Managing Attendees During a Drill

Overview

Once a fire drill has started, Fire Marshals must account for everyone who should be present and mark their status appropriately. This process ensures accurate headcounts and helps identify anyone who may need assistance.

Who Can Manage Attendees

• Fire Marshals
• Site Administrators
• Company Administrators

Multiple Fire Marshals can work on the same drill simultaneously with real-time collaboration.

Understanding the Attendee List

Who Appears on the List

Automatically included:

• All staff currently checked in to the site
• All visitors who checked in today using QR codes
• Anyone who was checked in when the drill started

Not included:

• Staff who are checked out or working elsewhere
• Visitors who haven't used the QR code system
• Staff on holiday or sick leave (if properly checked out)

Attendee Information Display

For each person, you'll see:

• Name (First name, Last name)
• Status indicator (Present, Offsite, Absent, or unmarked)
• Call button (if mobile number available)
• Group/Team assignment (if configured for your site)

Filtering and Organising Attendees

Available Filter Options

By person type:

• Staff only - Shows only employees
• Visitors only - Shows only people who checked in via QR codes
• All - Shows everyone who needs to be accounted for

By alphabetical groups:

• A-C - First names beginning with these letters
• D-G - First names beginning with these letters
• H-L - First names beginning with these letters
• M-R - First names beginning with these letters
• S-Z - First names beginning with these letters

By custom teams (if configured):

• Teams or groups as set up by your Site Administrator
• Useful for large organisations with defined departments or areas

Using Filters Effectively

For small sites:

• "All" filter may be sufficient
• Use alphabetical filters if you have many attendees

For large sites:

• Use team filters to divide responsibilities between Fire Marshals
• Alphabetical filters help when names are called alphabetically
• Staff/Visitor filters help focus on different groups

During collaborative management:

• Coordinate with other Fire Marshals about which filters each person will use
• Avoid duplicating efforts on the same attendees

Marking Attendance Status

The Three Status Options

Present (Green icon):

• Use when the person is physically at the assembly point
• They've been visually confirmed as safe and accounted for
• This is the desired status for everyone during evacuation

Offsite (Orange/Yellow icon):

• Use when you confirm the person is not on-site today
• They may be working from home, at another location, or on leave
• You've verified they shouldn't be at this location

Absent (Red icon):

• Use when the person should be on-site but cannot be located
• They were checked in but haven't been found at the assembly point
• This status requires immediate attention and follow-up

How to Mark Status

1. Locate the person in your attendee list
2. Tap or click the appropriate status icon next to their name
3. Status updates immediately and is visible to all Fire Marshals
4. Move to the next person and continue the process

Status Updates in Real-Time

• Changes appear instantly on all Fire Marshal devices
• You can see updates made by other Fire Marshals immediately
• Use this to coordinate and avoid duplicate work
• Focus on unmarked attendees to work efficiently

Working with Multiple Fire Marshals

Collaborative Drill Management

Real-time coordination:

• All participating Fire Marshals see the same attendee list
• Status changes appear immediately on everyone's devices
• You can see who other Fire Marshals are working with

Dividing responsibilities:

• Use filters to split work (one person takes visitors, another takes staff)
• Assign different Fire Marshals to different teams/groups
• Cover different physical areas or assembly points

Communication during drills:

• Coordinate verbally about progress and any issues
• Share information about missing persons immediately
• Work together to resolve discrepancies

Avoiding Duplicate Work

Watch for real-time updates:

• Don't mark someone who's already been marked by a colleague
• Focus on attendees who still need status assignment
• Use the unmarked attendees to guide your priorities

Contacting Attendees During Drills

Using the Call Function

When to call someone:

• They're marked as absent and you need to locate them
• You need clarification about their location
• They haven't appeared at the assembly point

How to make calls:

1. Locate the person in your attendee list
2. Tap the call button next to their name
3. Your device will initiate the call using their registered mobile number
4. Speak clearly and ask about their location and status

Call Guidelines

What to ask:

• "Are you currently on-site at [location]?"
• "Where are you right now?"
• "Can you get to the assembly point?"
• "Do you need assistance?"

What to do based on responses:

• If they're safely offsite: Mark them as offsite
• If they're on-site but stuck: Coordinate rescue/assistance
• If they don't answer: Continue trying and mark as absent
• If they're at assembly point: Look for them and mark as present

No Mobile Number Available

If call button is unavailable:

• The person hasn't provided a mobile number
• Focus on visual identification at assembly points
• Ask colleagues if they know the person's whereabouts
• Use other communication methods if available

Handling Difficult Situations

Missing Attendees

Someone marked as absent:

1. Try calling them first if mobile number available
2. Ask colleagues if they've seen the person today
3. Check alternative assembly areas in case they're in wrong location
4. Consider if they might have left early without checking out
5. Escalate to emergency services if genuinely missing and at risk

Confused or Distressed Staff

Supporting staff during drills:

• Remain calm and provide clear instructions
• Help them understand the process
• Guide them to correct assembly areas
• Reassure them that it's a routine safety procedure

Technical Issues During Drills

If the system isn't working:

• Use backup methods
• Continue with manual headcount procedures
• Focus on safety first, documentation second
• Report technical issues after the drill is complete

Visitors Without QR Check-in

If visitors are present but not on the list:

• Account for them manually in your notes
• Ensure they're safely evacuated
• Add their information to drill notes
• Remind hosts about visitor check-in procedures for future

Assembly Point Management

Multiple Assembly Areas

If your site has different assembly points:

• Use team/group filters to match people to their designated areas
• Coordinate with Fire Marshals covering other assembly points
• Don't spend time looking for people in the wrong assembly area

Large Group Management

For sites with many attendees:

• Work systematically through the list
• Use alphabetical calling if helpful
• Don't try to mark everyone at once
• Focus on efficiency and accuracy

Weather and Environmental Considerations

During difficult conditions:

• Prioritise safety over perfect record-keeping
• Move to alternative assembly areas if necessary
• Account for delays due to weather or access issues
• Adapt procedures while maintaining safety focus

Completing Attendance Marking

When Everyone Is Accounted For

All attendees should have status:

• Present (ideal for most people)
• Offsite (confirmed as not on-site)
• Absent (if genuinely missing - rare and concerning)

Ready for drill completion:

• Click "View Summary" to review all attendance
• Verify that all attendees have been marked
• Proceed to drill questions and completion

Before Ending the Drill

Final checks:

• Review the summary for completeness
• Confirm any absent attendees are accounted for or appropriate action taken
• Ensure all Fire Marshals agree on the final status
• Add any important notes about the drill process

Best Practices for Attendee Management

Efficiency Tips

Work systematically:

• Use filters to organise your work
• Start with people you can easily see at assembly points
• Save difficult cases for last
• Coordinate with other Fire Marshals to avoid duplication

Accuracy Focus

Verify before marking:

• Make sure you've correctly identified each person
• Don't guess about someone's status
• Use "offsite" only when you're certain they're not on-site
• Call or ask colleagues when unsure

Safety Priority

Remember the purpose:

• The goal is ensuring everyone's safety
• Perfect record-keeping is secondary to safety
• Focus on finding and accounting for people
• Use the system to support safety, not complicate it

Remember: Effective attendee management during drills ensures everyone's safety and provides valuable data for improving emergency procedures. Work collaboratively, stay focused on safety, and use the tools available to account for everyone efficiently.