Figueres a Escena

What Our Ushers Do during an Emergency Evacuation Drill

When an alarm sounds at Teatre El Jardí or Sala La Cate, audience members may wonder whether it is an exercise or real danger. Our ushers turn uncertainty into calm action. During a planned emergency evacuation drill, they guide people, check assigned areas and report clearly to the response coordinator.

Evacuation is a team effort, not a display of individual bravery. Front-of-house staff work with the stage manager, duty manager, venue safety team and, during a genuine incident, emergency services. Ushers follow the building-specific emergency plan rather than inventing a route or giving instructions they are not authorised to give.

A drill tests communication, reveals obstacles and builds confidence before a real event. It also rehearses the choices that can feel hardest under pressure: leaving promptly, helping a companion and reaching the assembly area without blocking emergency access. Problems such as a jammed exit or vague announcement can then be corrected.

Safety must also be accessible and understandable. Ushers use plain language, preserve dignity and adapt support to children, performers, visitors with disabilities and people who speak different languages. In Figueres, that may include Catalan and Spanish, while visitors and touring artists can arrive from many countries.

Preparing with a shared plan

Before a drill, duty managers brief ushers on the alarm signal, announcement wording, communication method and individual responsibilities. They identify safe exits, alternative routes, the assembly point and areas needing a final sweep. Everyone learns who calls emergency services, provides first aid and records what happens.

The briefing is followed by a practical inspection. Ushers check that assigned doors open correctly, aisles and stairways remain clear, accessible seating routes work, and nothing blocks a fire door. They confirm the position of first-aid kits and any AED, then review how people needing mobility, hearing or other access support will be reached.

Preparation also includes event-specific details. For performance and workshop details, audiences can consult the live programme, while the team can help visitors identify the correct entrance and nearest marked exit when they arrive.

Speaking clearly for Australian audiences

Many Australian audiences recognise the term “fire drill”, so that familiar phrase can help people understand an exercise quickly. The team then states whether it is planned and what to do next. Short instructions such as “Please leave by the marked exit and follow the staff” are easier to act on than technical language, especially for visitors who do not speak Catalan or Spanish fluently.

Large Australian cities create familiar crowd conditions. At a busy theatre in Melbourne or Sydney, patrons may arrive by tram, bus, taxi, rideshare or private car just before the curtain, and a foyer can become crowded within minutes. Ushers therefore manage movement between doors, concessions and seating without allowing spectators to gather in a vehicle zone or narrow footpath.

Local emergency conventions matter too. Green EXIT signs, marked assembly areas and readily identified AEDs help people make decisions under stress. Staff call 000 only for a genuine emergency, never as part of an exercise. Visual notices and direct support for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing ensure that an audible announcement is not the only way information is shared.

Moving people calmly toward safety

When the venue alarm sounds, the first instruction should be calm and unmistakable. Ushers state what has happened, identify the safe direction and keep their tone steady. They do not bargain with people who want to finish a scene, collect a coat or film the moment; a brief, respectful explanation helps the whole audience move promptly.

Ushers manage movement rather than push it. They direct people away from congestion, pause the flow when a doorway becomes crowded and keep stairways and accessible routes available for those who need them. For a fire-related evacuation, lifts are not used unless the emergency plan or emergency services direct otherwise. Ushers also watch for anyone returning for a friend or an item.

The performance itself has a separate chain of responsibility. The stage manager coordinates performers and backstage colleagues, while front-of-house staff manage the audience and public areas. If an usher must change position, the duty manager needs to know, ensuring that no entrance, stairwell or seated section is accidentally left without support.

The two-part drill checklist

The full plan is adapted to each venue and event, but the core duties can be summarised clearly. For the ushers, preparation and response involve four practical actions:

For the audience, the public announcement reduces to four simple expectations:

These compact checklists do not replace the venue-specific emergency plan or a trained responder’s direction. Ushers adapt the wording to the audience, event and circumstances while making sure instructions remain clear, accessible and easy to follow.

Supporting children, families, and performers

Children need a shorter explanation and a familiar adult to stay with. Ushers avoid separating a child from their parent or carer, and the agreed reunion point is identified in the briefing rather than improvised after the alarm. If a child is unaccompanied, staff treat the situation as a safeguarding concern and follow the venue’s child-protection procedure.

Family productions shared through listings such as the Puppet24 site may bring young visitors who are unfamiliar with the building. Before entry, the team can explain the alarm, the nearest exit and the assembly point in simple terms. Children can learn to look for exit signs and ask an usher for help without being frightened by technical language.

ATEB students, teachers and performers also need a clear handover between public and backstage areas. During an exercise, staff show how rehearsal groups move from studios or stages to their designated places. In a genuine incident, the stage manager directs performers, while ushers concentrate on patrons unless another task has been formally assigned to them.

Accounting for everyone and restoring service

At the assembly area, the team conducts a zone-based headcount and checks each public area against the person responsible for it. A ticket total can help, but it is not proof that everyone is present. Ushers report clear areas, missing people and details such as a last-seen description or the section in which someone was seated.

If someone is unaccounted for, the coordinator checks previous reports and decides whether trained staff should undertake another search. In a real emergency, that information is passed to emergency services, who control the search and entry into the building. Ushers do not re-enter on their own, even when a friend or family member may still be inside.

A planned drill and a genuine incident must never be confused. During a real event, the venue provides information and access to responders, offers first aid and support, and waits for the authorised all-clear before anyone returns. During a drill, the team maintains the same discipline before recording any lessons.

Afterwards, doors, aisles and accessible routes are checked before normal operations resume. A brief staff debrief identifies unclear instructions, congestion points and extra support that should be available next time. If the exercise has caused concern, trained staff remain available for visitors who found the alarm distressing.

Supporting safe visits and community connection

To plan a visit, explore Figueres a Escena for performance, ATEB training and community activity information. Book a performance at Teatre El Jardí or Sala La Cate, arrange a theatre school class, or ask the box office about access needs and group bookings.

Arrive a little early, note the exits and keep your phone and belongings out of doorways. At the first alarm, stay with your group and follow the nearest usher. A well-briefed audience and a coordinated team make every performance safer and more enjoyable.