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The three main categories of fire evacuation used in UK buildings are simultaneous evacuation, phased evacuation and stay put (also called defend in place). In simultaneous evacuation, everyone leaves as soon as the alarm sounds. In phased evacuation, the areas nearest the fire leave first while others wait. In stay put, people remain in a fire-protected area until told to move. Your fire risk assessment decides which one your building uses.
Getting this right matters. Fire and rescue services in England attended 13,679 fires in non-domestic buildings in the year to March 2026, up 3.7% on the year before (MHCLG, 2026). In every one of those buildings, someone had to decide who leaves, when and by which route.
This guide explains each category, the other strategies you will see in fire risk assessments, how to choose between them and what your evacuation plan must include under UK law.
Table of Contents
What is fire evacuation?
Fire evacuation is the planned, orderly movement of people away from a fire to a place of safety, following a set strategy and escape routes. It covers how people are warned, which routes they use, who helps people who cannot leave unaided and where everyone gathers.
An evacuation strategy is decided before a fire, not during one. It depends on how the building is built: how it is divided into fire-resisting compartments, how many stairs and exits it has, and who uses it.
Who is legally responsible for fire evacuation?
In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 puts the duty on the “responsible person”. That is the employer, owner, landlord, occupier or anyone else with control of the premises, such as a facilities manager (GOV.UK).
The responsible person must:
- carry out a fire risk assessment and review it regularly
- tell staff about the risks identified
- put in place and maintain fire safety measures
- plan for an emergency, including evacuation
- give staff fire safety information, instruction and training
You could be fined or go to prison if you do not follow fire safety regulations (GOV.UK). Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own fire safety laws with similar duties.
What are the 3 categories of fire evacuation?
The three categories are simultaneous, phased and stay put / defend in place. UK fire and rescue services use this grouping, for example Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service. Here is how they compare.
| Category | How it works | Typical buildings | Alarm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Simultaneous (single-stage, full) | Everyone leaves at once and goes to the assembly point. | Most offices, shops, warehouses, schools and small to medium premises. | One evacuation signal throughout. |
| 2. Phased (vertical or horizontal) | People nearest the fire leave first; other areas wait, then follow in stages. | Large or tall buildings with strong fire compartments, such as office towers and shopping centres. | “Evacuate” in affected areas; “alert” elsewhere. |
| 3. Stay put / defend in place | People not affected stay in a protected area until told to move. | Purpose-built blocks of flats, hospitals and care homes. | Often no general alarm; staff or the fire service direct people. |
1. Simultaneous evacuation
Simultaneous evacuation means everyone in the building leaves at the same time as soon as the fire alarm sounds. It is the most common strategy for small to medium premises (Merseyside FRS).
You may also see it called single-stage, total or full evacuation. They mean the same thing. Occupants go straight to the assembly point and do not expect to stay in the building (Dorset & Wiltshire FRS).
- Best for: buildings where the escape routes can take everyone at once.
- Watch out for: crowding on stairs in larger buildings, and people who need help to leave.
2. Phased evacuation (vertical or horizontal)
Phased evacuation moves people out in a planned order, starting with those most at risk, while other areas wait for instructions. It only works where fire-resisting construction separates the building into compartments (Dorset & Wiltshire FRS).
Phased evacuation can be:
- Vertical: in a tall building, the floors most affected by the fire leave first, then other floors follow at set intervals. This keeps the stairs from overloading.
- Horizontal: people move away from the fire to another compartment on the same floor. This is used where going downstairs is hard, such as in hospitals.
People with impaired mobility in an affected area are among the first to be moved (Dorset & Wiltshire FRS).
- Best for: large or tall buildings designed for it, with a two-stage alarm and voice messages.
- Watch out for: it needs well-trained wardens and building features designed for phasing. You cannot choose it for a building that was not built for it.
3. Stay put / defend in place
Stay put means that, in a single-flat fire, only the people in that flat leave; other residents stay in their own flats unless the fire service tells them to go. It relies on each flat being built to contain fire and smoke.
Defend in place is the healthcare version. Staff protect people in designated areas who cannot be moved, such as patients in intensive care or theatres (Dorset & Wiltshire FRS).
- Best for: purpose-built blocks of flats and specialist healthcare areas.
