User's Manual

Chapter 11.0 Locating Detectors and Escape Plan
Figure3a
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Figure4
11.2 Fire Escape Planning
Thereisoftenverylittletimebetweenthedetectionofafireandthetimeitbecomesdeadly.Itis
thusveryimportantthatafamilyescapeplanbedevelopedandrehearsed.
1. Everyfamilymembershouldparticipateindevelopingtheescapeplan.
2. Studythepossibleescaperoutesfromeachlocationwithinthehouse.Sincemanyfiresoccur
atnight,specialattentionshouldbegiventotheescaperoutesfromsleepingquarters.
3. Escapefromabedroommustbepossiblewithoutopeningtheinteriordoor.
Considerthefollowingwhenmakingyourescapeplans:
l Makesurethatallborderdoorsandwindowsareeasilyopened.Ensurethattheyarenot
paintedshut,andthattheirlockingmechanismsoperatesmoothly.
l Ifopeningorusingtheexitistoodifficultforchildren,theelderlyorhandicapped,plans
forrescueshouldbedeveloped.Thisincludesmakingsurethatthosewhoaretoperform
therescuecanpromptlyhearthefirewarningsignal.
l Iftheexitisabovethegroundlevel,anapprovedfireladderorropeshouldbeprovidedas
wellastraininginitsuse.
l Exitsonthegroundlevelshouldbekeptclear.Besuretoremovesnowfromexteriorpatio
doorsinwinter;outdoorfurnitureorequipmentshouldnotblockexits.
l Eachpersonshouldknowthepredeterminedassemblypointwhereeveryonecanbeaccoun-
tedfor(e.g.,acrossthestreetorataneighbor'shouse).Onceeveryoneisoutofthebuild-
ing,callthefiredepartment.
l Agoodplanemphasizesquickescape.Donotinvestigateorattempttofightthefire,and
donotgatherbelongingsasthiscanwastevaluabletime.Onceoutside,donotre-enterthe
house.Waitforthefiredepartment.
l Writethefireescapeplandownandrehearseitfrequentlysothatshouldanemergency
arise,everyonewillknowwhattodo.Revisetheplanasconditionschange,suchasthe
numberofpeopleinthehome,oriftherearechangestothebuilding’sconstruction.
l Makesureyourfirewarningsystemisoperationalbyconductingweeklytests.Ifyouare
unsureaboutsystemoperation,contactyourinstaller.
Werecommendthatyoucontactyourlocalfiredepartmentandrequestfurtherinformationonfire
safetyandescapeplanning.Ifavailable,haveyourlocalfirepreventionofficerconductanin-house
firesafetyinspection.
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