It is clear from the Grenfell Inquiry’s phase one report that the longstanding policy of “Stay in Place” is no longer sustainable, and Fire and Rescue Service incident commanders will need new tools to facilitate full or partial evacuation where it is, in their professional judgement, appropriate.

Rissington Applications has developed a public alerting system, Notifire, that enables building owners, facilities managers and FRSs to communicate direct with the occupants of residential tower blocks using mobile technology.

Notifire can be used by building owners or facilities managers for routine messages such as notifying planned water or power outages, lift maintenance works, residents meetings, etc), and therefore a key enabler for the recommendations contained in Dame Judith Hackitt’s review of building regulations.  Such messages appear in black lettering on a white background, so as to be readily distinguished from emergency messages from the FRS, which are white lettering on a red background.

Where Notifire is adopted, Rissington Applications, the building owners and the local FRS provide induction training for residents, thereby providing reassurance and preparing them to respond in an informed, responsible and effective manner in the event of an emergency (which might be a fire, a toxic emission in the local area or a serious structural defect). “Stay in Place” will continue to be the appropriate course of action in the vast majority of incidents, and the induction training will provide a valuable platform for FRSs to explain why this is so.

Notifire also ensures that FRSs have digital access to the current key fire safety information in relation to specific buildings, thereby improving operational planning, auditing and training.

Notifire is a high impact, low-cost and speedy response to some of the key conclusions and recommendations emanating from the GI phase 1 report providing, in effect, a voice evacuation system but at a tiny proportion of the cost and without the attendant disruption for building owners and residents alike.  Its adoption also enables building owners to demonstrate in a most practical way that they genuinely care about the safety and welfare of their residents.

Find out more about Rissington Applications at www.firesafetyevent.com/exhibitors/rissington-applications