Blackout Fire Resilience Check

When the power goes,
the door still has to close.

If the power went off tonight and stayed off for two days, what would still be keeping the people in your building safe? Seventy-six seconds.

Captions are on the film, so it works with the sound off.Unity Fire Ltd, Ringwood, Dorset

What a long power cut does to a building

The batteries are built for hours.
Outages can last days.

0hours

Lights drop to battery. Magnetic hold-opens should let go, and every fire door they were holding should swing shut on its own closer.

3hours

Typically rated for three hours where people sleep. Stairs and corridors go dark.BS 5266-1

24hours

Standby batteries are commonly sized for about a day. Candles, heaters and camping stoves are out by now.BS 5839-1

48+hours

Fire crews are stretched. What still protects residents is a door that closes and seals, and a compartment that holds.

Battery durations are typical design figures from the British Standards named. Actual durations depend on each system's design and maintenance.

What the check covers

Fire doorsClosers shut fully onto the latch. Gaps, seals, hinges and glazing checked against the door's rating.
Hold-opensMagnetic hold-opens and automatic doors tested to release when the mains is cut.
CompartmentsRisers, service cupboards and roof voids checked for open penetrations that let smoke travel between floors.
Escape routesUsable in the dark, and clear of storage, combustibles and fuel.
Battery-backed systemsTest records and duration labels for lighting and alarms reviewed, with any gaps flagged for your alarm engineer.
ResidentsA ready-to-send blackout fire safety notice, supporting your duty to give residents fire safety information.

What you get

A director on siteOne of the two co-directors walks the building. Never a subcontractor.
A prioritised report with photosEvery finding graded critical to low, so you know what to fix first.
One firm from start to finishWe quote, carry out and certify any remedial works ourselves. One record, no handoffs.
Priced per buildingAfter a short review of its size and layout, so the price fits the building.

Free to download

Book a building

07961 705200

Dave Gillard, co-director. Or send the form and one of us will call you back within one working day.

Based in St Leonards, Ringwood, Dorset, covering the South Coast and beyond.