KEY POINTS
- An evacuation procedure gets people away from danger by moving them out of the premises, or out of part of it. It is one of the four public protection procedures required under Martyn's Law.
- It is not the same as your fire evacuation plan. Routes, the alarm you use and what people do outside can all be different.
- Home Office guidance says dispersal is likely to be more appropriate than gathering at an assembly point, which could be targeted in a secondary attack.
- Routes must lead away from the threat, so staff need to know every exit and be ready to choose between them.
- Keep it to one simple procedure that staff adapt to where the threat is, rather than a different version for every attack type.
What a terrorist attack evacuation procedure is for
An evacuation procedure is a short, practised set of actions for getting people out of your premises, or out of part of them, when there is reason to suspect a terrorist attack is happening or about to happen. Section 5 of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 lists evacuation as one of the four public protection procedures that the responsible person for qualifying premises and events must have in place, so far as is reasonably practicable. See public protection procedures for how it fits with the other three.
Most venues already have a fire evacuation plan. The Home Office statutory guidance says it must be clear which procedures are for fire and which are for a terrorist attack, because an attack poses different dangers. The differences are significant:
| Typical fire evacuation | Terrorist attack evacuation | |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Nearest available exit | The exit that leads away from the threat, which may not be the nearest |
| Alarm | Fire alarm | Guidance says avoid the normal fire alarm where possible; use a PA message, codeword or direct instruction instead |
| Outside | Gather at a known assembly point for a roll call | Disperse away from the premises and the immediate vicinity |
| Threat | Static and visible | May move, may be outside, may involve more than one attacker or device |
| Decision | Usually automatic on alarm | A judgement by a named decision maker, made quickly and revisited |
Fire can also be used as a weapon. The guidance warns that a fire alarm activation should not automatically be assumed to be only a fire. If it becomes clear that a fire is part of an attack, the evacuation should take that into account, for example by avoiding routes towards the attacker.
When evacuation is the right choice
The guidance suggests that if the threat seems to be inside the premises, evacuation may be the best option. If it seems to be coming from outside, invacuation or lockdown may be more appropriate, because sending people into the street could send them towards the danger. Typical triggers for evacuation include:
- an attacker inside the building, where a safe route out exists
- a suspicious item inside the premises that staff judge could be a threat
- a credible threat to the building, or an instruction from the police
- a hazardous substance released inside, once emergency services advise that leaving is safer
For unattended items, ProtectUK promotes the HOT principles to help staff judge whether an item is suspicious: is it Hidden, is it Obviously suspicious, and is it Typical of what you would expect to find in that location? The guidance gives an example of a standard tier restaurant where a waiter finds a bag hidden behind a pot plant after a customer left in a hurry. The duty manager decides to evacuate and calls the police.
Evacuation is not always the first step. The guidance notes that a lockdown may come before an evacuation, protecting people until there is a safe moment to move them out.
Planning routes away from the threat
Because the threat could be anywhere, your procedure should give staff a choice of routes rather than one fixed path. Start by mapping every way out of the building, including fire exits, staff entrances, loading bays and kitchen doors. Then decide how staff will describe them quickly. Simple names such as 'front exit', 'rear exit', 'bar fire exit' or 'loading bay' are easier to use under pressure than door numbers nobody remembers.
For larger or more complex premises, the guidance describes four types of evacuation:
| Type | What it means |
|---|---|
| Full | The whole premises or event is evacuated. |
| Partial or zonal | Only a limited area is evacuated, useful where premises are divided into zones that can be secured. |
| Phased | People leave in stages, needed where exit routes have limited capacity. |
| Directional | Certain routes are used, or avoided, to keep people away from a known threat. |
Most standard tier venues only need full and directional evacuation, but a multi-floor venue may also want partial evacuation. Other practical points:
- Check each route for pinch points, poor lighting and doors that are often locked or blocked by stock.
- If you share exits with other premises, for example in a shopping centre, the guidance says to co-ordinate so shared routes do not become blocked when everyone uses them at once.
- Once people are leaving, stop others from entering the premises.
- Plan how people with disabilities will be helped out, and who will help them. Your duties under the Equality Act 2010 still apply.
- In drills, block one route so staff practise choosing an alternative.
Assembly point or dispersal?
This is the biggest difference from a fire plan. The statutory guidance says dispersal from the premises is likely to be the most appropriate action, because a specified gathering point could be exploited during an attack, especially where it is publicly advertised or predictable. It gives the example of a standard tier church whose fire plan uses an open assembly point. For a suspected attack, the church decides to tell people to disperse in multiple directions instead.
Dispersal needs clear instructions, because people instinctively stop just outside the door. Staff at final exits can use short phrases such as: 'Keep moving. Go well away from the building. Do not stop outside.' Tell people which direction to go if you know where the threat is.
