Reporting Fire and Emergency Situations

All fires and emergencies will be reported as soon as possible to 911, the organization’s Incident Commander, or an Incident Command Team (ICT) Member, by one of the following means:

  • Verbally, as soon as possible, during normal work hours; or
  • By telephone, if after normal work hours or on weekends.
  • NOTE: To eliminate confusion and the possibility of false alarms, some organizations only allow an ICT Member or the designated substitute to contact the appropriate community emergency response personnel. Each organization should decide which procedure is appropriate for them. Many organizations prefer to have the discoverer of an emergency directly contact 911 to save time. They rely on constant training to reduce the chance of false alarms.

The telephone numbers and contact information for emergency response personnel are:

  • Fire: Emergency: Dial 911; Non-emergency dial <insert local number here>
  • Police: Emergency: Dial 911; Non-emergency dial <insert local number here>
  • Ambulance/EMS: Dial 911

Under no circumstances shall anyone attempt to fight a fire that has passed the incipient stage (i.e., when it can still be put out with a fire extinguisher), nor shall anyone attempt to enter a burning building to conduct search and rescue. This is the responsibility of emergency services personnel who have the necessary training, equipment, and experience. Untrained individuals may endanger themselves and/or those they are trying to rescue.

Informing Personnel of Fires and Emergencies

  • In the event of a fire or other emergency, the Incident Commander, or designee(s), shall ensure that all personnel are notified as soon as possible using the building’s alarm system and all other non-ambiguous audible and visual alarms.
  • The Incident Commander, or designee(s), shall provide special instructions to all personnel via the public address system, a portable loudspeaker,  or by whatever safe means of communication are available.
  • If a fire or emergency occurs after normal business hours, the company’s Incident Commander, or designee(s), shall contact all personnel not on shift and advise them of the status of future operations.

Corporate Notification

  • The Incident Commander, or designee(s), shall contact the company public relations focal point as soon as possible if media coverage of the situation is expected.
  • The Incident Commander, or designee(s), shall contact the main office as soon as possible with information on personnel injuries and/or loss of life, property damage, theft, or substantial losses.

Evacuation Procedures

When the Alarm Sounds

  • Do not stop for valuables, to get a coat, or to turn off lights.
  • Shut off your equipment.
  • Close doors and windows.
  • If you lock your door, take your keys with you.
  • Alert others around you.
  • Assist any people with special needs in evacuating.
  • When evacuating, WALK, never run, and keep to the right of the hallways.
  • Leave the building, even if the alarm stops while you are on your way out.
  • Once outside, move away from the building and proceed to the designated assembly location. Do not block firefighters or their equipment. In inclement weather, go inside the designated assembly location. Look for those who work with you to ensure everyone has evacuated.
  • Give any information about the fire or persons who might still be in the building to your Fire Warden, the fire department, or the police.
  • Do not re-enter the building for any reason until told to do so by the Incident Commander, or designee(s

Evacuation Routes

  • Emergency evacuation escape route plans are posted in several locations throughout the facility and near offices.
  • If a fire/emergency alarm is sounded or instructions for evacuation are given by the Incident Commander, or designee(s), all personnel shall immediately exit the building(s) at the nearest exits as shown in the escape route plans and shall meet as soon as possible at the designated assembly area.
  • Personnel with offices shall close the doors (and leave them unlocked) as they exit the area.

Accounting for Employees/Visitors after Evacuation

  • Once an evacuation has occurred, the Incident Commander, or designee(s), shall account for each employee/visitor assigned to them at the designated assembly area.
  • All personnel are responsible for reporting to the appropriate supervisor so an accurate head count can be made.
  • All personnel counts shall then be reported to the Incident Commander as soon as possible.

Emergency Contact Information

The Incident Commander, or designee(s), shall maintain a list of all personnel  emergency contact information and shall keep the list to allow for easy access in the event of an emergency.

Advanced Medical Care

  • Under no circumstances shall anyone without proper training provide advanced medical care and treatment.
  • This is the responsibility of emergency services professionals who have the necessary training, equipment, and experience.
  • Untrained individuals may endanger themselves and/or those they are trying to assist.

Sheltering in Place

If the facility is threatened by severe weather or tornado warning, or chemicals or other hazardous contaminants are released into the environment in such quantity and/or proximity to the facility, authorities and/or the Incident Commander, or designee(s), may determine that it is safer to remain indoors rather than to evacuate employees. It may also be the determination that in case of any workplace violence, it may be appropriate to shelter in place. The Incident Commander shall announce a shelter-in-place status by public address system.

  • The Incident Commander, or designee(s) shall immediately close the business. If there are employees, customers, clients, or visitors in the building, they shall be advised to stay in the building for their safety.
  • Unless there is an imminent threat, employees, customers, clients, and visitors shall call their emergency contacts to let them know where they are and that they are safe. The Incident Commander, or designee(s), at the assembly point, will remind those gathered of this required action.
  • The Incident Commander, or designee(s), shall turn on call-forwarding or alternate telephone answering systems or services. The recording for voice mail or automated attendant shall be changed to indicate that the business is closed and that personnel and visitors will be remaining in the building until authorities advise that it is safe to leave.
  • The Incident Commander, or designee(s), and designated assistants shall quickly lock exterior doors and close windows, air vents, and fireplace dampers. The Incident Commander, or designee(s), familiar with the building’s mechanical systems shall turn off, seal, or disable all fans, heating and air conditioning systems, especially those systems that automatically provide for exchange of inside air with outside air.
  • The Incident Commander, or designee(s), shall gather essential disaster supplies (i.e., battery-powered radios, first aid supplies, flashlights, batteries) and bring them to the shelter-in-place location within the building. These items are stored at the following location <insert location here>.
  • All employees, customers, and visitors shall move immediately to the shelter-in-place location(s) within the building. The Incident Commander, or designee(s), shall seal all windows, doors, and vents with plastic sheeting and duct tape.
  • The Incident Commander, or designee(s), shall write down the names of everyone in the room, and call the designated emergency contact outside of the building to report who is in the room and their affiliations with the organization (employee, visitor, and vendor).
  • The Incident Commander, or designee(s), shall monitor telephone, radio, television, and internet reports for further instructions from authorities to determine when it is safe to leave the building.

Re-entry or “All Clear” Signal

  • Once the building has been evacuated, no one shall re-enter for any reason, except for designated and properly trained rescue personnel (such as fire department or emergency medical professionals). Untrained individuals may endanger themselves and/or those they are trying to rescue.
  • All personnel shall remain at the designated assembly area until the fire department or other emergency response agency notifies the Incident Commander, or designee(s), that either:
    • The building is safe for re-entry, in which case personnel shall return to their workstations; or
    • The building/assembly area is not safe, in which case personnel shall be instructed by the Company Incident Commander, or designee, on how/when to vacate the premises.