Fire Safety Guide For High-rise Buildings

While following basic fire safety rules will prevent most fires in high-rise residential buildings, fires do occur. Therefore it is important to always remain aware of possible causes of fires and how to avoid or prevent them. In the event that there is a fire in a high-rise building, it is also important to know what to do – so, you can safely get out of the building.

Prevent Fires in High-Rise Residential Buildings

Most high-rise building fires start in an apartment or flat, and then spread to other parts of the building. Most of the time, these fires are caused by residents not following basic, common-sense fire safety rules, or by committing simple, foolish acts. So, here are some things you can do to help avoid the possibility of a fire in your building, and more importantly – in your apartment or flat.

-Don’t put rubbish or trash in the hallway. Always insure it is stored properly and collected regularly.

-Never put items in the trash chute that may get stuck because they are too big. Discarded items that get caught in the chute may help a fire spread from a lower floor – to your floor.

-Short circuits are the cause of many high-rise fires; therefore, make sure not to try to plug too many appliances or devices into a single outlet or extension cord.

-When cooking, always insure that you have access to a small portable dry chemical fire extinguisher. If you do not have a fire extinguisher, then baking soda is a common household item that can be used to smother stove fires.

-If you smoke cigarettes or cigars, never do so in bed or while lying down on the sofa. Also, make sure that there are no smoldering cigarette butts when you empty an ashtray.

-Always test the smoke detectors in your home and hallway every week and replace the batteries twice a year (at the beginning and at the end of Daylight Savings time).

-Most municipal fire codes require that doors to apartments and flats in high-rise buildings be tight-fitting and self-closing. If your door is not self-closing or does not work properly, ask the building manager to make the replacement or repair as soon as possible.

-Inspect the doors leading to the exit stairs. They must be the type that are self-closing, securely snap shut and can be unlocked from both sides of the door. If your stair exit doors do not meet this standard, report it to your local fire marshal or at your local fire department.

Have an Exit Plan

Even if you exercise good judgment and follow basic fire prevention rules, others may not – and a fire might occur. Therefore, you should always be prepared to safely escape the building if there is a fire. Simple things like: knowing the layout of the floor, knowing the locations of all exit doors and the number of apartment doors from your door to the exit door (very helpful when it’s dark) can all help you safely exit a burning high-rise building. Also, make sure to keep a working flashlight in a location that is easily accessible. Finally, make sure that everyone in your home is aware of the locations of all exits as well.