High Rise Fire Safety

Urban Dangers

While fires in single family homes can be devastating, high rise fires are more injurious and cause more property damage than any other structure fire. If you live or work in a high rise, you need to be aware of the danger and the precautions necessary to minimize property damage and save your life.

• First and foremost, do not panic in a high rise fire. Do not assume someone else has called 911. Call and be prepared to provide information that the dispatcher may ask for.
• Install smoke alarms in your apartment. The danger can come from within your space as well as outside.
• Never lock fire exits, hall or stairway doors. Conversely, never prop a fire door or stairway door open. The function of these doors is to provide an exit and to slow the spread of fire and smoke.
• Learn the building’s evacuation plan. Count the number of doorways between yours and the fire exit. If the hallways are smoky or darkened because of power outages, this may be your best guide to safety.
• If the building manager has not posted evacuation plans in high traffic areas, suggest he do so.
• Be able to identify the sound of your building’s fire alarm. Urban areas are filled with sounds so be sure you can distinguish a building emergency from a street siren.
• Before you leave your apartment or office, feel the door. If it is warm to the touch, do not open it. Stuff the cracks around the door with towels to keep the smoke out. Call the fire department to let them know where you are located. The dispatcher can notify fire fighters on the scene. Wait at the window and signal with a flashlight or by waving a sheet. Open the window but do not break it. If smoke seeps into your area, you may need to close it quickly. An open window acts like a vacuum and will draw more smoke into the room.
• If the door is not warm to the touch, brace your body against the door and open it slowly staying low to the floor. This is a precaution in the event there is smoke or fire in the hallway. If there is no danger in the hallway, evacuate according to the building’s plan. If you haven’t heard the fire alarm, pull the alarm at the pull station as you evacuate. If you encounter smoke or flames, return to your apartment or office.
• Once you are out of the building, stay out. Notify the fire department if you know of anyone trapped in the building. Only return when the fire department tells you it is safe.

Tagged as: High Rises