Actual Fire or Smoke Situation

• Begin building evacuation by pulling nearest fire alarm pull station to activate fire alarm.
• Call for emergency assistance (911) and notify the Security Department at ext. 8332.
• After locating fire or source of smoke, determine if fire is small enough to handle properly with a fire extinguisher.  Only persons trained to use a fire extinguisher or who know what they are doing should attempt to extinguish a fire.  The person (s) extinguishing the fire should never let the fire get between them and their exit.
• If fire is too large or out of control, evacuate the area immediately and ensure that all occupants have left the building.
• Stand-by outside to provide assistance information to fire department relative to location, size and type of fire.

Elementary, Middle, and High School will evacuate to the designated locations. Refer to designated evacuation assembly areas in individual schools and Boarding EOP in section 2.1.1.

• All teachers and assistants should begin checking roll books to account for all students.  All office staff will begin to account for all teachers and assistants.  Principal and staff will begin to account for office, custodial and cafeteria staff.  Headmaster staff will account for office staff.
• Do not attempt to abort the response of fire department personnel.  Whenever there is an actual fire of any sort of magnitude, they must be permitted to arrive and make a determination of the causes, extent, and safety for occupants to return to the building.
• Upon approval of fire department officer in charge of scene, allow occupants to return to the building.  You must wait for the fire chief or Incident Commander to give you permission to reenter.  Signaling the occupants to return, to the building is NEVER accomplished by using the building’s fire alarm.  Rather you should employ a manual means of signaling reentry (i.e. compressed air horns, bullhorn or just physically waving an all clear signal for the occupants to return).  Do not use intercom, bells or fire alarm to signal occupants to return to the building.

2.   Smoke/Fire Detection Automatic Extinguishing Systems

• Ensure affected building(s) begin(s) evacuation.
• Call (9-911).
• Proceed to fire alarm enunciator panel or remote panel.
• DO NOT RESET OR SILENCE SYSTEM AT THIS TIME.
• Determine zone tripped and send staff member to investigate.  Keep in mind that alarm will be initiated by either heat/smoke detectors (usually in ducts of HVAC system) or pull stations.
• If smoke or fire is encountered, see the previous procedure beginning at the 4th bullet.  If unable to determine the reason for alarm, DO NOT silence alarm until evacuation is complete and the correct zone is noted on the panel.  If after a thorough investigation by the fire department, no apparent cause for the alarm can be found, contact the Security Department.
• Silence alarm but do not reset at this time.

3.   False Alarms

• At the time of activation you will not know whether or not an alarm is false.  For this reason, regard each alarm as if it were real.  In fact, it is a violation of local fire code to disregard alarm activations by refusal to evacuate.  The procedure for response to false alarm activations is identical to the steps outlined for automatic activation; however you will not find a fire or smoke situation.  Note in a logbook the time, date and location of the activation in the event the situation becomes epidemic.  This information may be useful in apprehending suspects.
• Contact the Security Department and Operations Support Team Leaders.

All Situations

• Conduct post-incident critique; prepare incident report; and initiate corrective action.
• Coordinate with Operations Support Team Leader to ensure contractors are notified to restore or repair systems and equipment that have operated or been used during an emergency.