Dec. 23, 2019
No one expects to have a fire or other disaster at work, but they happen every day in the factory and office buildings across the country.
We like to think of our workplaces as predictable outposts full of copiers, machines, and maybe a few too many meetings.
But the truth is that when a fire breaks out, employees’ lives can be on the line. You and your company’s leaders need to be familiar with how to conduct a fire drill at work. By scheduling regular fire drills, your company can plan for a potential fire and prepare employees to exit the building safely.
However, fire drills are not only to prepare for fires. They train employees on how to leave the office quickly in case of any emergency, whether that be an active shooter or natural disaster. Evacuation skills should be a crucial element of all employees’ training.
Stay calm. Do not panic when you hear the fire alarm. Also, it's important to stay quiet so you can hear any instructions.
In fact, it's important to be quiet and calm the whole time the fire drill is happening, not just when it starts.
Treat the alert as if it were a real fire. Though you may think the fire alarm is just for practice, you should always treat it as there actually is a fire. You have to practice the drill seriously to learn the proper procedure so that when a fire does happen, you won't panic.
Stop what you're doing. When you hear the alarm, you must stop anything you are doing at the time. Don't take time to finish a sentence on your paper or send an email. Don't take time to gather your things. Respond to the alarm immediately.
Start moving out of the building. Consider where the nearest exit is. Leave the room you are in going in that direction.
