Fire Evacuation Plan Standards

Fire evacuation plans save lives. Using standards established by OSHA, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, to construct your own fire evacuation plan, whether in a residential or commercial setting, can help you and those you direct to react safely and efficiently in a fire.

Chain of Command

• Who will lead you out of the fire?

  A fire evacuation plan should outline a chain of command and assign a coordinator to direct the evacuation until emergency personnel arrive. The coordinator assesses the situation and determines the best route available for the evacuation. The coordinator may assign roles to others, such as assisting children or calling 911.

Routes and Exits

• A fire evacuation plan includes a posted floor plan with fire extinguishers, routes and exits clearly marked. When drawing the diagram, imagine you are a disabled guest who doesn't speak English. Would you know how to escape a fire in this building?

Assisting Others

• Some people will need assistance in a fire evacuation.

  In a fire, everyone needs to evacuate. Guests may not know where to go or may not understand what is happening if they don't speak English or have cognitive disabilities. Those with physical disabilities may not be able to use the stairs or hear the alarm. Your fire evacuation plan must account for these possibilities.

Counting Heads

• Knowing who is in the building will alert firemen that a rescue is needed.

  Establishing a meeting location, for each group if the building is large, will make it possible for coordinators to account for everyone in the building. Having a guest sign-in sheet is helpful in determining who else might have been in the building. By the time emergency personnel arrive, the coordinator will be able to tell the fire chief who is missing, if anyone.