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Housing Association Services

First Response Safety Group provides specialist waking watch and interim fire safety services tailored for Housing Associations, Registered Providers, Local Authorities, and Managing Agents. We ensure that residents remain safe in their residential buildings while long-term fire safety remediations are undertaken.

Supporting Compliance Under the Building Safety Act 2022

The Building Safety Act 2022 establishes enhanced regulatory oversight for higher-risk residential buildings and places clear statutory obligations upon Accountable Persons and Responsible Persons to demonstrate effective, continuous management of building safety risk.

First Response Safety Group (FRSG) supports duty holders in discharging these responsibilities through the provision of structured, professionally governed interim fire safety measures designed to maintain safe occupation during periods where permanent fire safety controls are impaired, under review or subject to remediation.

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FRSG recognises that interim measures must form part of an integrated building safety management system rather than operate as an isolated operational response. Our deployments are therefore aligned to the expectations of the Building Safety Regulator, Fire & Rescue Authorities and associated statutory guidance governing occupied residential buildings.

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Our approach assists clients in demonstrating:

  • Ongoing management of building safety risk in accordance with the Building Safety Act framework

  • Proportionate implementation of interim control measures arising from Fire Risk Assessments and Fire Risk Assessments of External Walls (FRAEW)

  • Maintenance of suitable and sufficient arrangements pending remediation or installation of permanent fire safety systems

  • Structured operational oversight capable of withstanding regulatory scrutiny, audit review or post-incident investigation

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FRSG deployments operate within defined governance arrangements that support the Accountable Person’s requirement to maintain the Golden Thread of building safety information, ensuring that operational activity, incidents, patrol records and escalation actions are appropriately documented and retained.

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Where buildings transition from stay-put strategies to simultaneous evacuation arrangements, FRSG provides continuous monitoring and escalation capability aligned with evacuation planning developed by the Responsible Person and professional fire safety advisers.

Our operational model supports compliance expectations commonly assessed by regulators and enforcement authorities, including:

  • Demonstrable interim risk mitigation measures

  • Clear lines of accountability and supervision

  • Evidence-based operational records

  • Defined communication and escalation pathways

  • Assurance that interim measures remain proportionate and subject to review

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FRSG understands that interim fire safety provision must enable duty holders to evidence reasonable, defensible decision-making. Accordingly, our services are structured to assist Housing Associations and Managing Agents in demonstrating that appropriate steps have been taken to safeguard residents while permanent risk reduction solutions are progressed.

Support for Accountable Persons and Responsible Persons

  • Accountable Persons
  • Responsible Persons
  • Fire Risk Assessors
  • Managing Agents
  • Building Safety Managers

Responding to FRAEW Findings and Fire Risk Assessments

  • Identification of combustible cladding or insulation
  • Failed internal compartmentation or fire stopping
  • Defective fire doors in communal areas or dwellings
  • Temporary failure of life safety systems like smoke ventilation or dry risers

Simultaneous Evacuation Support

When a building’s strategy changes from "Stay Put" to "Simultaneous Evacuation", FRSG provides the trained personnel required to manage an emergency exit of the premises, ensuring rapid and safe evacuation of all residents in the event of a fire incident.

Resident Reassurance and Occupied Building Sensitivity

Operating within people’s homes requires a sensitive and community-focused approach. FRSG personnel maintain a professional, calm, and reassuring presence, ensuring residents feel safe without creating unnecessary alarm during their daily lives.

Cost Awareness and Leaseholder Sensitivity

We understand the financial pressures on housing providers and the sensitivities regarding service charges for leaseholders. FRSG provides proportionate staffing levels and absolute cost transparency, ensuring interim measures are effective and fiscally responsible.

Interim Fire Safety Measures — A Temporary Solution

  • Installation of compliant fire alarm systems
  • Completion of remediation programmes
  • Review of evacuation strategies
  • Reduction and eventual removal of waking watch requirements

Operational Governance and Assurance

  • Real-time digital patrol logging
  • Daily compliance reports
  • Regular site audits and quality assurance checks
  • Direct liaison with local Fire and Rescue Services

Mobilisation Capability

  • Immediate risk review and site familiarisation
  • Rapid deployment of trained fire safety officers
  • Establishment of site-specific operating procedures
  • Resident engagement and notification

Working in Partnership with Housing Providers

We believe in close collaboration with housing providers to achieve a common goal: the safety and well-being of all occupants. Our objective is to provide a seamless service that integrates with existing building management structures.

To discuss interim fire safety measures or waking watch provision for your residential buildings, please contact First Response Safety Group.

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