I think you've answered your own question, Jayne. That is, after all, what you'd do in real life.

I agree with Simon, Jayne and have suggested that, for a pupil on my caselist, the peep includes evacuation with all scenarios in mind.

My pupil's heart can stop during a seizure and the question to me was "Do we go for the defibrillator as well as getting the pupil out?" The pupil has 2-2-1 because of the severity of need. I replied that, if it was safe to get the defibrillator, i.e. it is close to where the class/pupil was or was in an area where there was no danger that the fire would spread, then yes. Otherwise it would be the safety of the pupil and adults that was the priority and, in the 999 call, staff should also explain the pupil's needs."

It seemed logical to me but would anyone add anything else to this advice?!

While I agree in general that a good starting point is to plan for removal during a fire if there is specific, imminent, danger based on the location of the fire compared to that of the pupil, I'm not sure it's really that clear cut. It will depend on the size of the child, the severity of uncontrolled movements during seizures etc. In a secondary school setting, it may be impossible/unsafe for many staff to individually move a pupil out of the building if they are having a seizure. For regular/older pupils I would suggest that a PEEP would have a range of actions along the lines of:

1. If not having a seizure then evacuate with class.

2. If having a seizure then contact made with named person/place in school and fire marshal makes decision on need to evacuate or not given the location of pupil and fire.

3. If need to evacuate established despite seizure then a plan for how that can be done for that pupil - what equipment needed and which staff are trained to use it - needs to be explicit in the PEEP and known and understood by all who supervise the pupil.

Hi Jayne

It might be worth having a chat with the local fire service they may be able to offer some advice.

Rachel