No matter where a fire occurs, it is scary. It can be even scarier when it happens in a place people are not familiar with while they are surrounded by strangers. This is why it is especially important for a business owner to have a plan ready to quickly get everyone safely out of the building in the event of a fire. So, we are going to discuss how to create a fire safety plan.
Consider Several Scenarios
Try to think about all the ways a fire might start in your business, as well as all the places a fire could break out. Then address each of these possibilities when making your evacuation plan. Most fires are caused during cooking. However, even if there is no cooking done on your business’s premises, there are still other possible causes of fire, such as electrical issues or even arson. Therefore, you need to consider all the possibilities.
Post Safety Rules That Will Help Avoid Fires
Once you look around and determine where fires might occur in your building, make some safety rules for avoiding these hazards. Then, post these rules in the appropriate areas. This may help stop fires from starting.
Assign Employees Specific Jobs To Handle During a Fire Evacuation
A fire will create a lot of confusion. Therefore, it is important to have employees ready to take charge of the situation. You will need to have someone in charge of the whole situation that can instruct other employees on what to do, such as taking any necessary items out of the building with them if it is safe to do so. It would also help to have an assistant to help this person. These employees would also call the fire department and make necessary announcements.
Additionally, you should have some employees in charge of safety. One or more persons could be assigned to use fire extinguishers if appropriate. It is never safe to spend more than 30 seconds trying to put out a fire with a fire extinguisher before leaving the building. Some other people should be assigned to guide customers out of the building. There should also be one or more employees assigned to make sure that everyone has been evacuated from the building.
Create a Communication Plan
When a fire occurs, it’s necessary to have someone in charge of communicating with customers, employees, and emergency services. The person appointed to this job should have good communication skills and work well under pressure, so they can make sure people know about the fire.
People will need to know where the fire started and how to evacuate the building. The message should be delivered by several different methods and repeated.
Plan and Map Escape Routes
It is important to plan a primary and secondary escape route and map each route you create. The plans should be posted in a variety of locations throughout the building. You should also ensure that all employees know about the evacuation routes.
Contact Us
Fire damage restoration is a big job, and it can seem overwhelming. But, RestorePro’s certified technicians can walk you through the process and help you get your building repaired, so you can get your business up and running in no time. To schedule an appointment, call us at 1-800-847-0114, or connect with us on Facebook to see more of what RestorePro can do for you.