Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 6456 WWW.AGRM.ORG MARCH/APRIL 2017 T he fire that occurred at The Station nightclub on February 20, 2003, in West Warwick, Rhode Island, took the lives of 100 people in under six minutes. Most of those deaths were due to smoke. The loss of life might have been avoided had the attendees known how to get out quickly. Have you conducted a fire drill at your facility recently? Before a fire drill is conducted, walk through your build- ings and plan the best evacuation routes. Construct diagrams with these routes, and secure them to the wall nearby. Encourage people to frequently review the evacuation routes. Hold fire drills regularly at your facilities, especially in your residential and overnight loca- tions. You should determine how many drills are appropriate and conduct them as often as once per quarter. Your first drill of each year could be pre-announced, but unannounced fire drills should also be conducted to see how your staff and residents respond. Time the drills to get an idea of how long it takes to clear everyone out. Note any problems, such as aiding those with mobility limits. Evac- uees should stand no closer than 100 feet from the building to avoid falling debris and to allow room for firefighters to work. Prepare a fire drill procedures manual and include such details as: • Who should do what if a fire alarm is pulled. • What routes people should take during the evacuation. • Where people should congregate following an evacuation. • What information should be included in your incident report and who should complete it. • To whom should the incident report be given. These directions are important to include as well: • Instruct people to not re-enter the building until the Fire Marshall gives the all-clear. • Close the doors if you are the last person to leave. • Leave the building using the nearest exit; do not use elevators. • Evacuate even if the alarm stops (alarms may not sound continuously). • Warn others who may attempt to enter the building when the alarm is not sounding. • Remain in your room and keep the doors tightly closed if the corridors or stairways are filled with smoke or are extremely hot; go to the balcony or window to await rescue. Although it may not be possible to totally protect property and lives against catastrophic events, advance training and preparation may certainly help to minimize adverse outcomes. Ĩ DAY-TO-DAY Fire Drills Protecting your mission when disaster strikes INSURANCE SOLUTIONS Brian H. Merriam Brian is the official insurance consultant for AGRM. The Merriam Agency offers prop- erty, casualty, auto, directors and officers, and workers’ compensation coverages tailored to the needs of AGRM members. You can email Brian at brian@merri- aminsurance.com.