In the event of a fire, all employees should listen carefully to the Fire Warden. Only the Fire Warden can give the order to evacuate. The Fire Warden will be in communication with the Management Office and will have vital information such as where the fire is located and the safest escape route.

The following evacuation procedures should be observed.

If possible, grab purses, wallets, medicines, valuables, etc. as soon as the order to evacuate is given. You will not be allowed back into the space until the Fire Department or Building Management say it is safe to re-enter.

Before opening any door to the corridor, check the door and doorknob for heat using the back of your hand. If it is warm, stay in your office and caulk around the door seams using wet towels or duct tape. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR!! Find another exit to the corridor.

• If both your door and doorknob are cold, leave your office.
• Check for smoke in the corridor.
• When smoke is present, stay low by crawling since clean air is closest to the floor.
• Everyone should proceed quickly, but calmly to the nearest stairwell. DO NOT RUN! All the stairwells are constructed with fire-resistant materials to provide safe evacuation for building occupants.
• DO NOT PANIC! Panic is the most harmful and most difficult element to control in an emergency. Avoiding panic is accomplished through the following steps.
  • Knowledge of procedures which must be followed.
  • Confidence in the responsible personnel's ability and guidance.
  • Calmness and self-confidence of responsible personnel.
• DO NOT USE THE ELEVATORS! In the event of a fire, elevators may not function properly.
• Check stairwells for smoke.
• If the corridor and/or stairwells are smoke filled, RETURN TO YOUR OFFICE.
• Once you are in the stairwell, should you encounter smoke on your descent, get out of the stairwell into any clear corridor and proceed to a different stairwell.
• Evacuate to the exact area designated by your Floor Warden.
• If your designated evacuation area is outside of the building, move to areas across the street to ensure you do not inhibit fire-fighting activities. The stairwells exit the building on the lobby level.
• Should smoke prevent your descent in the stairwell please proceed to an alternate stairwell.
• A Floor Warden (and an Alternate) will walk the suite to assist employees and make sure everyone is aware of the evacuation order.
• The last person leaving any enclosed office area should close the office door, without locking it. This will help to confine any fire until the arrival of the Fire Department.
• Form a single-file line at the stairwell exit door and proceed calmly and carefully up or down the staircase to the floor designated in the evacuation instructions. No one, however, should open any door without first checking to see if it is hot. If the door is hot, there is undoubtedly a fire on the other side. Proceed to another floor.
• Conversation should be kept to a minimum. Everyone should stay in a single-file line on the right side of the staircase.
• Once the evacuation has begun, no one should attempt to re-enter the evacuated area until it has been declared safe by the Fire Department officials or Building Management.
• During evacuation, the Handicapped Aide should assist handicapped persons with evacuation if possible. If evacuation is not possible, the Aide should assist the handicapped person into the closet fire-protected stairwell. The Aide should proceed out of the building and report the location of the handicapped individual to the Fire Department and/or Building Management. The Fire Department will meet them in this area and assist their evacuation to the designated area.
• Upon arrival at the area “Refuge Area” designated by the Floor Warden or General Manager or Chief Engineer, everyone should remain in the prearranged area. No one should wander about the area or leave the area unless directed to do so by the Fire Department or Building Management.
• The Searchers or Floor Leader should proceed to take a head count to determine if everyone is accounted for. If someone is missing, this information should be relayed to the building personnel at the rendezvous area.

Relocation

In the event of an extended evacuation of your office space, you should have a relocation plan available, please inform the management office of your relocation contact information so that we can keep up with any updates necessary.

If evacuation of an area is not possible because all escape routes are blocked by fire or thick smoke the following procedures should be observed.

• Move as far away from the fire as possible. Close all doors behind you as you exit. Every closed door between you and the fire provides a barrier against smoke.
• If a phone is accessible, call 911, and then Fire Department (+1 703 691 2131) or Local Firehouse (+1 703 830 8280). If you are unable to reach the Fire Department, then call the Management Office at (+1 703 322 9650) with your precise location.
• Stuff clothing or other material around ventilation ducts and cracks in the doors to prevent smoke-filled air from penetrating the area.
• DO NOT BREAK THE GLASS. Under certain conditions, an open window may draw smoke into the area. If the glass has been broken, there will be no way to stop the smoke from entering the room.

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