Fire : Suite / Floor Wardens
SUITE WARDENS & FLOOR WARDENS: as members of the Floor Response Team,
responsible for overseeing occupant instruction, supervising and ensuring safe evacuation
during a fire, other emergency or fire drill. The Floor Response Team is under the
supervision of the Fire Safety Director. Floor Wardens are assigned to single tenant floors.
Suite Wardens are assigned to each tenant on multi-tenant floors.
PRE-EMERGENCY PLANNING
1. With the assistance of the Fire Safety Director:
- MULTI-TENANT FLOORS: Each tenant must select a Suite Warden. One Group Leader should be assigned for every additional 10-15 employees.
- SINGLE TENANT FLOORS: Each tenant must select a Floor Warden, GroupLeaders, Search Monitor/s and Traffic Monitor/s.
- Assign Monitors to assist anyone with a physical disability. A person with a physicaldisability is anyone who will need assistance walking down the stairs.
2. Read the Floor Response Team Manual.
3. Each Floor Response Team should discuss procedures through specific "what if"
situations.
4. Instruct all occupants within your tenant area on:
a. Building Evacuation Procedures.
b. Location of Safe Refuge Areas outside of building.
c. Location of emergency exits and their termination points.
d. Safe Stairwell Procedures.
e. Location and use of manual pull stations to activate the fire alarm.
f. The building’s fire alarm (at this building, the audible/visual alarm sounds on ONE
FLOOR, the floor of device activation.)
g. Location of First Aid Kits.
h. Familiarize occupants with responsibilities of all Floor Response Team Members.
5. Instruct all coworkers. Sections E 1-1 & E 1-2 in this manual should be reproduced for
all occupants. It is also recommended that sections E 2 & E 3 in this manual be
reproduced and distributed to all occupants for additional training. Any occupants who
are physically disabled (ie. need assistance walking down the stairs) should receive
Section E 1-4. All new employees should be instructed within 14 days of occupancy
and retrained on an annual basis.
6. After all fire drills, complete Fire Drill Report. 402 West Broadway E 4-1a
7. Know floor layout and all areas within your tenant area that will need to be searched.
8. Be prepared to communicate status reports to Fire Safety Director regarding the
emergency. Be sure to program the telephone numbers for Security and the Building
Management Office into your cell phones.
9. Keep up-to-date list of all occupants who are physically disabled.
10. Make periodic review of Floor Response Team Members. Assign new members as
needed.
11. Develop awareness for safety conditions, fire violations and potential hazards. For
example: stairwell or corridor doors blocked open, improper lighting, frayed cords,
overloaded outlets, electrical extension cords used for permanent wiring, obstructed
halls and corridors, trash build-ups, etc.
12. If for any reason you should discontinue employment in this building, you are requested
to notify the Fire Safety Director in the Building Management Office.
EMERGENCY ACTIONS: Upon notification of a fire (by occupant or if you discover a fire):
1. Clear anyone in immediate danger.
2. Confine the fire by closing all doors to the area.
3. Activate the manual pull station to sound the fire alarm (if not yet sounding).
4. Call the Fire Department (9-1-1) or verify that the Fire Department has been called. Give exact location and all known facts. Call Building Management Office. Give exact location and all known facts.
BE SURE TO MAKE CALLS FROM A SAFE LOCATION.
5. If possible, grab your vest, flashlight, whistle and employee list. Direct all occupants to
a safe stairwell to begin evacuation procedures. BE VERBAL: “Let’s Go. Get off the
phone. Close your door. Use the stairs.” Etc. Check doors for heat and smoke
before opening. On multi-tenant floors, the Suite Warden is responsible for searching
their tenant area. On single tenant floors, Search Monitors are responsible for
checking the closed off areas on their floor. (NOTE: If your safety is threatened,
immediately begin evacuating the floor.)
6. Unless instructed otherwise: Occupants will walk down the stairs, evacuate the building
and proceed to an outside Area of Safe Refuge.
7. At the Safe Refuge Area, take a head count. Use whistle if necessary to get the
group’s attention. Review your employee list. Ask if anyone knows if anyone is
missing. Note: On single tenant floors, the list/s should be taken down by the Stairwell
Monitor or Department Heads so the head count can begin immediately.
8. Give status report including location of any occupants who are physically impaired to
Building Staff or Fire Department Personnel.
9. Remain at the Safe Refuge Area for further instructions. Keep occupants grouped,
quiet and calm.
IF YOU HEAR THE ALARM, FOLLOW YOUR EMERGENCY PROCEDURES,
STEPS 5 - 9.
REMEMBER: The audible/visual alarm sounds on ONE FLOOR, the floor of device
activation and in the stairwells. The occupants’ procedures are: upon hearing the alarm on
their floor, all occupants will walk down the stairs, evacuate the building and proceed to an
outside Area of Safe Refuge.
ASSUME ALL ALARMS ARE REAL.