We have heard several reports of waking watch (fire wardens) being put in place or retained for the supposed benefit of specific disabled residents’ or to guard against perceived leaseholder liability. This is troubling on many counts. The Government’s third, and most recent, consultation on disabled people and fire safety emphasises a degree of unreasonablenessContinue reading “Inappropriateness of using Waking Watch for evacuation plans”
Category Archives: Evacuation
Home Office workshops: Evacuation plans for disabled people and ‘information sharing’
The Government is hosting workshops as part of its Emergency Evacuation Information Sharing consultation. The consultation proposes scrapping the concept of mandatory evacuation plans for disabled people in blocks of flats, rejecting a key recommendation of the Grenfell Tower inquiry. The workshops are an opportunity for Home Office officials to explain the proposals and forContinue reading “Home Office workshops: Evacuation plans for disabled people and ‘information sharing’”
Government reappoints the same company to write the ‘Means of Escape for Disabled People’ guidance: A statement from Claddag
Claddag are shocked and outraged to learn that the Home Office has commissioned C S Todd & Associates to re-write the Means of Escape for Disabled People, and the other suite of fire safety guidance documents. C S Todd & Associates authored the guidance document Fire Safety in Purpose-Built Flats, published by the Local GovernmentContinue reading “Government reappoints the same company to write the ‘Means of Escape for Disabled People’ guidance: A statement from Claddag”
All-Party Parliamentary Group on Disability and Fire Safety
The APPG on Disability is jointly hosting a meeting on 12 July 2021 at 2pm to highlight the importance of the Government’s consultation on Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for disabled residents unable to self-evacuate from buildings. The meeting will cover the Government’s key proposals and have input from disabled residents as to how the proposals need toContinue reading “All-Party Parliamentary Group on Disability and Fire Safety”
Mythbusting PEEPs #5: “You should be living on the ground floor”
There are two key problems with this view: 1) ignorance about accessible housing stock, and 2) failing to respect the right to choose where we live and why.
Mythbusting PEEPs #4: “They’re only for wheelchair users”
There is a whole range of reasons why a person may not be able to self-evacuate. Mobility is just one.
Mythbusting PEEPs #2: “Disabled people prefer to stay put”
This is a classic example of institutions and non-disabled experts putting words in our mouths in order to make their advice and policies more palatable…
Mythbusting PEEPs #1: “You create a hazard”
Before we get into this one, we need to have an honest conversation about ableism.
Channel 4 News: Councils have no evacuation plans for disabled people
Channel 4 News reported today on the stories of two disabled people, Georgie and Joe, who are being refused evacuation plans in the event of a fire. This is despite the fact that over 40% of those that lost their lives in Grenfell Tower were disabled. In a Freedom of Information Act request, the reportContinue reading “Channel 4 News: Councils have no evacuation plans for disabled people”
Home Office workshops: PEEPs Consultation
The Government is repeating a consultation on PEEPs for disabled people living in high rise buildings following a legal challenge by the family of a disabled woman who died in Grenfell Tower. The consultation is currently open to responses but, in the meantime, the Home Office is hosting a series of workshops on the proposals.Continue reading “Home Office workshops: PEEPs Consultation”
Claddag 