- Watch out for: it is rarely suitable for ordinary workplaces. The fire service incident commander can change a stay-put strategy to an evacuation if the fire spreads (NFCC)
Other evacuation strategies you may see
Fire risk assessments and fire strategies often use more specific terms. Most are variations of the three categories above.
| Strategy | What it means | Category it belongs to |
|---|---|---|
| Progressive horizontal evacuation (PHE) | Patients move away from a fire into a fire-free compartment or sub-compartment on the same level (HTM 05-02, via NHS). | Phased (horizontal) |
| Zoned evacuation | People move from the affected zone to an adjacent zone, such as a smoke control zone in a shopping centre. | Phased |
| Two-stage (staged) evacuation | Staff are alerted before the public, so they can prepare a stewarded evacuation or check the fire and cancel a false alarm. | Simultaneous or phased, with a staff alert first |
| Silent alarm (staff alarm) | A discreet signal, such as a coded announcement or pager, that only staff understand. Used in shops, cinemas and venues to avoid panic. | A form of two-stage evacuation |
| Partial evacuation | Only part of a building is cleared, for example one floor or wing. | Phased |
Source for zoned and two-stage definitions: Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Some guides list the three categories as “vertical, horizontal and full” evacuation. In UK terms, vertical and horizontal are two forms of phased evacuation, and full evacuation is the same as simultaneous evacuation.
How to choose the right evacuation strategy
The right strategy is the one your building was designed for and your fire risk assessment supports, not the one you prefer. Work through these questions with your fire risk assessor:
- Was the building designed for a specific strategy? Check the fire strategy document from when it was built or last altered. Phased and stay-put strategies depend on fire-resisting construction you cannot add on paper.
- Can everyone get out at once? If the stairs and exits can take the whole population, simultaneous evacuation is usually simplest.
- Who uses the building? Members of the public, patients, care home residents or people with disabilities may need a staff alarm, horizontal evacuation or defend-in-place areas.
- Do you have the people to run it? Phased and staged strategies need trained fire wardens on every floor or zone, on every shift.
- Does the alarm system support it? Phased evacuation needs a two-stage alarm or voice system. A single bell cannot run it.
- Is the building shared? Where several responsible persons share premises, they must work together on one plan (GOV.UK).
For most small and medium workplaces, the answer is simultaneous evacuation.
What to include in a fire evacuation plan
GOV.UK says your fire safety and evacuation plan must show how you have provided clear escape routes, enough exits, working emergency doors and lighting, staff training and a safe meeting point (GOV.UK). In practice, a complete plan covers:
- Your evacuation strategy: simultaneous, phased or stay put, written in plain words
- How people are warned: alarm type, call point locations, staff or silent alarms
- Escape routes: clearly marked, as short and direct as possible, kept clear at all times
- Exits and emergency doors: enough for everyone, opening easily without a key
- Emergency lighting and signs: where natural light may fail
- Roles: who calls 999, who sweeps each area, who checks the assembly point
- Assembly point: a safe place away from the building, the escape routes and fire service access
- People who need help: PEEPs for staff and regular visitors with mobility, sight, hearing or cognitive needs
- Firefighting equipment: extinguishers suited to the risks, and who is trained to use them
- Drills and records: dates, times taken and problems found
Fire wardens and fire marshals
Fire wardens (also called fire marshals; the two terms mean the same thing) put the plan into action. They raise the alarm, sweep their area, help people who need it, check fire doors are closed and report to the person in charge at the assembly point. Make sure enough wardens are trained to cover every area, shift and absence.
PEEPs: Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans
A PEEP is a bespoke plan for someone who needs extra help to evacuate (NFCC). It names who helps them, the route, any equipment (such as an evacuation chair) and how they are alerted. GOV.UK gives the example of making sure there are people to help wheelchair users get downstairs (GOV.UK).
For some blocks of flats, residential PEEPs are now law. The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 came into force on 6 April 2026. They cover residential buildings at least 18 metres tall or with at least 7 storeys, and buildings over 11 metres with a simultaneous evacuation strategy. Responsible persons must identify residents who cannot evacuate unaided, offer a person-centred fire risk assessment and review the information every 12 months (Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service).
Fire drills
You should carry out at least one fire drill per year, record the results and keep them as part of your evacuation plan (GOV.UK). Higher-risk premises, buildings with shift work and those with many visitors often drill more often. You must also train new staff when they start and tell everyone about new fire risks.
