Stay put

Code of Practice for the Provision of Premises Information Boxes in Residential Buildings, Version 1, published in December 2020 by the Fire Industry Association (FIA) and the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), defines stay put as: ‘An evacuation strategy based on the principle that only the residents of the flat of fire origin need to escape initially, while other residents may remain in their own flats.’

PAS 9980:2022, Fire risk appraisal of external wall construction and cladding of existing blocks of flats – Code of practice, published by BSI Standards Limited in 2022, defines a stay put strategy as a:

Strategy normally adopted in blocks of flats and maisonettes whereby, when a fire occurs in a flat or maisonette, the occupants of that dwelling evacuate, but occupants of all other dwellings can safely remain in their dwellings unless directly affected by heat and smoke or otherwise directed to leave by the fire and rescue service.

NOTE 1 In a building with a stay put strategy, residents can leave their flats at any time if they wish and are able to do so (e.g. if they feel unsafe), but to do so might, under some circumstances, place them at greater risk than remaining within their flats.

NOTE 2 “Stay put” is sometimes referred to as “defend in place” or “stay safe”.

NB Planning Gateway One - Glossary, published on the Planning Portal, suggests that a stay put evacuation strategy is: ‘Used in purpose-built blocks of flats where residents not in an area directly impacted by fire can stay inside their flat with doors and windows shut unless directly affected by heat and smoke or directed to leave by the fire and rescue service. Sometimes also referred to as “defend in place”.’