Scenario

A MyEstate administrator is working in the first-floor office when they smell burning. Smoke is coming from a storage area beside the staff kitchen.

The administrator notices:

• A portable heater near cardboard boxes;
• Smoke increasing;
• Two customers in a meeting room;
• A colleague attempting to investigate;
• A visitor with limited mobility;
• The normal staircase still clear; and
• No alarm sounding.

Learner task

Place the following actions in the safest order:

• Call 999 from a safe location.
• Collect personal belongings.
• Raise the fire alarm.
• Direct the customers toward the nearest safe exit.
• Investigate the source of the fire.
• Evacuate by the nearest safe route.
• Go to the assembly point.
• Inform the fire marshal that a visitor may require assistance.
• Re-enter to collect the visitor’s walking aid.
• Report relevant information to the fire service.
• Wait for authorised confirmation before re-entering.

Correct sequence

1. Raise the fire alarm

The alarm should be activated immediately. The employee should not wait to identify the exact cause.

2. Direct customers toward the nearest safe exit

The employee should give clear instructions without delaying their own escape.

3. Inform the appropriate trained person about the visitor requiring assistance

The premises-specific evacuation plan should be followed. The employee should not improvise unsafe lifting or carrying.

4. Evacuate by the nearest safe route

The employee must not investigate further or collect belongings.

5. Call 999 from a safe location

Provide the full address, location of the smoke and any information about people who may require assistance.

6. Go to the assembly point

Remain available for roll call and further instructions.

7. Report relevant information

Tell the fire marshal and emergency services:

• Where the smoke was seen;
• The suspected heater and cardboard hazard;
• Who was in the building;
• Whether anyone may be missing; and
• Whether anyone requires additional assistance.

8. Wait for authorised confirmation before re-entering

No one should return until the fire service or authorised responsible person confirms that it is safe.

Actions that must not be taken

The employee should not:

• Collect personal belongings;
• Investigate the source;
• Attempt to move the burning heater;
• Re-enter for a walking aid;
• Assume another person has called 999;
• Use a lift unless it is an authorised evacuation lift;
• Delay because the fire appears small; or
• Return because the smoke is no longer visible.

Additional Practical Scenarios

Scenario 1: Wedged fire door

An employee notices that a communal fire door in a managed block is regularly wedged open with a fire extinguisher.

Appropriate response: Remove the obstruction where safe and authorised, record the issue and report it immediately to the responsible person or property manager.

Scenario 2: Faulty smoke alarm

A tenant reports that the required smoke alarm no longer works.

Appropriate response: Record the report and arrange prompt inspection, repair or replacement through the approved procedure.

Scenario 3: Overloaded socket

Several adaptors and extension leads are connected together beneath an office desk, and one plug feels unusually hot.

Appropriate response: Stop using the equipment where safe, isolate it in accordance with training and report the defect immediately.

Scenario 4: Carbon-monoxide alarm

A carbon-monoxide alarm activates during a property inspection, and the occupant reports a headache.

Appropriate response: Leave immediately, encourage the occupant to leave, seek emergency guidance and medical assistance, and do not re-enter until declared safe.

Scenario 5: Alarm during a viewing

A fire alarm sounds while an employee is conducting a viewing.

Appropriate response: Stop the viewing, direct everyone to the nearest safe exit and proceed to the designated assembly point.

Scenario 6: Small waste-bin fire

An untrained employee sees flames in an office bin and considers using an extinguisher.

Appropriate response: Raise the alarm and evacuate. The employee should not attempt to fight the fire without appropriate training.