Emergency Evacuation Information Sharing Plus (EEIS+): Key Takeaways

The long-awaited government response to the Emergency Evacuation Information Sharing Plus (EEIS+) consultation was published in December 2024, following the consultation period in 2022. EEIS+ addresses three key recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 report, focusing on solutions to support residents with reduced mobility or cognitive impairments and ensuring they have a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) in place. You can access the full EEIS+ consultation response here.

In our recent webinar, Fire Safety: Legislation Updates, Competent Persons, and EEIS+, our experts discussed the latest changes to your fire safety obligations, including a detailed analysis of the EEIS+ consultation, which is available to watch on-demand here.

In the year ending June 2024, the Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) in England attended 594,384 incidents, making it more crucial than ever to ensure your emergency evacuation practices align with the latest legislation. This blog breaks down the key insights from the webinar, summarising the EEIS+ consultation response to help you best prepare for its implementation.

What EEIS+ will mean for you

From the consultation, 15 key conclusions were drawn, with the most significant takeaways outlined below:

• New legislation will be introduced to deliver a five-step process to produce a Residential PEEP.
• Mandatory requirements will apply to two key categories of buildings:
  • High-rise residential buildings (those above 18 meters).
  • Buildings between 11-18 meters with simultaneous evacuation strategies.
• New responsibilities for Responsible Persons (RPs):
  • If you are the RP for a building within the scope, you must take a ‘reasonable endeavours’ ​approach to identifying vulnerable residents. Further guidance will be provided on what this entails in practice, with the consultation response already stating that your approach should “follow through with that identification if contact is not easily established”. This means that if initial contact with the vulnerable resident is unsuccessful, you must make further efforts to reach them. However, the final decision to disclose vulnerabilities always remains with the resident. Unsure who the RP for your building is? Read our dedicated blog, ‘Fire Safety Act 2021: Are you the ‘Responsible Person?’’, to find out.
  • Where contact with the resident is established, you must conduct a Person-Centred Fire Risk Assessment (PCFRA), which must be recorded and documented as a Residential PEEP and made available to the FRS. The PCFRA should include:
    • Fire safety risks within the resident’s flat.
    • Fire safety risks within common areas.
    • Potential measures to mitigate risks, including associated costs.
• Requirements to produce a building-level evacuation plan and share it with the FRS. These plans should include Residential PEEPs, general evacuation instructions for residents, and any special building arrangements, such as evacuation alert systems.

Next steps for EEIS+

The government has committed to working with stakeholders to refine and develop the operational details and implement regulations as quickly as possible. Whilst no specific timelines have been set, it is crucial to begin preparing now to implement practical measures to ensure your buildings are compliant when the regulations come into force.

Practical preparations should include:

• Assessing the measures required to deliver the requirements.
• Determining who will oversee implementation and ensure compliance.
• Establishing documentation and evidence processes to demonstrate compliance.

By proactively addressing these steps, organisations can ensure readiness for the upcoming regulations and enhance fire safety for vulnerable residents.

If you need additional guidance in understanding the upcoming changes to your responsibilities under EEIS+, get in touch with one of our experts who can support you in providing the best care for your residents whilst staying compliant.