The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) describe the main aims of the Guidance as:

• ‘ensuring those with responsibility for buildings fully understand the decision-making process before deciding that a change in evacuation strategy is required.
• clearer emphasis on resident engagement.
• an end to risk averse ‘one size fits all’ application of on-site staffing (waking watches or evacuation management) when this is disproportionate to the risk.’

The National Fire Chiefs Council have produced:

• a helpful video which summarises these changes
• a series of frequently asked questions including ‘what the guidance is for and when it should be used’, and ‘what is stay put?’

Responsible persons and building owners are encouraged to view and read these.

The key changes in this guidance have been summarised by the NFCC in the 'Frequently Asked Questions' which can be found on their website, as follows:

• Addresses concerns raised about RPs and Fire Risk Assessors failing to act proportionately and take the right steps before they change their evacuation strategy, by clearly signposting readers to the newly published PAS 9980.
• Reinforces the clear expectation that RPs will seek to reduce or remove the dependence on waking watches as soon as possible, by providing more detail within the timeline on what actions enforcing authorities expect RPs to take, and by when.
• Discourages the risk adverse behaviour of having onsite staff where they may not be needed.
• Clearly signposts readers to a wider range of supporting information, including Article 50 guidance they may need to consider in respect of persons who might find themselves in vulnerable positions.
• Includes a published Equalities Impact Assessment.
• Responds to the learnings from the New Providence Wharf Fire by incorporating a previously separate addendum into the main guide.
• Includes updates to relevant sections following the commencement of the Fire Safety Act 2021 and introduction of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.
• Includes significant revisions to evacuation management content to:
• improve distinction between where evacuation management is used to describe a job/role, and where it is used to describe a general set of duties or activities.
• highlight that (like the decision to change evacuation strategy) a decision to have onsite staff to manage an evacuation should be informed by advice from a competent person in conjunction with a holistic review of the Fire Risk Assessment.
• clarify that (like members of a waking watch team) any persons with appropriate training can perform evacuation management duties where they are recommended by the Fire Risk Assessment/Competent Person.