Emergency planning
Protecting people first: life safety procedures, fire, first aid, health and safety, and drills that prove the plan works.
Plan for the first minutes, when people are at risk.
An emergency plan sets out what people on site do when something threatens life or safety: a fire, a medical emergency, a security threat, severe weather or a hazardous release. It comes before business continuity. Continuity restores the services; emergency planning gets everyone to safety first.
ADVOX helps organisations build emergency plans, train wardens and staff, and run drills and tests, and joins them up with incident management and the business continuity management system (BCMS).
Eight core elements.
Life safety procedures
Evacuation, shelter in place and lockdown steps for each site, with clear routes, assembly points and roles.
Fire safety
Prevention, detection, alarms, fire-fighting equipment, fire wardens and a clear route to a safe place.
First aid and medical response
Trained first aiders, first aid kits, defibrillators where provided, and how to call for medical help.
Health and safety
Risk assessments, safe working practices, incident reporting and legal duties, aligned to local regulations.
Roles and responsibilities
Emergency coordinator, fire and floor wardens, first aiders, security and a deputy for each role.
Communication
Alarms, public address, mass notification, messages to staff, visitors, families and authorities.
People who need help
Personal emergency evacuation plans for people with disabilities, injuries or other needs, plus visitors and contractors.
Emergency services and authorities
Contact with civil defence, fire, police and ambulance, site information for responders, and local reporting duties.
Get everyone to safety, and know who is where.
Life safety procedures are short, simple and practised. The right action depends on the threat.
Evacuation
Leave the building by the nearest safe route and go to the assembly point. Wardens sweep their areas, help anyone who needs it, and report to the emergency coordinator. Lifts are not used in a fire.
Shelter in place
Stay inside, away from windows, when going outside is more dangerous, for example severe weather, an external chemical release or an airborne hazard. Doors, windows and ventilation may need to be closed.
Lockdown
Used for a violent or security threat. Lock or barricade doors, stay out of sight and quiet, and follow instructions from the authorities. Staff are trained in advance on run, hide and report options.
Accounting for people
A roll call at the assembly point using staff lists, visitor and contractor sign-in, and a named person to report missing people to the responders. Nobody re-enters until it is declared safe.
Assistance for people who need help
Agreed evacuation methods, buddies and refuge points for people who cannot use stairs, and a plan for visitors who do not know the building.
Safe shutdown and return
Shutting down hazardous processes, utilities or equipment only where it is safe to do so, and rules for when and how people return to the building.
The everyday basics that save lives.
Fire prevention
Fire risk assessment, good housekeeping, control of ignition sources and flammable materials, and safe storage.
Detection and alarm
Smoke and heat detection, alarm systems, emergency lighting and signs, regularly tested and maintained.
Fire-fighting equipment
Extinguishers and hose reels, with staff and wardens trained to use them safely, and only when it is safe to do so.
Fire wardens
Trained people who check their areas, guide others out and report to the coordinator.
First aid cover
First aiders sized to the number of people and the risks, kits and defibrillators in known places, and a clear way to call for help.
Medical emergencies
Simple steps for common events such as collapse, bleeding, choking, burns and allergic reactions, and when to call an ambulance.
Risk assessment
Identify hazards in the workplace, assess who could be harmed, and put controls in place. Review after any incident.
Reporting and records
Record accidents, near misses and drills, report as local rules require, and use the findings to improve.
Legal duties on fire safety, first aid and workplace health and safety differ by country, building type and sector. Always follow your local civil defence, fire authority and occupational safety requirements.
First aiders, fire, emergency, security and safety wardens.
These are usually volunteers or staff with added duties, not full-time safety roles. Each needs a named deputy so every shift and floor is covered. The details below are typical. Numbers, training and certificates required depend on local regulations, the building and your risk assessment.
First aider
Gives immediate help to people who are injured or ill until medical professionals arrive.
Responsibilities
- Assess the scene is safe, then assess the casualty
- Call for help (ambulance, site control) and give clear details
- Give first aid, such as bleeding control, CPR, defibrillator use, treatment for burns, choking or collapse
- Keep the casualty calm and warm, and hand over to the ambulance crew
- Check and restock first aid kits, and know where defibrillators are
- Record the incident and treatment, and report as local rules require
Skills
- Calm under pressure and clear communication
- Practical hands-on first aid ability and good judgement
- Discretion with personal and medical information
- Awareness of own limits, and when to call for more help
Experience and training
- A recognised first aid certificate, renewed before it expires (period set by the certifying body or local rules)
- Regular refresher practice, including CPR and defibrillator use
- Prior experience is helpful, such as nursing, lifeguard or emergency service background, but is not essential
Fire warden
Helps prevent fires and gets people out safely if the alarm sounds.
