Fire Drill Log: 5 Fields That Back Up Your Risk Assessment

Published 13 October 2026 · gribit

Manager recording a fire drill in a logbook

A fire drill log records each practice’s date, evacuation time and any follow-up actions needed to fix what went wrong. You can download a printable template in minutes or use a digital logbook such as Gribit to timestamp and store records automatically. Either way, the minimum useful entry covers the date, duration, numbers present and any remedial action required.

TL;DR:

Record the drill leader, exits used, evacuation time, attendance by relevant group, obstacles, and each corrective action’s owner and completion date.

Run at least one drill annually, increase frequency for higher risk or frequent turnover, and keep written records when five or more people are employed.

Vary drill times and scenarios, including a blocked exit, then review delays or faults and assign each fix to a named person with a deadline.

Childcare logs should name each child present, record how long staff take to account for babies or sleeping children, and reference personal emergency evacuation plans.

Paper may suit one site with one manager; Gribit costs £49 per site per year and keeps records and follow up actions centralized.

Gribit

gribit.co.uk

Keep Safety Records in One Place

Gribit’s digital logbook helps small businesses record recurring safety checks, manage follow-ups and keep relevant certificates and documents together.

Explore the digital logbook

Fields to capture in a fire drill log and why each matters

A log that only notes the date and a tick isn’t much use to anyone, least of all you when an inspector asks what you learned from it. The Home Office how-to guide stresses that drills should test your procedures properly, which means the record needs enough detail to show whether they actually worked.

A solid fire drill log sheet should capture:

The date and start time, plus the end time or total evacuation duration.
The number of people present, broken down by staff, children or visitors where relevant.
Who led the drill and which exits were used to reach the assembly point.
Any obstructions, equipment failures or confusion during the evacuation.
Remedial actions needed, who owns each one and the date it was completed.

Recording the duration matters because a drill that takes six minutes one quarter and eleven the next tells you something changed, whether that’s staffing, layout or complacency. Varying the scenario, running drills at different times of day, with different staff on shift, or simulating a blocked exit, shows you’re genuinely testing your arrangements rather than rehearsing the same routine, a point the Home Office guidance makes explicitly.

Pro Tip: Leave space on the form for a one-line debrief note straight after the drill, before anyone forgets the detail that actually matters.

Printable templates and how to use one during a drill

Templates generally come in three shapes: a single sheet for recording one drill, a logbook with repeating pages for ongoing records, or a wall poster marking the assembly point and exit routes. Which one suits you depends on how many sites or rooms you’re tracking and how often you drill.

Using a paper form on the day is straightforward if you follow a consistent sequence:

Keep the blank form at the fire panel or reception desk so it’s grabbed automatically when the alarm sounds.
Nominate one person, usually the fire warden or duty manager, to start timing the moment the alarm activates.
Record the time the last person reaches the assembly point and confirms headcount.
Note any exits that were blocked, slow or unused, and anything that delayed evacuation.
Add a short debrief immediately afterwards while details are fresh, then file the sheet.

Childcare settings need a few adaptations. Local childminder guidance recommends recording the names of children present rather than just a headcount, since a name can be checked off individually in a way a number can’t. Settings with babies or sleeping children should note how long it took to account for each one, and anyone with a personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) should have that plan referenced on the log, not just their name.

Storing, retaining and using drill records for audits

Keep your logbook somewhere fixed and known, whether that’s a specific drawer at reception or a labelled folder on a shared drive, so anyone asked for it (including an inspector) can find it without a search. A pile of loose sheets scattered across different desks defeats the purpose of keeping records at all.

Gov states that you should carry out at least one fire drill a year and keep the results as part of your fire safety and evacuation plan, with higher-risk premises or those with frequent staff turnover expected to drill more often. Fire risk assessment guidance for offices and shops adds that formal written records, including drill results, are required wherever five or more people are employed.

Beyond keeping you compliant, your drill history should feed back into your risk assessment:

Review the log after each drill for patterns, repeated bottlenecks or recurring equipment faults.
Update training where the same issue (a jammed exit, a confused new starter) shows up twice.
Attach completed remedial actions as evidence the next time your risk assessment is reviewed.

Why use a digital logbook: practical benefits and what to expect

Paper works until a sheet goes missing or nobody can find last year’s drill the week an inspector calls. A digital record is timestamped automatically, can’t be mislaid, and keeps every remedial action visible in one place rather than scattered across sheets filed in different drawers.

That’s the gap we built Gribit to close. As a digital logbook, we let you:

Schedule recurring checks, including fire drills, so nothing is forgotten.
Automate reminders ahead of each due date.
Record results and track follow-up actions through to completion.
Store certificates and supporting documents alongside the relevant check.

Our SITE LOGBOOK ANNUAL PLAN costs £49 per site per year. For a single site with one person managing everything, a paper logbook may still suit you fine. For multi-site operations, businesses with high staff turnover, or anyone who regularly faces auditor requests, a centralised digital record removes the risk of a sheet going missing at the worst possible moment. Platforms built for wider compliance tracking, such as Curcle’s fire safety software, show a similar shift toward consolidating inspections and remedial actions digitally rather than across paper files.

Making drill logs a tool for improvement, not a formality

Making drill logs a tool for improvement, not a formality — overview diagram

The weakest drill logs I come across record the same scenario, the same time of day, the same result, year after year. That’s not testing anything, it’s rehearsing complacency. Vary the scenario deliberately: block an exit, run it unannounced, drill during a quiet shift as well as a busy one.

Treat every remedial action as owned by a named person with a real deadline, then actually check it was done. A log nobody reviews is paperwork. A log you return to is a risk-management tool.

— Jon

A simpler way to keep your fire drill records

Printing sheets, filing them correctly and remembering next year’s date is manageable for one site. It gets harder fast once you’re juggling several, or once staff turnover means the person who knew where the folder lived has left.

Gribit

With our SITE LOGBOOK ANNUAL PLAN, drill dates get scheduled automatically, results are recorded against a timestamp, and remedial actions stay visible until they’re closed off, all for £49 per site per year. Certificates and supporting documents sit alongside each check, so handover between staff doesn’t mean searching a filing cabinet. Set up your first site on Gribit and have your next drill scheduled before you close the tab.

FAQ

What is the legal requirement for fire evacuation drills?

GOV.UK guidance states you should carry out at least one fire drill a year and keep the results as part of your fire safety and evacuation plan. Higher-risk premises or those with frequent staff turnover are generally expected to drill more often, and formal written records are required where you employ five or more people.

What are the 5 P’s of evacuation?

Definitions vary by organisation and sector, so there isn’t one official version to point to. Most variants cover people, pets, prescriptions, papers (important documents) and priceless items, though workplace evacuation plans typically focus on accounting for people first and foremost.

What are the 5 steps of fire safety?

Again, this varies by source rather than following one fixed standard. Common versions include identifying hazards, assessing who is at risk, evaluating and reducing risk, recording findings and training staff, and reviewing the assessment regularly, which aligns with the risk assessment approach set out in official guidance.

Is it a fire drill or a fire drill log?

A fire drill is the practice evacuation itself. A fire drill log is the written or digital record of that drill, capturing details like the date, duration, numbers present and any follow-up actions needed.

How often should I update my fire drill log?

Update it every time you run a drill, recording the outcome while details are fresh. Official guidance recommends varying the scenario between drills so the log reflects genuine testing rather than a repeated routine.