The Inquiry recommended in Phase 1 report that Government should develop national guidelines for carrying out partial or total evacuations of high-rise residential buildings. In December 2019, a joint Home Office and the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)) technical steering group was set up to support a research project to review means of escape provisions in blocks of flats including the use of the ‘stay put’ strategy and evacuation. 

The work, including operational research has been undertaken and completed. The reports stemming from the research on operational, building and human behaviour include: 

• A Home Office summary report of operational research carried out by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) was published on 5 February 2024. 
• A report on human behaviour which has been published by OFR Consultants in May 2023. 
• A report on building design which has been published by OFR Consultants in March 2024.
• The Evacuation from fire in high-rise residential buildings: a rapid evidence review was published by the Home Office in November 2022.

The evacuation guidelines have been drawn from the reports and research listed above as well as related work. The guidelines were passed to NFCC in December 2023 and were published on 5 February 2024. 

In December 2019, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) published the reviewed guidance that provides information for fire and rescue services to change evacuation strategies and perform mass rescue, based on advice and information from fire and rescue service leads. This has undergone significant scrutiny and been subject to external review by health and safety consultants.

NFCC surveyed all fire and rescue services (with the exception of the LFB) in England about their progress against the recommendations.  All services have completed the necessary action.

The LFB has reported that recommendation 33.22b has been completed.

The LFB has developed an Evacuation and Rescue policy (published on 31 March 2021), alongside the revised Fire Survival Guidance policy. The Evacuation and Rescue policy has been shared with the NFCC’s High Rise Firefighting working group to support sector wide learning.

Training on the new policy has been provided to all operational staff via computer-based training packages and face to face training for Watch and senior officers. This training is reinforced by guided learning exercises for station-based staff.

The Home Office will bring forward proposals in Autumn 2024 so that Responsible Persons under the scope of the Residential PEEPs proposals (see update on recs 33.22e and 33.22f) will be required to prepare a separate building level evacuation plan and share this with their local Fire and Rescue Service. 

At a minimum, this plan should include the Instructions to Residents (required under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022), and if there are arrangements made for vulnerable residents via the Residential PEEPs proposals.

The Government has delivered this recommendation for new builds, through amendment to statutory guidance to the building regulations in relation to high-rise residential building design (requiring sounders to be fitted in new buildings over 18 metres in height).

The Government will consider further the second part of the recommendation, relating to existing buildings, in light of further evidence or recommendations in the Phase 2 report. This will, like other work on fire safety improvements nationally, be part of the important task of reducing the likelihood and impact of future fires.

The Home Office will bring forward proposals in Autumn 2024 to improve the fire safety and evacuation of disabled/vulnerable residents in high-rise and higher-risk residential buildings in England in response to this recommendation. These proposals will be called ‘Residential PEEPs’.

Through them, residents with disabilities and impairments will be entitled to a person-centred risk assessment to identify appropriate equipment and adjustments to aid their fire safety / evacuation, as well as a ‘Residential PEEPs statement’ that records what vulnerable residents should do in the event of a fire. 

The government has committed funding next year (2025-26) to begin this important work by supporting social housing providers to deliver Residential PEEPs for their renters. Future years’ funding will be confirmed at the upcoming Spending Review.

The Home Office will bring forward proposals in Autumn 2024 to improve the fire safety and evacuation of disabled/vulnerable residents in high-rise and higher-risk residential buildings in England in response to this recommendation. These proposals will be called ‘Residential PEEPs’.

Through them, residents with disabilities and impairments will be entitled to a person-centred risk assessment to identify appropriate equipment and adjustments to aid their fire safety / evacuation, as well as a ‘Residential PEEPs statement’ that records what vulnerable residents should do in the event of a fire. 

The government has committed funding next year (2025-26) to begin this important work by supporting social housing providers to deliver Residential PEEPs for their renters. Future years’ funding will be confirmed at the upcoming Spending Review.

In August 2022 National Fire Chiefs Council surveyed all fire and rescue services (with the exception of the LFB) in England about their progress against the recommendations. 

For this recommendation, all 43 services who responded to that survey reported that they have acquired smoke hoods and they are operationally available, and staff are trained in how to use them.

The LFB has reported that this recommendation is complete. The Brigade implemented smoke hoods on all its front-line appliances in November 2018.