How to Implement Fire Safety Measures at Outdoor Events

Establishing fire safety measures and procedures in various settings is highly important for the protection of people and animals alike. For the safety of the public, many public buildings will (or at least should) have exhaustive fire precautions in place. But what about outdoor events?



Although you may not be able to have a fire alarm and sprinklers installed at an open air event, as you would in public buildings, this does not mean that fire safety should be forgotten about. Of course, it will naturally be implemented in a different way due to the settings in which such events take place.

Here are some ways you can introduce fire and security protection at outdoor events.

Risk Assessment

One of the key practices involved with fire safety that may be forgotten about is to carry out a risk assessment.

Completing a risk assessment will allow you to identify where a fire is most likely to occur and what factors may be likely to cause it, so that you can take the most logical and efficient precautionary action moving forward. When carrying out a risk assessment, there are certain things that should be considered, such as:

●     The venue and site design - are all exits illuminated, manned by stewards and large enough for emergency vehicles to enter?

●     The number of attendees at/the maximum number of attendees that are allowed into the event - are there enough exits/are these large enough to handle the volume of guests?

●     Where a fire is most likely to occur (e.g. food truck, marquees etc.) - could you hire extinguishers or fire-fighting equipment to have on standby near these locations?

●     The size of the event - will shouting ‘fire’ suffice for everyone to hear or will you need walkie talkies between staff and air horns to warn people?

Evacuation Procedure

If a fire does break out at an open air event, evacuation will be just as if not more important than extinguishing the fire. If it is a small fire that can easily be managed and put out, then this is not as pressing of an issue (though people should still be guided away), however if there is a large fire that is growing or spreading quickly then it is best to get people away from the fire and to a safe space as quickly as possible.

Typically, fires on a larger scale will need to be resolved by the fire department anyway, so instead of attempting to put it out yourself, it is best to call the fire brigade straight away and prioritise the safety of your guests.

Having an established evacuation route (or routes) and procedure is the best way to calmly and efficiently direct people to a place of safety that is away from the fire. This will also likely reduce the number of people panicking, which often results in more accidents occurring.

Fire Protection Services Plymouth

If you’re planning an outdoor event in Plymouth and require professional fire safety assistance, Ace Fire Alarms is on hand to help. We can perform professional fire risk assessments for a number of public premises, including marquees and tents.

We also supply other fire safety equipment for both domestic and commercial use, including fire alarm systems, fire extinguishers and safety signage.

Contact us today for help with your fire safety concerns and questions.