Do You Have A Fire Evacuation Plan For Your Business?

10/13/2020 (Permalink)

While a fire itself is dangerous enough, the threat of fire can be compounded by panic and chaos.   If you aren’t prepared, injuries and even more damage can result. The best prevention here is to have a detailed fire evacuation plan; a high-quality fire evacuation plan will not only prepare your business in the event of a fire but also for any other type of emergency that could happen on your business premises. 

Do you have a fire evacuation plan for your business? The law requires you to have a plan.  If the answer is no or if you need to revisit the one you have in place, we have some points to share with you while you are creating a fire evacuation plan.

Location. An average of 3,000 fires occur in office properties per year, and most of those fires were caused by faulty cooking equipment, intentional acts, or electrical malfunctions. These are the areas to pay special attention to in your business. 

Causes. Do you have a kitchen in your office or are people using portable space heaters or personal fridges? Do wildfires threaten your location during the summer? Make sure you understand the specific threats in your area and on your premises. 

• Note: fires related to cooking are at the top of the list for office properties, so make sure to post rules about using the microwave and other office kitchen appliances where everyone can see them.

Leadership. Your employees will need leaders for guidance and reassurance during an evacuation. Choose those you believe you can rely on to be responsible and create a chain of command.  These people will be the ones who lead everyone to safety, handle calm communications, and ensure that even the most vulnerable on your team are safe. Designate volunteers who are willing to learn and operate fire extinguishers correctly, should the need arise. 

Communication. Designate someone to handle the job of calling the fire department and getting information to employees, customers, news media, and any other entities, such as the community, organizational management, suppliers, transportation partners, and government officials. Whoever you choose will need a robust, multi-channel communication system, as the chaos of a disaster, such as a fire, can result in people not necessarily thinking clearly and may miss important information. Being able to communicate through email, phone, text, and mobile app will ensure your communication gets to everyone in a timely manner. 

Route. A good fire evacuation plan for your business will use primary and secondary escape routes, and clear signage should mark all the exit routes. Make multiple maps and post them so all your employees know the evacuation routes to the safe spot(s) you have designated.

Tools. It is recommended that you refill reusable fire extinguishers every 10 years and replace disposable ones every 12 years. Also, make sure your employees know where the fire extinguishers are located in the workplace. While you’re at it, make sure these office tools are up-to-date and operational at all times wherever applicable:

• Fire alarms
• Emergency lighting
• Fire doors 
• Escape ladders 
• Megaphone/Traffic Controller Wand 

Drills. Regular fire drills will minimize confusion through repetition, giving your employees a clear idea of how a real evacuation should work. A safe outcome is more likely when everyone knows what is happening. 

Here at SERVPRO of Huron/East Seneca Counties, we care about you and your business, and we care about the safety of your workforce, too. If you need help with cleanup after a fire or flood, or if you have experienced fire damage or water damage, we are here to help. We can get your home and business Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, too! Ask us how.