fire warden training and evacuation drills are of little value if training does not incorporate the needs of occupants and the respective emergency procedures. There are several triggers to review and amend established emergency procedures, plans, and training. Changes to staffing or the building, newly identified risks, and all drills are triggers to review procedures and plans. This supports workplace safety and Australia’s emergency planning standards.