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Trust in Your Employees During a Fire Emergency | SERVPRO® of Alamo Heights and Downtown San Antonio
3/29/2023 (Permalink)
Dealing with the aftermath of a commercial fire? SERVPRO of Alamo Heights and Downtown San Antonio is your local restoration expert.
Experiencing an emergency in your workplace can be overwhelming and can quickly turn into a chaotic situation. Without the proper training, your staff might not know how to react and may actually put themselves into more danger.
When a fire starts at your business or commercial property, you need to have faith that your entire team will know what to do and will jump into action. Teaching basic fire safety is a great place to start.
We explain the importance of educating employees about fire extinguishers, different fire situations and seeking safety below, so read on.
If you ask your crew, you might be surprised to learn how many of them don’t know how to use a fire extinguisher! A few of them would probably say they could figure it out if needed, but that’s not good enough security for you.
If you have a fire extinguisher on property, you are actually required to teach your employees how to use it. Explaining how to use one and teaching when one is necessary are two important lessons.
The basics of fire extinguishers is a good place to start. Call a meeting and have your team handle your fire extinguisher. Let them practice aiming at a fake fire and pull the pin. Explain why it is better to sweep across the flames rather than just point it at one location.
You can also use acronyms like PASS te help your employees more easily recall the steps during an emergency. Ideally, this training should be done every year, and don’t let your veteran staff skip out on the annual meeting. Emergencies can happen at any time, and everyone should be equipped with fresh knowledge!
A few of those veteran staff members might actually be the people you call on when a fire does break out. Having a couple trusted members of your team responsible for grabbing the fire extinguisher and fighting the flames can help your emergency response go much smoother.
Whether your business is off of Broadway or tucked into a storefront at The Shops at Lincoln Heights, you need to have a fire plan. It should also be tailored to your business’s unique needs. For example, you don’t need to have a plan for kitchen fires if your business doesn’t have a kitchen!
It is also important to teach your employees about the necessity of staying safe. While fighting the fire in one moment might be the right choice, the conditions can change quickly and become dangerous in the next moment. Encourage your staff to always act with their safety in mind and find a quick exit if needed.
When a fire situation erupts at your business, stay calm, assess the situation and act as needed. If your employees are trained to handle a fire extinguisher and know the basics of fire safety, everyone will benefit.
Dealing with the aftermath of a commercial fire? Our SERVPRO specialists can restore your losses and return your workplace to its pre-fire condition.