Write your Emergency Response Plan
A written plan setting out how a fire or other emergency is handled on your premises: how the alarm is raised, the evacuation routes, the assembly point outside the building, who checks toilets and back-of-house areas are clear, who calls 995, and who is responsible for coordinating the response on any given shift.
Not yet independently verified — check the source link: The specific Emergency Response Plan content and format SCDF expects for a small F&B venue wasn't independently confirmed this pass — the coverage below (evacuation routes, assembly point, roles, drill schedule) follows the general shape SCDF publishes for fire safety plans, but check the current SCDF guidance before finalising your document.
A written plan setting out how a fire or other emergency is handled on your premises: how the alarm is raised, the evacuation routes, the assembly point outside the building, who checks toilets and back-of-house areas are clear, who calls 995, and who is responsible for coordinating the response on any given shift. It should also set a schedule for practising the plan with staff, not just filing it away.
A plan that exists only on paper does nothing when the alarm actually goes off — what saves people is staff who have been briefed and know their role without having to think about it. SCDF and your insurer both expect to see a current, site-specific plan, and a generic template with the venue name changed won't hold up if it's ever asked for.
Evacuation routes and exits, the assembly point, named roles for raising the alarm and checking the premises are clear, and a recurring drill schedule for briefing staff.
Who this is for
Every venue — the plan and the briefing scale with headcount, but nobody is exempt.
What you’ll hold
- Written Emergency Response Plan
- Staff briefing/drill log
Watch out for
- Writing the plan and never actually briefing or drilling the team — a plan nobody has walked through is worthless the moment there is a real emergency.
- Naming one person as responsible for coordinating the response with no cover for when they are off shift, sick or on leave.
- Copying a generic template without adapting it to your actual premises — your real exits, kitchen layout and assembly point need to be in the document, not a placeholder.
Sources
- SCDF — Singapore Civil Defence Force checked 2026-09-08
See also
This is item 8 of 36 in the free Singapore Launch Checklist. See the whole list →