Roll Call – the Importance of Knowing Who Is Where in an Emergency

In fact it is not just as simple as what staff are in the building and we should not rely on other people remembering where their colleagues may have gone, or if they have gone anywhere at all. Some members of staff may be on holiday, off sick, away elsewhere on business, working from home, running late or working more flexible hours that are hard to account for. As well as staff any visitors and contractors that may be in the building also need to be accounted for. In the event of an emergency the status and safety of anyone who was in the building becomes a main concern with quick and effective action being needed in order to minimize any consequences highlighting the importance of knowing who is in the building in emergency situations. Any roll call taken should be quick and efficient, a process that paper may hinder. In the event of an emergency, time is key and it is important for everyone to leave the building as quickly and safely as possible meaning that depending where paperwork is kept or whether it needs printing etc there may not be time to collect it in the first place. In heavy rain or dark weather paper may become illegible, or perhaps in the case of a fire you simply cannot get to or any paperwork has already been destroyed.