Learn about high-rise building evacuation procedures.
We were all taught to evacuate the building as soon as possible when a fire alarm system is activated, but many people still have questions about building evacuation. For instance, do occupants in high-rise office buildings have a different procedure than those in a smaller office building? Continue reading for answers to frequently asked questions about high-rise building evacuation.
High-Rise Building Evacuation
High-rise commercial buildings can hold tens of thousands of occupants at once, resulting in a lot of problems when building evacuation is necessary. First, many occupants may have difficulty getting down all of the stairs, as descending a 30-story building is physically demanding and can not be done by everyone. Also, this amount of people trying to evacuate at once is very dangerous and can take over an hour for everyone to get down the stairs.
This is one reason why fire systems are so crucial for high-rise buildings, and automatic fire protection is designed to control a fire to limit the number of occupants who need to evacuate. In many situations, the floor where the fire started, along with the floors immediately above and below, should evacuate via exit stars to several floors below and await further instructions.
What To Do When Trapped In High-Rise Building
If the fire gets out of control and you cannot evacuate safely, the most important tip is to try to remain calm. Stay in an enclosed area with the door closed, and seal the cracks to keep smoke from entering. In movies or TV shows, we see people break windows and try to escape from a fire, but this is not advised. Call the fire department to give your exact location if you have a phone, or signal your position with a colored cloth out a window. The window should only be opened slightly if it looks safe, but closed when any smoke enters the room. A broken window will only let in more smoke, and the broken glass could hurt rescuers and fire evacuation equipment.
Fire Prevention and Protection Services from Fireline
Whether you need smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, or an automatic sprinkler system installed at your rental property, Fireline has you covered. We have been protecting people and properties from fire damage since 1947—and our experience shows in our excellent work! We are known for our wonderful customer service, our expertise, and our reliability. For more information on how we can help your residential or commercial property, visit us online or give us a call at (800) 553-3405. We are located in Baltimore, MD, with a second office in Leesburg, VA. For more fire safety tips, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.