By Ron Haines, Lilydale CFA 1st Lieutenant
A realistic and life-like evacuation scenario this week at one of Lilydale’s most popular destinations, the Athenaeum Theatre, allowed local fire brigade volunteers to both test their skills and get an inside view of what would be required should a fire breakout at the venue.
To make it more realistic theatre manager Fiona Carter organised a live audience and staff to be in attendance, as well as actors from the hit stage show Clue performing on stage just prior to the evacuation exercise commencing.
Overall there were some 50 people that participated in the evacuation on Monday 23 September.
A safety briefing was given to the audience prior to commencement of the exercise. This was particularly important as the theatre would be plunged into darkness when the mock fire started and people would be exiting the theatre in complete darkness.
At 7.30pm a mock fire started in the electrical control box on the north end of the stage. The fire quickly spread and activated the sprinkler system that worked to contain the fire, however, there was still dense smoke throughout the theatre.
The fire caused a blackout throughout the theatre.
Actors on stage quickly evacuated through the designated exit door and the stage manager, on her way out to the exit door, activated the fire curtain.
The fire curtain provides a barrier between the stage and the seating area of the theatre in the event of a fire, the curtain prevents heat smoke and flame from a fire on stage from affecting an audience while the theatre is being evacuated.
Led by chief warden Lesley Bailey the fire wardens were able to evacuate all people from the theatre in a timely manner.
Again to make the exercise more realistic four people stayed behind and hid in various locations to be rescued by the Lilydale Fire Brigade.
There were several people who had injuries who also had to be assisted out of the theatre.
The Lilydale CFA were quickly on scene and commenced a fire attack – two separate 38mm hose lines deployed with firefighters wearing breathing apparatus.
Once the fire was contained, firefighters conducted a search procedure to locate the missing people.
The procedures that firefighters employ conducting search procedures for a missing person/s are meticulous in every way. Carefully making their way throughout the building checking for all areas where a person/s could be located.
All persons were quickly located and evacuated by firefighters out of the building.
During the search procedures firefighters used a thermal image camera to locate hot spots of fires and to assist in locating people in the dark and smoke filled environment. The camera is sensitive enough to detect recent hand and foot prints.
The incident controller for the exercise was Captain Warren Davis who oversaw all the operational requirements of the exercise including the evacuation of people, setting up control points and the brigade’s forward command vehicle.
The fire wardens reported to Captain Davis on the progress of the evacuation.
Part of a fire warden’s responsibilities is to conduct a roll call of evacuees and to report to the officer in charge of any discrepancies with people missing or injured.
An important role of a fire warden is to immediately report to the incident controller and give a situation report on what action has been taken so far.
Again, safety of the firefighters and people involved in the exercise was paramount, that is why Lilydale had two brigade lieutenants nominated as safety officers – one located internally and the other externally to the theatre.
The whole evacuation exercise only took approximately 45 minutes. That’s how smoothly everything went during the night.
Yes there were lessons learned on the night and the Brigade will work with the theatre management and Yarra Ranges Council to address some of these matters.
Finally, Captain Davis conducted a debrief on the exercise and did a short presentation on general fire safety matters in the home and involving a live theatre.
Captain Davis thanked the staff, actors and the audience for their participation in the exercise noting that it’s not often the brigade gets an opportunity to have members of the public participate in a brigade training session.
He went on to say that everyone who took part in the exercise did so in an enthusiastic way – really getting into the spirit of the night’s activities.
