How do you evacuate during a fire?

Do

• Know your building’s evacuation plan.
• Evacuate calmly and quickly whenever a fire alarm or carbon monoxide alarm sounds.
• Keep important items such as medications and medical equipment handy for quick access in the event of a building evacuation.
• Know two ways out of any building.
• Before opening a door, feel it with the back of your hand. If the door is hot, do not open it.
• If you encounter smoke during your evacuation, stay low to the floor.
• Know the outside rally point for your building.
• In case of a smoke or fire emergency, activate the nearest fire alarm pull station, alert those around you, and from a safe location call the fire department by dialing 911, then call Public Safety at the Charles River Campus by dialing 617-353-2121 and the Control Center at the Medical Campus by dialing 617-414-6666.
• Ensure that smoke and carbon monoxide alarms have batteries. Change the batteries (in non-BU-owned property) when you set your clocks back or forward.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms regularly.
• Make sure that hallways and stairway doors close tightly.
• Know the locations of fire extinguishers, fire alarm pull stations, and exits.
• Learn to use a fire extinguisher.
• Extinguish barbecue coals completely.

Do NOT

• Leave candles, incense, barbecue grills or other open flames unattended. (Note that these items are prohibited in University housing.)
• Use halogen lamps near curtains or other combustibles. (Halogen lamps are prohibited in University housing).
• Hang tapestries from walls or ceilings.
• Leave cooking appliances unattended.
• Use barbecue grills in or on any building or fire escape.
• Smoke in bed. (Smoking is prohibited in University housing).
• Tamper with smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms, fire alarms or sprinkler systems.
• Ignore any building alarm.
• Hang anything from sprinkler heads or pipes.
• Foreign objects may impede the system’s function.
• Prop fire or smoke doors open.
• Use elevators during an evacuation.