Use a fire drill checklist template to keep your employees safe

What is a fire drill checklist?

In case of fire, you need to be able to assemble employees and evacuate the building quickly. This depends a lot on how people behave in emergencies. Conducting fire drills is an important ​​way of educating staff on safe fire evacuation procedures.

Fire drills should be held at regular intervals because the more training people have, the more likely they are toremain calm during an emergency.That’s because consistent fire drills reduce the likelihood of panic during emergencies.

When a fire drill takes place, it’s essential to properly plan and record the process. Safety officers can use a fire drill checklist template to plan the emergency procedure and coordinate business emergency plans. In addition, the data collected from the fire drill can then be evaluated so that future fire and evacuation drills become more efficient.

Fire drills are an integral part of fire safety in the workplace and a legal requirement for companies in several countries. So having a fire drill checklist on hand is important. Also, make sure you’re aware of the requirements and regulations for inspecting and maintaining fire extinguishers as part of your overall fire safety procedures.

Table of contents

1. What should a fire drill checklist template contain?

2. Points to include on a evacuation checklist

3. How to optimize your fire drill checklist template

4. benefits of digital fire drill inspection checklists

What should a fire drill checklist template contain?

Fire evacuation drills should be carried out regularly, and should take into account all possible risk factors. Even a small oversight in the procedure could be devastating in an emergency. Therefore, every building or company should familiarize itself with fire drill evacuation procedures. Important things to mention in any fire drill checklist template are:

• Who will perform what task
• Anyone with special needs who requires extra attention
• The assigned fire warden(s)
• Date and time of the fire drill
• Length of the evacuation
• Specific evacuation routes
• Fire alarm routes

What are the key areas of a fire drill checklist template?l

When conducting a fire drill, you need to look out for any signs that your building is not adequately equipped to handle an evacuation. This could mean problems with signage, obstructed hallways, or something else that inhibits prompt evacuation.

1. Evacuation and emergency routes

• Marking of emergency and rescue routes
• Accessibility of emergency exit doors
• Transparency of flight path plans
• Review of assembly point sign

2. Alarm routes

• Check sirens
• Check the emergency numbers

3. Evacuation areas and buildings

• Access points to the building
• Building plans with basement and floor details
• Water supply and hydrants
• Smoke and heat vents

4. Evacuation

• Control of assembly points and signage
• Check evacuation signals
• Traffic routes kept clear for the fire brigade
• Fire safety assistant duties are clearly defined

How to optimize your fire drill checklist template

Create your fire drill evacuation plan together with your colleagues. Plan what to expect during the emergency drill and organize teams for specific tasks. Be aware that unexpected problems may occur.

Communicate the emergency evacuation plan clearly to your team and discuss behavior during the exercise. Before locking anything in, consult with trained firefighters who are responsible in case of an emergency.

Assign fire wardens or marshalls ahead of time. Designate several people from your team who can function as fire wardens in case of a fire hazard. These individuals should be reliable, competent, and have experience in emergency training. Appoint more than you think you need, considering possible shifts like holidays and unexpected absences.

Always keep an updated register of all your staff. You should always know who is in the building during a fire drill or an actual fire so you can easily tell if anyone’s missing. This list should include scheduled visitors as well.

On the day of the drill, it’s a good idea to:

• Note the time: Recording the time of fire drills is important in determining the efficiency of evacuations. Time it from the start of the alarm until the moment that the last person has gathered at the designated assembly point. Though exact times depend on your specific building and the size of your business, the average fire drill lasts between 15-20 minutes. If the process is too long, revisit areas where you could speed up the evacuation without compromising safety.
• Take notes: The perfect time to make observations is during the drills themselves. Potential issues with your evacuation procedure become evident during fire drills. Take note of anything major that impacts the effectiveness of your evacuation procedures.
• Document your drill: Make it a point to keep a record of all your drills and the people involved, and take photographic evidence of your observations. These records serve as the basis of your report should it be requested by a fire safety inspector.

Remember to take your time working through every single step and checking each route to make sure that everything is in order. There’s no room for mistakes when it comes to fire safety because one misstep can cost a life.

Benefits of digital fire drill checklist templates

Carrying out and learning from fire drills is much easier when you use a digital inspection checklist. An inspection platform like Lumiform can help you create and complete fire drill checklist templates in half the time.

Thanks to an easily understood interface, you’ll be able to get the most from your fire drills. Once you download a template, the app guides you through it so you never miss a step. All inspection data is securely stored in the cloud. Clean and transparent documentation helps you to carry out the fire drill properly.