Some people may need more support than dispersal allows, such as children, people with disabilities or people who are injured. Plan for staff to stay with them where it is safe to do so. If you do use a meeting point, do not publicise it, and be ready to follow the emergency services' advice on where to go.
Decision makers and staff roles
The guidance asks who will decide what actions to take and who has the authority to start a procedure. Name the role, not just the person, so it works on every shift. A typical allocation for a standard tier venue:
| Role | What they do in an evacuation |
|---|---|
| Decision maker (duty manager) | Decides to evacuate, chooses the route away from the threat, gives the instruction, reassesses. |
| Deputy | Steps in if the decision maker is unavailable. Often makes the 999 call. |
| Route staff | Direct people to the chosen exits and away from the threat. Keep people moving. |
| Sweep staff | Check toilets, changing rooms, offices and back of house, only if it is safe to do so. |
| Exit and door staff | Stop people entering, tell people outside to disperse, point them in a safe direction. |
| Assisting staff | Help people who need support, following any personal evacuation plans you already have. |
In a small venue one person may cover several roles. That is fine, as long as everyone knows what they are expected to do. The guidance is also clear that no one should be expected to take actions that would compromise their own safety.
Evacuation procedure template outline
Use this outline to structure your own procedure. Keep the finished version to one or two pages so staff can actually use it.
- Purpose and scope: which premises, which areas (including outside areas you use), and that this procedure is for a suspected terrorist attack, separate from the fire plan.
- Triggers: the situations where evacuation is likely to be the right choice, such as a threat inside or a suspicious item.
- Decision makers: who can order an evacuation on each shift, and who deputises.
- How it is raised: the PA message, codeword or verbal instruction you use, and why the fire alarm is not the default. Link to your communication procedure.
- Routes: a list or simple plan of every exit, with short names, and a reminder to choose routes away from the threat.
- Staff actions by role: route, sweep, exit, assisting and calling 999.
- Dispersal instructions: what staff tell people at the exits, and how to stop people entering.
- Vulnerable people: how people with disabilities, children and anyone injured will be helped.
- Accounting for staff: how staff check in after dispersing.
- Working with emergency services: who calls 999, what to tell them, and who meets them if it is safe.
- Links to other procedures: when lockdown or invacuation might come first, and how to switch.
- Review: date written, date of last test, next review date and version number.
An illustrative example
For example, a 450-capacity music venue might have a main entrance on a busy street, two fire exits into a rear service yard and a stage door. Its fire plan sends everyone to an assembly point on the pavement opposite. For a terrorist threat, it might decide that:
- the duty manager or production manager can order an evacuation, announced through the PA by stopping the show and giving a scripted message
- if the threat is at the front, staff send people through the rear yard and tell them to disperse along the side streets
- if the threat is inside near the stage, staff use the main entrance and side exit, and keep people moving away from the street outside
- bar staff sweep the toilets and green room if it is safe, then leave
- staff check in on the team group chat once they are safe
This is illustrative only. Your routes and roles depend on your layout. Venue-specific considerations are covered in our guides for nightclubs and music venues and pubs and bars.
Common mistakes and next steps
- Using the fire alarm as the default trigger, so people respond as they would to a fire.
- Keeping the fire assembly point for terrorist incidents.
- Only ever practising with the nearest exit available.
- Forgetting staff who work alone in cellars, offices or kitchens.
- Writing the procedure but never telling staff it exists.
Next, check your tier with the free checker, then write your invacuation and lockdown procedures so all three fit together. Test the result with a short tabletop exercise, as described in testing and drills. Our packs include an editable evacuation procedure built around this outline if you would prefer a starting point.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my fire evacuation plan for Martyn's Law?
Not on its own. The Home Office guidance says it must be clear which procedures are for fire and which are for a terrorist attack, because attacks pose different dangers. Your terrorist evacuation procedure can share routes and some roles, but should cover choosing routes away from the threat, dispersal and how the evacuation is announced.
Should we use the fire alarm to evacuate in a terrorist incident?
The statutory guidance says that, where possible, evacuation plans for terrorist attacks should avoid using the normal fire alarm, because people may respond inappropriately to the threat. Use a PA message, codeword or direct instruction instead.
Do we still need an assembly point?
For a terrorist incident, the guidance says dispersal is likely to be more appropriate than gathering in one place, because an assembly point could be targeted. Plan how staff will check in remotely and how vulnerable people will be supported.
Who should be allowed to order an evacuation?
Name the roles that can order an evacuation on every shift, usually the duty manager and a deputy. Staff should also know they can move people away from immediate danger without waiting for permission.
Sources
General information based on the Act and published guidance, not legal advice. Check the official statutory guidance on GOV.UK for your situation.