Warden lifecycle

Become a warden

Being a warden is a specialist role with specific requirements and procedures that all wardens should be aware of.  For any questions relating to the warden's roles and responsibilities, please direct to the Emergency & Business Resilience Team.

Warden

If you would like to become a warden, contact your building's chief warden. If you are not sure who this is, check the emergency posters by the lifts or next to major doors in your building, ask your supervisor or look at the building emergency information spreadsheet (requires UoM username and password).

Qualities that are desirable for a warden to have include:

• experience, through training in emergency procedures and drills
• knowledge of the culture of staff in your building (for example, where smokers go to smoke)
• trust of their fellow staff
• ability to think clearly and make decisions
• leadership – wardens should use an autocratic style of leadership when evacuating their area
• limitations – wardens need to know their own limitations (for example, fear of heights)
• quick responses when it comes to implementing actions effectively

Chief Warden

The Emergency Planning Specialist maintains a building emergency information spreadsheet listing all the University's Chief Wardens and their contact details.

If you would like to become a chief warden:

1. Check whether your current building already has a chief warden (look on the building emergency resources database or ask your management).
2. Discuss your interest with your local dean, head of department or senior staff member. If there is more than one department in your building, all the departments will need to discuss the matter.
3. To be added or removed from the list, please email the Emergency & Business Resilience Team.