How can Your Business be prepared for a Fire?

8/18/2022 (Permalink)

If your business has been affected by fire damage, SERVPRO of Southern Rockland county, Stony Point is your one stop solution.

Being Prepared for a Fire Requires Effort and Extensive Planning

In most cases a fire can be a business owner’s worst nightmare. Most situation would be covered by an insurance policy, which will give you the ability to rebuild, but what about protecting the most valuable assets: the life of your employees, potential customers, and your own. No one wants to be put in a situation where their life is at risk, that’s why a business should develop a fire escape plan.

Emergency Fire Plan Tips for your Business

1. Ensure your business has the proper amount of smoke alarms. When it comes to newer structures the National Fire Protection Association makes it apparent under the National Fire Alarm Code (NFPA 72) requires hard-wired, interconnected smoke alarms with battery backup on every building level, outside each work area, and inside each office. If you building is older and there aren’t any smoke alarms present, you should install them on every level and outside each work station. It is important to test the alarms every month along with replacing the batteries once every year.        
2. Go over what your smoke alarms look and sound like with your employees. Most smoke alarms should have a test feature, if they do you should find time to organize an employee meeting with either you or a professional to practice your fire escape plan while testing the alarm system. By any chance if your smoke alarm system does not have a test feature, you can find videos and courses online. Keeping your employees informed on how to recognize the alarm system and what the plan of action is during a fire will boost confidence and help people remain calm during such an emergency.                                                
3. Make sure everyone in the building is aware of two escape routes that can be used in each room. The route may not be the best to use under normal circumstances, but it will of great help if a fire emergency occurs. It is important to have a meeting point outside of the building already established, so you can monitor the situation and see if everyone is accounted for. The plan may have more complexity depending on the size of the structure, in some cases a customized escape diagram should be made with the layout of the building with multiple escape routes draw up depending on where a person may be located in the structure.                              
4. Have a well-rounded plan for communication during emergencies. Employees should know whose instructions they should listen to along with how to contact specific individuals during the event of an emergency.                                        
5. Organize meetings where you and your employees can practice a fire drill at least twice a year, so you can make sure it’s being carried out correctly and if any changes to the plan need to be made. It may seem like a lot to handle, but remember fire drill and proper procedures can save lives during a real fire. Frequently doing these exercises ensures that new employees are informed on what to do in emergency scenarios.

If your business has been affected by fire damage call SERVPRO of Southern Rockland County at (845) 400-4888.