Do you work in a high-rise office building? If so, we’ve got the answers to common evacuation questions
With great height, comes great responsibilities.
Previously, we here at Strong Man discussed “Staying Fire Safe in Apartments.” We want to continue our commitment to safety by taking that idea one step further. Here, we will address frequently asked evacuation questions concerning corporate high-rises.
(Check out this free, downloadable copy of NFPA’s Guidelines to
Developing Emergency Action Plans for All-Hazard Emergencies in High-Rise Office Buildings)
FAQs—From the National Fire Protection Association
Question: Is high-rise building evacuation different from other buildings?
Answer: Yes. The obvious answer is that high-rises are simply bigger and house more people, and therefore, take longer to get everyone out safely. But, it’s also more nuanced than that. Moving down 10 or 20 flights of stairs in case of a fire is more than doable for the able-bodied, but things get complicated if a building does not have an emergency action plan in place for those with disabilities.
Anticipating the difficult logistics of evacuating the entire building, modern high-rises install fire and life-safety systems designed to contain fires to immediately affected areas, potentially resulting in the need for evacuating only a few floors.
Question: What happens if the situation becomes untenable and I am trapped? Do I break a window?
Answer: Not advisable. Breaking a window may cause more problems than it solves. If a window will open, it’s generally safe to open it to allow fresh air. Beware of smoke, however, as an open window may suck it in. A broken window cannot be closed or adjusted if smoke starts to pour in, and showering glass down onto the street below could injure rescue personnel or damage hoses needed to extinguish potential fires.
Question: My building has written evacuation procedures. Are they adequate for any emergency that may occur in my building?
Answer: They should be! While most EAPs are designed to respond to fires, they are written so as to accommodate for any potential accident or emergency that may happen inside your building. As long as the plan is well communicated to occupants, it should suffice for any event. If your building doesn’t do it already, it would be a good idea to ask your supervisor to start organizing annual mock drills, so that everyone stays up-to-date on proper evacuation procedures.