Know Your Surroundings

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Plan and prepare your escape in case of a fire, always know two ways out. Look around and identify potential hazards or obstacles. Always keep your escape paths clean for emergency exiting. Keep your phone and keys in an easily accessible area so you can pick them up on your way out.

 

Know where you are going to meet beforehand and have a designated assembly point. This could be a large tree or park bench away from the dorm or residence. Look for an area that will be easily accessible in an emergency and that everyone knows is the designated assembly point. Practice this drill a couple of times a year so that you are ready in case it is ever needed. Once there, do a head count. Do not go back inside, notify emergency responders if someone is unaccounted for.

 

Also, make sure your assembly point is not close to the building you are exiting. Move away from the affected building. Leave room for emergency responders and stay clear of potential falling debris or smoke. In the event of a fire, there will be a lot of emergency personnel coming and going and you want to make sure that you don’t interfere with their operations.

 

The more planning and practice that you can do by familiarizing yourself with these new surroundings, the safer you will be. Any time you move or stay somewhere new for an extended period, make a plan for different types of emergencies that might come up, including weather, fire and health.

 

The more preparing you can do before the emergency, the better it is for everyone.