Unfortunately, most people tend to panic when thrown into a frightening or dangerous situation. A fire presents both and, therefore, can cause a business to devolve into chaos, even with commercial fire protection. Therefore, company management should have an evacuation plan in place and make sure it is distributed to all employees. The guide below explains what should be included.

Where & Why Would a Fire Start?

When creating an evacuation plan, consider all the ways a fire could start in your building. Knowing this information will allow you to set up commercial fire protection equipment in the areas where it is most likely for an outbreak to begin. It also helps you to configure all possible exit routes.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), fires in business offices are more likely to occur between noon and 2:00 p.m. and in the kitchen or areas that use cooking equipment. These outbreaks, however, only account for six percent of direct property damage; whereas, those that occur in offices caused 24 percent of reported damage. 

What Is the Chain of Command?

Employees should know who to turn to when the fire alarms start going off. Each office or floor in the building should have designated leaders who know how to use basic commercial fire protection equipment, like extinguishers, and who will be responsible for guiding the rest of the team outside.

The person at the top of the command structure will be responsible for planning and preparing. Underneath them, you’ll need an organized person in charge of sounding the alarm, calling the fire department, and gathering damage reports afterward. You’ll also need to find several clear-headed people to check evacuation routes and report back on which ones are safe to use. Finally, someone needs to agree to empty the floor last after making sure everyone else has made it out. 

Having an evacuation plan in place is only the first step of a commercial fire protection plan. You also need effective equipment for notifying employees of the danger and helping to minimize any damage. For over 15 years, GMW Fire Protection has provided quality fire extinguishing products and emergency management training services to Anchorage and the rest of Alaska. Visit their website to learn about their quality products, including alarms, sprinkler systems, and emergency lighting. Or call (907) 336-5000 with any questions.