Preparing for an emergency: building/business owners and managers

Building safety

The emergency management plan should cover all occupants of the building, including the less mobile, and those who don’t speak English.

In residential buildings, a nominated person on each floor should be responsible for doorknocking the neighbours. For neighbours who may need help evacuating, you should set up an emergency buddy system and register, so they can be helped if a building evacuation occurs.

Encourage your building’s occupants to prepare a Go Bag in case access back into the building is delayed. 

Every building in the city centre should have clearly marked exit signs and floor plans. Fire escapes should be easily accessible at all times. Anything that blocks access to the fire escape can cost lives in an emergency.

If your building does not have an emergency plan, exit signs or floor plans, ask your building managers to do something about it.

Set up an emergency buddy register

Some of your employees or tenants living in your building who have disability or with less mobility may need help to evacuate in an emergency.

Invite your employees or residents to register with your organisation or building management if they will need help in an emergency.

The register should be voluntary and kept confidential at all times to ensure privacy and personal information laws are not breached.

Notify emergency services

If you do set up and maintain a register, you should contact relevant emergency services organisations to let them know.

The information should be locked away in a place where emergency services can access it quickly. Let the relevant emergency services know where they can find the list.