Preparedness

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Fire Prevention / Procedures

• Do not accumulate quantities of discarded files or other paper trash in your office or storage area. Pay special attention to housekeeping in those departments that produce quantities of debris, such as duplication machines, mailing and receiving rooms.
• Do not store large quantities of flammable solvents, duplicating fluids, or other combustible fluids.
• Keep electrical appliances in good repair. Report unsafe conditions to the building office.
• When furnishing an office, consider the fire potential of materials used in large amounts, like overstuffed chairs, settees, couches or anything that could become a combustible item. Such furnishings should be flame-proofed.
• Where potential for fire is especially high, such as supply rooms, tenants may wish to consider installing additional fire extinguishers.
  

IF YOU DISCOVER A FIRE, you should remain calm and:

• Pull the nearest fire alarm. Alarms are located in the corridors adjacent to the stairwells.
• Call 911 from a safe location.
• Evacuate or relocate and assist all others in the immediate area.
• Close doors behind you to isolate fire.
• Proceed to stairwells and listen for instructions. NEVER use the elevators.
• Be cautious when opening doors so as not to spread the fire.
• Touch any door to see if it is hot before opening.
• If smoke is present, stay low and crawl with your body against the floor. The clearest air is near the floor. If forced to make a dash through smoke or flame, hold your breath and cover your nose and mouth with an article of clothing.

Evacuation Procedures

It is extremely important that all tenants evacuate in the precise manner and to the exact area as designated by the tenant safety coordinators.

The following evacuation procedures should be observed:

• Before opening any door to the corridor, check the door and doorknob for heat. If it is warm, stay in your office and, if possible, caulk around the door seams using wet towels or "duct" tape. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR! Find another exit to the corridor.
• If both your door and doorknob are cool, and you leave your office:
  • Check for smoke in the corridor.
  • When smoke is present, stay low by crawling since clean air is closest to the floor.
  • Everyone should proceed quickly, but calmly to the nearest stairwell. DO NOT RUN. All the stairwells are constructed with fire-resistant materials to provide safe evacuation for building occupants.
• DO NOT PANIC, Panic is the most harmful and most difficult element to control in an emergency. Avoiding panic is accomplished through the following steps:
  • Knowledge of procedures which must be followed.
  • Confidence in the responsible personnel's ability and guidance.
  • Calmness and self-confidence of responsible personnel.
    

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE THE ELEVATORS, Elevators report to the main lobby where the doors will open during building alarm and are not available for use.