Emergency Procedures

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AT HEBBLE WHARF

IF FIRE BREAKS OUT IN YOUR APARTMENT

  • DO NOT attempt to tackle the fire.
  • Ensure that everyone in the apartment is evacuated. Close doors and windows to contain the fire and exit the apartment by the nearest escape route (stairs or fire escape) to a place of safety outside the building. Children, elderly or disabled people may need help to escape.
  • Do not use any lifts or any balcony.
  • When outside, carry out a “roll call” to ensure that everybody is accounted for.  

Once everyone is safely out, DO NOT re-enter the building.

  • If asked, the “What3Words” location of Hebble Wharf’s main entrance  is ///movies.moth.baked

IF YOU ARE CUT OFF BY FIRE  

  • Try to remain calm. Dial 999 and ask for the Fire Service (see above)
  • Close the door nearest to the fire and use towels, sheets, or other suitable materials to block any gaps around the door. This will help stop smoke from entering the room. If possible go to the window, open it and shout for help.
  • If the room becomes smoke filled, go down to floor level. It will be easier to breathe as the smoke will rise upwards. If you are in immediate danger from fire and are not higher than the first floor of the building, it may be possible to drop to the ground without injury providing you can get out of the window feet first and lower yourself to the full extent of your arms before dropping. Soft furnishings dropped first from the window may break your fall and limit the danger of injury. Do not attempt this from the upper floors of the building.

IF THE FIRE ALARM SOUNDS IN THE BUILDING

The Fire Detection System at Hebble Wharf will trigger an audible alarm automatically if excessive heat or smoke is detected anywhere in the communal areas of the building.

The entry door to each apartment is fire resistant and provides a smoke barrier, so the building alarm will only be triggered by smoke from an individual apartment if the smoke reaches the corridor, even if the smoke detector in that apartment has been activated. A smoke alarm sounding in your apartment will NOT trigger the building’s alarm system.

Fire alarms are tested regularly and will sound for about a minute before being silenced. This procedure will close all of the automatic fire doors on each corridor, which should be left closed until they have been checked.

It should be noted that the triggering of the building alarm DOES NOT result in an automatic call to the Fire Brigade.

If the fire alarm in the corridor outside your apartment goes off and does NOT stop in a short time, you should:

  • Check for smoke or a smell of burning in the corridor. If there is, call 999 and ask for the Fire Service. Give the operator the telephone number you are calling from. State clearly the full address of Hebble Wharf and DO NOT replace the receiver until the address has been repeated back to you by the Fire Service.  If there is evidence of  smoke or fire you should leave the building by way of the stairs or fire escape. Do not return until the Fire Service gives the all clear.
  • If there is no obvious smoke or smell of burning, return to your apartment and contact Plymouth Block Management to report the alarm sounding. They can be contacted during office hours on 01752 257338. Outside of office hours, please call the office number and select the first option ‘0’.
  • If it is apparent that it is a false alarm (for instance, if the alarm has been triggered by accidental breaking of the glass in a red wall box), please advise Plymouth Block Management (as above) with the location of the broken box so that the necessary action can be taken to silence the alarm.

FIRE ASSEMBLY POINT

In the event of a fire please follow the instructions on the evacuation procedure notices located on each floor and in the lobby. The fire assembly point is located on the grassed area in front of Hebble Wharf.