Companies or building management often perform fire drills in coordination with local fire departments at least once a year. Through regular drills, building management and safety officials pass crucial information to all employees in the buildings, as well as prepare them for actual emergencies. Unfortunately, some don’t take these drills seriously. According to Capt. Martin Sanders, Ph.D., CSP, there are several reasons why everyone should participate in fire drills.
The most important part of a fire drill is to familiarize people in the building of the many fire exits, exit routes, and safe zones within the vicinity. It can help people prepare for actual emergencies. This way, people can immediately discern the nearest exits, know where they lead to, and where to go in order to regroup.
Fire drills also give safety managers to reflect on the results. They can later on address issues like obstacles that hindered quick exiting, bottlenecks, and the response time of each floor. Safety managers can even ask employees feedback from their experience to improve facilities.
Lastly, fire drills help give employees time to reflect on their own safety as well. This is why some women leave an extra pair of flat shoes if they are often wearing heels. According to Capt. Martin Sanders, it also gives employers an idea of how a building fire could affect their business. For example, employers cannot expect employees to evacuate, bringing their desktop hard drives so they could instead invest in cloud services.
Capt. Martin Sanders, Ph.D., has completed all requirements needed to obtain a certification as an Associate Safety Professional (ASP) and a Certified Safety Professional (CSP). For more insightful reads on public safety, visit this blog.
Disclaimer: This site was prepared by Martin L. Sanders in his personal capacity. The opinions expressed are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of the USPHS, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the United States government.
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