Starting a Fire Evacuation Drill Program in the Workplace | SERVPRO® of Palo Alto

6/25/2020 (Permalink)

If your business experiences any fire damage, you can count on us. SERVPRO of Palo Alto specializes in commercial fire restoration.

When it comes to planning for commercial fires, it is important to understand that businesses in any industry carry some level of risk. Some may be more susceptible than others, but all businesses should do what they can to evaluate and reduce their risks of operation.

Whether you work in an industry with equipment that could cause a fire or you are just practicing regular office safety, it is important to do everything you can to keep your staff safe.

One of the chief things to be concerned about when boosting your fire preparedness is the overall safety of your workplace. That is why we recommend planning your fire evacuation drills and practicing them with staff as the first step of your fire safety planning.

Planning and Practicing Fire Evacuation Drills With Staff

Consult with your local fire officials. Once you begin researching fire safety, you will find lots of great tips and guidelines online for how to be as safe as possible—but do not forget to make use of local resources, too. Your local fire marshal will likely be glad to pay your business a visit and weigh in on the best ways to plan your evacuation routes and conduct drills in your space.

Communicate and mark fire evacuation routes. After determining what the best escape routes are, the next step is to mark them clearly and communicate your evacuation plans with employees. Making sure everyone is prepared in advance of a fire drill will ensure things go smoothly and everyone knows to take it seriously but to not panic.

Have fire drills frequently. You will find that your needs vary regarding how frequently to host your drills, so it is important to find what works best for you. You will want your drills to happen often enough that employees remember them, but not happen so regularly that they are disregarded as routine.

Run different fire scenarios. There are places in the office where a fire might be more likely to break out (such as a staff kitchen), but fires can come from many places. When you run your fire drills, have your fire “start” in various locations around the office so your employees will be comfortable using different routes and exits as needed.

If your business has experienced fire damage, you can count on us. We specialize in commercial fire restoration and will be here for you at any hour—contact us today.