LSS News & Articles

What Is Your Building's Fire Escape Plan? - LSS Life Safety Services®

Written by LSS | Apr 11, 2016 2:00:33 PM

Remember school fire drills, when you had to line up in a single file line and walk outside quickly and quietly to a safe area. And as you got older those fire drills became few and far between. The next thing you know you are at work, where you may or may not know your building’s fire escape plan. It may seem like common sense, but during an emergency, people can become scared or confused as to what to do. For instance, back in January, our building’s fire alarm went off. For a few minutes, everybody looked around at each other in confusion. Was there really a fire? Where do we go? What do we do? Whether the fire is real or not, you should always be prepared. It turned out that the people working on our elevator accidently set it off. But what if there really would have been a fire? With our hesitation, some people could have become trapped and their lives put in danger.

 

It is important for an office building to have fire protection systems in place and working in the event of a fire. Fire/Smoke Dampers, Fire Doors, and firestopping will help prevent the spread of fire and smoke, while reducing property damage and allowing for a safe evacuation. Photoluminescent Egress Path Marking Systems and Exit Signs help guide people to safety in smoky or blackout conditions. However, even though you may have fire protection systems in place to prevent the spread of fire, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a fire escape plan.

 

One of the protections systems could fail, which could allow fire and smoke to spread quickly making it hard to both see and breathe. Making sure that your office building has an escape plan before a fire occurs, will help increase your chances of escaping. Whether your office already has a fire escape plan or not, here are a few things to keep in mind when preparing for a fire.

 

  • Identify your closest most safe exits.

  • Get out fast! Don’t try to gather belongings, they can be replaced, lives cannot.

  • Never use an elevator during a fire.

  • Stay as low to the ground as you can to avoid inhaling smoke.

  • Have a place outside your office (that’s far enough away from the building) to meet up with everyone else.

  • Never go back inside!

  • Practice your escape plan regularly. It may seem silly, but practicing your escape plan can help reduce panic and confusion in the event of a fire.

 

It is always better to be safe, rather than sorry. Making sure that your building’s fire protection systems are working will help protect the building and the people inside during a fire. However, anything can happen, and in case something was to go wrong, have an escape plan to ensure a safe evacuation. So don’t wait for an emergency, find out what your office building’s fire escape plan is, and be prepared before a fire happens.