Responsibilities
- Do regular checks of the area: exits clear, extinguishers in place, no fire hazards
- On the alarm, check the area, guide people to the nearest safe exit and to the assembly point
- Help anyone who needs assistance, and never use the lift
- Fight a small fire with an extinguisher only if trained, safe and the exit is behind you
- Report to the emergency coordinator and the fire service with who is missing or what was found
- Do not allow re-entry until the all-clear
Skills
- Authority and a loud, calm voice
- Good knowledge of the building, exits and alarm system
- Observation, and the ability to follow a checklist
- Patience in helping others
Experience and training
- Fire warden or fire safety awareness training, with extinguisher practice
- Taking part in evacuation drills, and refresher training as required locally
- Knowledge of the site fire risk assessment and fire plan
Emergency warden
Coordinates the people in an area across different emergencies, including evacuation, shelter in place and lockdown.
Responsibilities
- Know the emergency procedures for each threat and the signals used
- Direct people to evacuate, shelter or lock down, as instructed
- Do a headcount, support visitors, contractors and people needing help
- Pass information between the area and the emergency coordinator
- Support the responders on arrival with building and casualty information
- Take part in the debrief and report problems found
Skills
- Leadership and the ability to take quick decisions
- Clear communication in more than one language where needed
- Resilience, and a willingness to follow the chain of command
- Teamwork with first aiders, fire wardens, security and facilities
Experience and training
- Emergency warden or emergency response team training
- Regular drills and tabletop exercises
- Familiarity with the incident management, continuity and crisis plans
Security warden
Supports the physical security of people, buildings and information during an emergency, and works with security staff and the authorities.
Responsibilities
- Know the lockdown, bomb threat and suspicious item procedures, and the signals used
- Help control entry and exit, keeping routes clear for responders and closing off unsafe areas
- Challenge or report unauthorised people politely and safely, and never put yourself at risk
- Support lockdown or evacuation, guiding people away from danger or into safe rooms
- Protect critical areas, records and valuables where it is safe to do so
- Pass information to the security control room, emergency coordinator and police, and keep a log
Skills
- Alertness and good situational awareness
- Calm, firm and respectful communication, with basic de-escalation skills
- Familiarity with access control, CCTV and alarm systems
- Clear reporting, and discretion with sensitive information
Experience and training
- Security awareness training, including suspicious behaviour, bomb threat and hostile event procedures (for example run, hide and report)
- Licensed security training where local law requires it
- Regular drills with the security team and the emergency services
Safety warden
Looks out for workplace hazards and safe working, and helps keep people safe before, during and after an emergency.
Responsibilities
- Carry out regular checks for hazards such as blocked exits, damaged equipment, spills, poor storage and unsafe work
- Report and follow up unsafe conditions, accidents and near misses with the health and safety lead
- In an emergency, help make the area safe where it is safe to do so, for example isolating equipment or closing off hazards
- Make sure people use required protective equipment and follow safe procedures
- Check the area is safe before people re-enter, and support post-incident reviews
- Support risk assessments, inductions and safety briefings for staff, visitors and contractors
Skills
- Hazard recognition and a practical understanding of workplace safety rules
- Clear, confident communication and the confidence to speak up
- Good record keeping and follow-through
- Cooperation with managers, facilities, first aiders and fire wardens
Experience and training
- Health and safety training, for example an occupational safety course recognised in your country such as NEBOSH or a local equivalent
- Induction on site hazards, emergency procedures and reporting
- Refresher training and participation in drills and inspections
Role names vary between countries and organisations, for example floor warden, fire marshal, security officer, health and safety representative or emergency response team member. Check legal requirements for your location. Anyone with a medical, physical or safety concern about taking on a role should speak to their manager first.
A plan that has not been practised is only a document.
Fire and evacuation drills
Whole-building drills, announced and unannounced, timed and observed, covering all shifts and sites.
