Advanced warning in a fire is vital. The import of having fire alarms and
smoke detectors for Oklahoma homes and businesses cannot be overstated. As the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) noted though, your ability to get
out safely in a fire hinges not only on advanced warning but also on advanced
planning.
Therefore, in homes as well as businesses and public places,
a comprehensive fire escape plan is essential.
“Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you as
little as two minutes to escape safely once the alarm sounds,” the NFPA reported.
This is true likewise of commercial buildings. “Fires in
assembly occupancies have shown to be some of the most deadly when the proper
features, systems, and construction materials were not present,” NFPA noted.
“…when fire strikes a public building, occupants have only minutes to escape.”
What can you do to ensure your family and employees know how
to escape safely in the event of a fire?
Below are some fire escape planning tips via the NFPA
and the U.S.
Fire Administration:
Walk through your
home with everyone to create an escape plan. Examine all probable exits and
escape routes and ensure that these routes are clear and that doors and windows
can be opened easily. Make sure you have two ways to get out of every room in
the house. For children, consider drawing a floor plan, marking two ways out of
each room and the location of each smoke alarm. As you walk through the escape
plan with everyone, make sure they unmistakably understand the plan.
For businesses, it’s also essential to have clear pathways
through all escape routes and stairways and to confirm all emergency doors and
windows open easily. Clearly mark and post these escape routes.
Choose a safe outside
meeting place like a neighbor’s house, a mailbox, or a stop sign that is a
safe distance away from your home where the family can all meet after they have
escaped. Mark the meeting place on your fire escape plan.
Companies also need to have an separate meeting place
designated where employees will meet and be accounted for in the event of a
fire. This meeting place should be far enough away from the building so that occupants
don’t get hurt by debris and so that the fire department can easily get through
the area.
Smoke alarms need
to be installed “in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on
every level of the home,” NFPA said. Make sure there are also correctly
inspected and working fire extinguishers in the home.
Companies should make sure their Tulsa and OKC fire
detection and suppression systems including fire extinguishers, fire
alarms, fire sprinkler systems, fire doors, and smoke detectors are inspected
and serviced on a regular basis according to NFPA and local regulations. A Tulsa or OKC fire alarm monitoring service
can protect your business 24/7 and instantly notify you and the fire department
in the event of an emergency.
Can the fire
department easily find your home? Your house number should be clearly
visible from the road, either on your house or painted on the curb, so that
emergency personnel can find your home.
Help children know
how to escape on their own in
the event that you cannot help them. Have them memorize the emergency phone
number of the fire department so that they can call when they’re safely
outside.
If there are persons
with disabilities in the home, have someone assigned to assist them in the
fire drill and event of a fire. Have another person ready as a backup to assist
these ones as well, in case the first person is not home in an emergency.
This is also essential for businesses to have in place for
any disabled employees.
Practice your fire
escape plan during the daytime and at night, conducting fire drills twice a
year. Make sure kids have mastered the escape plan before having a fire drill
at night when they’re sleeping. “The objective is to practice, not to frighten,
so telling children there will be a drill before they go to bed can be as
effective as a surprise drill,” NFPA said. Determine whether children and
others can readily awaken to the smoke alarm sound. The NFPA noted that some
studies show children may not awaken even to a fire alarm. In that case, you’ll
need to assign someone to awaken them in the drill and a real fire.
These fire escape planning tips can help keep your family
and employees safe. Mac Systems can also help with your fire safety planning as
well as regular inspections and
maintenance for your Tulsa or OKC fire detection and suppression systems.
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