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Austin Community College has created a video guide that explains proper procedure for evacuating a building during a fire emergency.

Click the video to watch the whole thing. Here are some tips from the video. These tips are shared by Douglas Garret from Austin Community College:

The video shows a worker dropping her sweater near a space heater and then leaving the room. Someone sees the smoke from the burning sweater and then pulls the manual fire alarm. As the alarm sounds, two other workers discuss whether they should leave the building or not. But it is important to always leave the building when an alarm sounds.

• Do not hesitate to pull the fire alarm if you notice a fire.
• Leave the building at the closest, safe exit anytime you hear the fire alarm.
• Never take the elevator; instead, use the stairs to get to lower floors. Firefighters are the only ones who should use the elevators during a fire emergency.
• Be sure to stay calm and orderly when moving toward the exits and leaving the building. This helps the building evacuation to go more smoothly.
• Those who need help exiting the building should wait in a designated area reserved for those who need rescue assistance. If you need help getting out, be sure you alert someone to your location inside the building. Or you can ask others to report your location for you. When the fire department arrives, they will make rescue their first priority.
• It is important to make sure you are familiar with the locations of exits in your building as well as the areas for rescue assistance.
• After you get outside, walk to the rally point – that designated area to wait after evacuating the building. Do not leave, because it is important that everyone be accounted for. If you know of anyone missing or hurt, report it to the authorities.

Click here to watch the entire video from Austin Community College.

At Best Security Products, we can help you with all commercial and home fire security and safety needs. Give us a call at 1-800–988–2378 or send us an email at sales@bestsecurityproducts.com

Did you know that too much clutter could cost you your life in the event of fire? Most of us could probably benefit from a good spring clean, but when the clutter in our homes becomes excessive, it creates a fire danger not only to ourselves but also to the fire fighters who would have to respond.

The National Fire Protection Association’s Sharon Gamache gave a short interview here. As the Director of NFPA’s High Risk Outreach Programs, she is especially qualified to speak about the fire hazards of compulsive hoarding.

Here are some highlights from her interview; you can also click the video below to watch the whole talk.

People who live in a house where there is hoarding are in danger, for several reasons.

Sometimes the clutter is piled around a heating source. For example, there may be things stored on top of radiators, near candles, heaters and fire places. There may be basement storage near the furnace.

Another problem is during the response to a fire. Firefighters may have a hard time getting in a door that is blocked by clutter. Once they are inside house, they may have a hard time leaving the home, because the clutter might prevent easy-exit. 

Likewise, the resident of the home is in danger, because the clutter makes it harder to escape; the clutter might be blocking windows and other exits. In addition, clutter in the home presents a tripping hazard as they are trying to escape – which delays their getting out during a fire.

This National Fire Protection Association Journal article reports on a fire in a high-rise public housing complex. A fire started in a unit that was stuffed with clutter. As a result, the fire turned into a six-alarm fire that involved more than 300 firefighters! 

If you or someone you love tends to live in a cluttered environment, consider the dangers that clutter provides. Use this new knowledge for motivation to live more safely!

At Best Security Products, we can help you with all commercial and home fire security and safety needs. Give us a call at 1-800–988–2378 sales@bestsecurityproducts.com

If you have never been caught in a fire emergency, it is hard to imagine what it is like. But arming yourself with the knowledge of what happens during a fire and how best to prepare for one may save your life and the life of those around you.

The following tips are from an article published by the Department of Homeland Security. Click here to read the whole document.

When a fire starts, black smoke can fill a house within minutes. You may think that being in building fire would be bright due to the brightness of the fire. But the smoke is thick and causes your surroundings to be very dark. Even if you are in a building that you know your way around very well, you can still become disoriented and lost, because you will not be able to see.

The danger from a fire comes first and foremost from the smoke and toxic fumes that the fire produces. You may feel drowsy and may have trouble breathing. If you are sleeping, the smoke may cause you to slip into a deep sleep, preventing you from waking up in time to evacuate.

If you find yourself in a fire, the first action to take is to drop to the floor. There will be less heat, smoke and toxic fumes there. As soon as you are aware of danger, get out fast. Delaying just a few seconds can cost you your life.

If you are in a room with a closed door, check the temperature of the doorknob before opening the door. If the doorknob is hot, do not open it. Instead, use a different escape from the room.

To help prevent a fire in the first place, consider asking someone from your local fire department to come to your home and inspect it for fire risk.

Finally, have a professionally installed fire alarm system in your home and business. Professionally installed systems can detect fire and alert you, often in plenty of time to escape.

We would love to schedule a free consultation with you, to help you determine what is best for your business and home. Give us a call at 1-800–988–2378 or send us an email at sales@bestsecurityproducts.com