Staffing Levels for the Emergency Evacuation of Residents in Care Occupancies

Bulletin # 003/12

August 27, 2012

The Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) is pleased to announce the release of technical guideline TG-02-2012 Staffing Levels for the Emergency Evacuation of Residents in Care Occupancies.

The guideline TG-02-2012, developed in collaboration with the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC), identifies a number of factors that should be taken into consideration when establishing staffing levels in care occupancies for purposes of moving occupants to a point of safety during a fire emergency. A methodology is presented to calculate staffing demands based on probable fire scenarios and occupant mix. Guidance is also provided on adjustments that may be made where the time required to move residents to a point of safety exceeds the time available.

The guideline represents the collective best efforts of the OFM and the OAFC in providing a practical tool for the assessment of staffing levels for emergency evacuation. The OFM and the OAFC encourage the fire service and facility administrators to use the guideline as a means to assess appropriate staffing levels and any adjustments that may be necessary to meet the requirements of the Ontario Fire Code.

Feedback or questions on the implementation of the guideline in actual scenarios should be directed to OFM’s Technical Services staff, which can be reached by telephone at (416) 325-3100.