This month we look at some of the considerations for developing a Fire Strategy for a sporting arena.
Large scale projects similar to the sports event planned for later this year need careful consideration in several areas that go beyond what might be normally considered within a fire strategy for a discrete building. There are a number of issues that the sheer scale of some projects can raise such as:
• Infrastructure planning
• Interaction with mass transport
• Interaction with adjacent schemes
These need to be comprehensively considered at the design stage especially where other pressures such as enhanced security may have a significant impact on how people can be moved around the scheme, if at all. Careful thought has to be given to contingency arrangements for when systems are degraded or where changes on the day may affect pre-planned arrangements. There may also be a need for emergency planning for large scale incidents not necessarily caused by fire, but potentially resulting in a similar response and evacuation.
Key to the success and smooth running of the project is bringing together an appropriately chosen multi-disciplinary design team that includes, from an early stage, a fire engineering resource experienced in a wide range of projects that can bring experience both from the design and approval perspective together with a perspective of the needs of the operational emergency services.
The fire engineering team should be focused on producing a safe, cost effective design with value options for the client that are realistic, in that they can be effectively managed and maintained under all realistic scenarios, whilst meeting the design aspirations. It should be flexible and experienced enough to be able to work with all stakeholders in a constructive, project focused manner.
For further information contact 01322 387 411.
