What are building Evacuation Schemes?

Building Evacuation Schemes are a scheme that show how an evacuation would work in real life, identifying things like Exits, Egress Routes, Congregation Areas, and Fire Wardens.

What about a trial?

Once you have a Building Evacuation Scheme, you need to complete an Evacuation Trial or Training every 6 months. An evacuation trial is when the building does a complete evacuation as if there were a real emergency. Evacuation Training is where the people who have a key role in the evacuation of the building review the scheme, and run training on it.

So what building needs one?

You need an approved evacuation scheme if your building is used for one or more of the following:

• The gathering of 100 or more persons for any purpose
• Providing employment to 10 or more persons
• Providing accommodation for 6 or more persons
• Storing or processing of any hazardous substances exceeding specified thresholds
• Early childcare facilities
• Nursing, medical or geriatric care
• Specialised care for persons with disabilities
• Accommodation for persons under lawful detention

What does CoveKinloch do?

CoveKinloch has an experienced team dedicated to Fire Evacuation.  Our FPANZ (Fire Protection Association of New Zealand) certified consultants are highly experienced in planning, designing and implementing professional Evacuation Schemes for all building types from single level through to complex and multi-storey centres.

We also co-ordinate trial evacuations. This includes warden preparation and debriefing, raising required notifications for Fire and Emergency New Zealand prior to and after each trial and reporting the trial evacuation outcome for wardens and Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

What’s involved with a trial evacuation?

Trial evacuations are required for the maintenance of an approved fire evacuation scheme and need to be conducted at least every 6 months to satisfy the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fire Safety, Evacuation Procedures, and Evacuation Schemes) Regulations 2018.

Who has to participate in a trial Evacuation?

Every occupant must participate in a trial evacuation, however persons who require particular assistance or are under control or supervision are not required to go outside the building but must gather as close as possible to an exit from the building or internal place of safety.

Who is responsible for putting a scheme in place?

The building owner is responsible for putting a scheme in place as the scheme must cover all tenancies within a building.