Shelter and lockdown drills
Short practice of the procedure, so staff know the action and the signal without panic.
Alarm and equipment tests
Regular testing of alarms, emergency lighting, public address, mass notification and fire-fighting equipment.
Tabletop exercises
A talk-through of a scenario with the emergency team, to test decisions, roles and communication.
Functional exercises
Test one capability, such as warden sweeps, first aid response or contacting the emergency services.
Full-scale exercises
A realistic exercise, often with the emergency services, that tests people, equipment and coordination together.
Debrief and lessons
Record what worked and what did not, assign actions with owners and dates, and update plans and training.
Frequency and records
Run drills at least as often as local rules require, and after major changes to people, buildings or processes. Keep the records.
Life safety exercises, drills and tests in practice.
These are simplified examples. Set the frequency, method and records to match your local regulations and your own risk assessment.
Office fire evacuation drill
The alarm sounds, floor wardens sweep their areas, everyone goes to the assembly point and the coordinator counts them against staff and visitor lists. An observer times the evacuation and notes problems, such as a blocked exit, people using the lift or a visitor who was not signed in.
High-rise phased evacuation
Floors nearest the alarm leave first, stairwells are checked and wardens practise assisting a colleague with limited mobility using a refuge point or an evacuation chair. The drill tests the building’s voice messages and the link with the fire control room.
Lockdown drill
A short practice at a school, training centre or office. A signal is given, doors are locked, people move out of sight and stay quiet until the all-clear. The debrief checks the signal was heard and everyone knew what to do.
Chemical spill and shelter in place
At a warehouse or plant, a simulated spill triggers the alarm. Staff near the spill leave, others shelter inside with doors and ventilation closed, and trained people shut down equipment only where it is safe. The team checks the emergency contacts and safety data sheets.
First aid scenario
A staged collapse is used to practise calling for help, starting first aid, and using a defibrillator where one is provided. Timings, communication and the handover to the ambulance crew are reviewed.
Heat illness in outdoor work
In hot regions such as the Gulf, a scenario of a worker showing signs of heat exhaustion tests shade, water, cooling steps, supervisor response and the call for medical help.
Alarm, lighting and equipment tests
Scheduled tests of fire alarms, emergency lighting, public address, mass notification and extinguishers, using the method and frequency required by your authority or the manufacturer. Failures are logged, fixed and retested.
Tabletop: fire at shift change
The emergency team talks through a fire that starts as one shift hands over to the next, with some wardens absent. The discussion covers who takes command, how people are counted and when the incident and continuity plans are activated.
Full-scale exercise with responders
A realistic exercise, with civil defence, fire and ambulance services, using volunteer casualties and a simulated blocked route. It tests coordination, site information for responders and communication with families and the media.
After every drill or test, hold a short debrief, record what happened, assign actions with owners and dates, and update the plan and training.
Consulting and training for emergency planning.
Emergency plan review and design
We review your existing plans or build new ones for each site, with clear roles, procedures, contact lists and quick-reference cards.
Life safety and risk assessment
We work with your health and safety and facilities teams to identify the hazards that matter and the controls needed.
Warden, first aid and awareness training
Practical sessions for emergency teams and awareness for all staff, adapted to your sites and local requirements.
Drills, tests and exercises
We design, observe and debrief evacuation drills, tabletop and functional exercises, and larger scenario exercises.
Linking to continuity and crisis plans
We make sure the emergency plan feeds your incident management, crisis management and business continuity plans.
Standards and good practice
We align to recognised guidance such as ISO 22320 (emergency management), ISO 22301 (business continuity), ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety), NFPA 1600 and local civil defence requirements, including UAE and GCC expectations.
From emergency, to incident, to continuity.
Emergency planning handles the immediate threat to life. Incident management coordinates the wider response and communication. Business continuity restores critical services. Exercises, covered in our business continuity exercises, test all three together.
Emergency planning questions.
What is the difference between emergency planning and business continuity?
How often should we run fire and evacuation drills?
Who should be trained in first aid and fire warden duties?
Do visitors and contractors need to be included?
Can ADVOX deliver emergency planning training in house?
Talk to ADVOX about emergency planning.
We aim to reply to your enquiry within 2 hours during working hours.
This page is general guidance, not legal or safety advice. Follow your local regulations and the guidance of your emergency services. Further reading: The Business Continuity Institute | ISO