Fire alarms - evacuation procedures

[deltic]

I was at Northampton today. Approaching the station at around 16.40 the station fire alarm sounded and staff started to evacuate the station. The service to Crewe had just arrived - arr 16.39 and left as booked at 16.45 while people were streaming out of the station. After it left staff evacuated the trains that were still in the platforms - 16.50 and 17.05 to Euston.

This took at least 15 mins with passengers having to leave the station by the main building. During this time a northbound freightliner ran through the station being checked at signals at the station before proceeding behind the Crewe service.

In my mind this raises a number of issues:

Given that a fire is most likely to be in the station building why would you evacuate a hundred plus people off trains and through a building

When control is notified of a fire alarm how do they decide whether to allow services to run through a station

After 15mins staff reentered the station and switched alarms off - no fire service personnel attended - seemed strange that a station alarm does not go directly through to the fire service and that station staff decided to take action.

And on a separate issue when will London Midland fix the on-board train announcements - Trains that combine at Northampton with a unit from Crewe announce stations as if it was starting from Crewe causing confusion to passengers and the guard often comes on after to tell people to ignore what they have just been told

 

[rail-britain]

May have been the mandatory once a week fire alarm test and evacuation drill

 

[ukrob]

Once a week mandatory evacuation? You are kidding, right?

Huge supermarkets only have to do four a year.

 

[EM2]

I don't know Northampton station so can only go on my experiences elsewhere, but:
Many stations are 'zoned', so firstly it can be easily identified where the alarm is and secondly if an evacuation is necessary, it allows evacuation just of that zone and which are the safe escape/evacuation routes.
AFAIK, no alarms go direct to the Fire Brigade, because it may well be a false alarm, normally a fire warden is tasked to attend to the alarm point, ascertain what's wrong, and *then* contact the FB if necessary.
I would expect the person in charge of fire safety to contact the signal box and inform them as to the location of the fire, and with that information Control can then decide if it's safe for the services to run through.

 

[185]

Utter stupidity. The idea is to either get rid of passengers onto trains or get them out the station front if they are not travelling. In one instance some time ago, I rang control and got dispensation to go 4 minutes early, problem solved.

 

[rail-britain]

Once a week mandatory evacuation? You are kidding, right?

Sorry, only applies in Scotland

 

[ChrisCooper]

AFAIK, no alarms go direct to the Fire Brigade, because it may well be a false alarm, normally a fire warden is tasked to attend to the alarm point, ascertain what's wrong, and *then* contact the FB if necessary.

AFAIK it's usually only large residential buildings, hospitals and places handling dangerous materials where fire alarms have to go automatically to the fire brigade. Possibly Underground stations do too. Basically the sort of situations where it's better safe than sorry. I think other people can have them connected if they wish for a fee (particularly places where there is a fire risk whilst the building is unattended) but the fire brigade will cut them off if they have too many false alarms, same as with alarms that automatically call out the police.

 

[mickey]

but the fire brigade will cut them off if they have too many false alarms

More often they offer to keep them but start charging a fee. Happens with most government-owned building - it's the closest thing they've got to a buildings insurance policy.

 

[First class]

The Underground stations on the Merseyrail network have to do a Fire Alarm test every week in a "live" environment, i.e. during passenger opening hours, (Sub Surface Fire Regulations).

This is usually done on a Sunday morning around 9am-10am.

However, one of those a month have to be an Evacuation drill. A member of staff goes to each platform and evacuates on the next train or the indicated exit route, (if safer). A member of staff prevents people from entering. The fire panel also shows up in the IECC, so trains are contacted by the signalman using CSR to advise to pass through the station or come to a stand at a red.

The Fire Alarm system at all Underground stations is set up to automatically call the Fire Brigade, (usually BTP also turn up as we do a backup call as well). If it is a false alarm, e.g. a faulty panel, then I believe the fee is around £300 per engine that arrives, and usually at least 2 turn up.

 

[causton]

Slightly off topic, but relevant to the last post, from false alarms at school a fee of £350 is quoted per fire engine that turns up - which is met by the poor parents of the child that sets off the alarm if caught doing it!

 

[mickey]

If it is a false alarm, e.g. a faulty panel, then I believe the fee is around £300 per engine that arrives, and usually at least 2 turn up.

All very well if you've got a maximum number of engines in the agreement - otherwise it sounds like a great money-spinner for the Fire Service (5 engines, you say, to each station...?)

 

[Stigy]

Break-Glass units often go straight through to the Fire Service, but at Railway Stations this isn't always the case, I'd imagine because the chance that somebody could maliciously activate it would be quite high (Can't really do it by accident these days as I believe most units are covered by a lift-up flap). Automatic Fire Alarms also often go straight through to the Fire Service, too.