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High-rise buildings can pose significant challenges to those who must evacuate quickly in case of fire. Below, Devin Doyle of Newport Beach will review the unique challenges of fire safety in tall buildings, focusing on evacuation strategies, fire suppression systems, and coordination with local authorities.

Strategies for Evacuating a Tall Building

People living or working in a high-rise need to pay special attention to fire safety instructions as they may differ from behavior in buildings with fewer floors. The most important thing is to know the plan – make sure you are familiar with the emergency evacuation plan, including routes, alternatives, and meeting places, and practice several times with family or colleagues to ensure that it’s easy to find exits, open doors, and know the fastest way out.

Evacuation Strategies

Fire safety officials may offer an evacuation grid if your building is large enough. Make sure to note on it where any staircases are, as you should always use stairs rather than elevators when evacuating – no matter how high up you are. If someone in your family has trouble on the stairs, plan ahead and research contingency plans.

When unable to exit an apartment or office due to smoke or fire, contact local authorities and then seal yourself in for safety, gathering in a room with a window and putting as many walls and closed doors between yourself and the source as possible. Use damp towels or duct tape to seal air vents and doors.

No matter where you are, always stay low as smoke rises. Open windows at the top but never break them, lest smoke creep in from the outside.

Fire Suppression Systems

All high-rise buildings should be equipped with automatic sprinkler systems, which can often extinguish a fire faster than it will take the fire department to arrive. If your building does not seem to have a sprinkler, contact management immediately to inquire about alternatives.

Buildings may also be equipped with standpipe systems, which are similar to the aforementioned sprinklers in that they pump and spray water, but these are not automatic and are instead operated by emergency or building personnel. The pipes can connect to a water source outside of the building, such as a firetruck.

Coordination with Local Authorities

If you see or smell smoke or fire, immediately contact emergency services (911) to get help and stay on the line if needed. Do so on your cell phone, though, so you can begin evacuating as needed. Remember to follow the direction of local authorities, even if it seems counterintuitive, as they may have a better understanding of the overall state of the building than you do from your vantage point.

Keep the authorities apprised of your whereabouts by phone or, if they are on site, by signaling them from the window so they know where to find you. Use light colored cloth or a flashlight to get their attention.

In Conclusion

Fire safety in high-rise buildings includes ensuring proper automated sprinkler and standpipe systems are in place; planning in advance for an evacuation route using the stairs and staying low; and working with local authorities, including signaling to them from windows so they can note your location.

Fire safety measures may seem common sense in this highly regulated age. However, this was not always the case. Like many other safety regulations, fire safety regulations are carved from tragedy.

Organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) help establish regulations for commercial and public buildings such as schools. The basic requirements include equipment (alarms, sprinklers, etc.), occupation limits, and emergency plans.

Devin Doyle of Newport Beach reports that fire safety is paramount to keeping students and staff safe. The U.S. averages 3,230 school fires a year yet the deaths and casualties from these incidents are incredibly low due to fire safety codes.

What the NFPA Does for Fire Safety

The National Fire Protection Agency is one of the main reasons every public space has fire protection solutions in place. This organization researches all aspects of fire safety and then creates codes and standards to minimize loss of life.

In addition to standards, the NFPA also provides public education, performs outreach programs, and provides training.

Essential Equipment

The essential equipment for schools outlined by the NFPA includes alarms, sprinklers, and extinguishers. The NFPA also provide standards as to how many of each are required and where they should be placed.

Fire alarms should be both linked to each other and linked to sprinklers. This ensures that people in all corners of a school building are alerted to the fire.

The fire sprinklers in particular are quite important. When linked to the alarms they will go off in the event of a fire. This helps to both put-out fires and prevent them from spreading.

Lastly, fire extinguishers will help building occupants extinguish small fires before they can become serious.

Space Requirements

Another crucial element of fire safety in schools is an upper limit on room occupancy. Depending on the size of a room the NFPA sets a standard for the maximum number of people allowed in at one time.

This is to ensure that all occupants can safely exit the room during an emergency. In addition to the size of a room, it is important to consider the location and occupants.

The NFPA also determines which age ranges must be on the same floor as the building exits. The concern is for young children who may need to be carried or aren’t able to move as quickly as older children.

Required Safety Plans

Perhaps most important for a school is an emergency plan. A school is required to have a plan in the event of many emergencies not just fires. These plans must detail the response to the emergency (e.g., reporting it, evacuating if needed, what routes to take).

These plans should also outline drills to prepare the students and staff for an emergency. Drills must be performed semi-regularly to maintain preparedness.

Final Thoughts

Between fire safety equipment, occupancy limits, and fire safety plans schools can greatly reduce injuries and property damage. Thanks to these fire safety standards students and staff are kept safe.