If You Need Help Leaving Your Home in an Emergency, Let Us Know

A recent BBC story highlighted the challenges disabled residents face in evacuating their homes in case of a fire. One council tenant, lacking clear communication about evacuation plans, took the initiative to organize assistance from her neighbors to help her if evacuation becomes necessary.

Ringley on Building Safety

At Ringley, we have been closely following the government's work on building safety since the construction-to-begin-under-1225m-government-contract--'>construction-to-begin-under-1225m-government-contract--'>Grenfell Tower tragedy. We have also been monitoring the leading industry analysis and participated in RICS CPD events discussing the upcoming changes to fire safety regulations and practices.

Challenge for the Property Sector

A major challenge in the property sector is that fire evacuation regulations are rarely applied retrospectively. As the BBC found, very few buildings have special fire evacuation lifts. Existing lifts, unless adapted and protected, are not suitable for evacuation in case of fire due to the risk of smoke spreading through lift shafts.

Work in Progress: Adaptations for Evacuation Lifts

There is ongoing work in the sector to assess whether adaptations to buildings can be made to incorporate purpose-built evacuation lifts. While current regulations do not allow for the use of standard lifts in emergencies, this may change in the future as the government reviews the building regulations related to fire safety.

What We Do at Ringley to Support Disabled Residents

At Ringley, we proactively reach out to owners and residents to inquire about any special assistance needed in case of an emergency evacuation. This information is stored in a database, allowing us to coordinate with the fire department to assist those who need help the most during an emergency.

Let Us Know If You or Your Neighbors Need Assistance

If you or someone you know has concerns about how to evacuate the building in an emergency, please contact us. We are dedicated to keeping all our residents safe, and by providing us with the necessary details, we can ensure that everyone is well-prepared in case of an emergency.