Dos and don'ts during a fire evacuation
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Raise the alarm at the nearest call point and call 999. | Assume someone else has called the fire service. |
| Leave by the nearest safe exit, following the signs. | Use lifts, unless they are designated evacuation lifts. |
| Close doors behind you to slow fire and smoke. | Wedge fire doors open, at any time. |
| Follow your warden's instructions and any PEEP. | Stop to collect belongings. |
| Go straight to the assembly point and report in. | Block escape routes or leave the assembly point without saying so. |
| Tell the fire service about anyone still inside. | Go back into the building until the fire service says it is safe. |
Only tackle a fire with an extinguisher if it is small, you are trained, you have a clear way out and the alarm has already been raised. See our guides to types of fire extinguishers and what PASS stands for.
Fire evacuation in hospitals and care homes
Hospitals and care homes usually use progressive horizontal evacuation, because many patients and residents cannot use stairs quickly or at all. NHS fire guidance (HTM 05-02) says buildings used by patients should base their evacuation strategy on PHE. The building is divided into fire-resisting compartments, each with alternative exits (NHS fire strategy protocol).
In practice, staff:
- Move patients nearest the fire first, through fire doors into the next compartment on the same floor.
- Close doors behind them and check the area is clear.
- Move further, horizontally again, if the fire spreads.
- Use stairs, evacuation aids or escape lifts to go down only if horizontal moves are no longer safe.
- Defend in place for patients who cannot be moved, such as those in theatres or intensive care.
This needs more staff training and more frequent drills than an ordinary workplace, and every night shift must have enough trained staff to carry it out.
When to call the fire brigade
Call 999 as soon as you discover a fire or hear the alarm for a real fire, even if it looks small. Do not wait to confirm it or try to fight it first. Tell the operator the address, what is on fire, and whether anyone is trapped or needs help to get out. If you change location after calling, such as leaving a flat under a stay-put policy, call 999 again to update them (NFCC).
Train your team before you need the plan
An evacuation strategy only works if people know it. Our Fire Safety Training course covers evacuation, alarms and extinguishers for all staff. Our Fire Marshal Level 3 course prepares wardens to lead an evacuation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the 3 categories of fire evacuation?
The three categories are simultaneous evacuation (everyone leaves at once), phased evacuation (areas leave in a planned order, vertically or horizontally) and stay put or defend in place (people remain in a protected area until told to move). Your fire risk assessment decides which applies to your building.
What is the most common fire evacuation strategy in the UK?
Simultaneous evacuation. It is the usual strategy for small and medium workplaces such as offices, shops and warehouses, where everyone can leave by the escape routes at the same time.
Is full evacuation the same as simultaneous evacuation?
Yes. Full, total, single-stage and simultaneous evacuation all describe the same strategy: everyone leaves the building as soon as the alarm sounds.
What is the difference between vertical and horizontal evacuation?
Vertical evacuation moves people between floors, usually down the stairs and out. Horizontal evacuation moves people across the same floor into another fire-resisting compartment. Both are forms of phased evacuation.
What is progressive horizontal evacuation?
Progressive horizontal evacuation (PHE) moves patients away from a fire into a fire-free compartment on the same level, then further if needed. It is the standard strategy in hospitals and many care homes.
What does stay put mean in a fire?
Stay put means residents of flats not affected by the fire stay inside their own flat, because it is built to hold back fire and smoke. Anyone in the flat on fire must leave. If fire or smoke reaches you, leave and call 999.
What is defend in place?
Defend in place means protecting people where they are, in a fire-resisting area, because moving them would be more dangerous. It is mainly used in healthcare, for example in operating theatres or intensive care.
What is a silent alarm evacuation?
A silent alarm alerts staff only, through a coded message or pager, so they can check the situation and guide the public out calmly. It is common in shops, cinemas and other public venues.
What does PEEP stand for in fire safety?
PEEP stands for Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan. It is an individual plan for someone who needs help to evacuate, setting out who helps them, the route and any equipment needed.
How often should you have a fire drill at work?
At least once a year, according to GOV.UK, with the results recorded in your evacuation plan. Many workplaces with shifts, high visitor numbers or vulnerable people drill more often.
Who is responsible for fire evacuation in a workplace?
The responsible person under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This is usually the employer, but can also be the owner, landlord, occupier or a facilities manager.
Sources
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, legislation.gov.uk
- Workplace fire safety: your responsibilities, GOV.UK, including the evacuation plans and drills and training pages
- Detailed analysis of fires, England, year ending March 2026, MHCLG, 19 August 2026
- Evacuation guidance: people at risk, building fire, National Fire Chiefs Council
- Evacuation, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service
- Strategies used for building evacuations, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service
- Residential PEEPs, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service
- Fire strategy concepts protocol (citing HTM 05-02 and 05-03), Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
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