Fire Exit Drill Policy and Procedure
for Category 1 University Buildings

May 1, 1996

Attachment to DDD Memorandum from:

Environmental Health and Safety
Administrative Affairs
University of Florida

Table of Contents:
Objective
Authority
Policy
Responsibilities
Procedures

OBJECTIVE

 The objective of this policy is to prepare building occupants for exiting a building during a fire or related building emergency. The fire exit drills will also serve to identify building related problems related to evacuation.

Table of Contents

AUTHORITY

Fire exit drills are mandated by Florida State Statute 633, Fire Prevention and Control, and Florida Administrative Code Chapter 4A-3, State Fire Marshal Rules and Regulations.

Table of Contents

POLICY

Florida law and regulations require annual fire exit drills for all individuals in Category I buildings. Category I is defined as any building (a) that contains combustible or explosive matter or flammable conditions dangerous to the safety of life or property, (b) in which persons receive educational instruction, (c) in which persons reside, excluding private dwellings, or (d) containing three or more floor levels. All occupants of these building, at the time of the drill, must participate in the fire drill.

This policy requires annual fire exit drills for individuals in Category I buildings in the areas of Education and General, Health Center and the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The Procedures outlined in this document are mandatory. Housing and Greek living units on- and off-campus shall continue to conduct fire drills for their facilities per established guidelines.

Table of Contents

RESPONSIBILITIES

Facility and Fire Safety Program (FFS), Division of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S), shall supervise each fire drill and assist with the evaluation and record keeping. FFS shall schedule buildings for the fire drills and serve as the coordinator between the University Police Department (UPD), appropriate Physical Plant representatives, Gainesville Fire and Rescue (GFR), State Fire Marshal (SFM) and building occupants. EH&S shall notify Deans and Directors that all buildings under their control will be tested during the fall, spring or summer term.

Deans and Directors shall notify building occupants under their supervision of fire drill test procedures. Deans and Directors shall also notify EH&S of any dates and times that are critical where disruption of classes and/or research is impractical.

UPD shall assist EH&S in conducting the fire drills by conducting a brief search of each building to ascertain that all occupants have vacated the premises. Physical Plant Technicians shall operate the fire alarm system and reset it when instructed at the conclusion of the test. Building Safety Coordinators shall assist in the identification of problems in buildings under their jurisdiction.

Building Occupants shall vacate the building in an orderly fashion when the fire alarm signal is given and not return until the "ALL CLEAR" signal is given by UPD. Occupants shall follow the "Campus Fire Safety" procedures.

Table of Contents

PROCEDURES

The drills shall be conducted during the second and third weeks of the fall, spring or summer terms. No prior notification shall be given to any specific building as to a specific date or time.

EH&S shall notify Deans and Directors annually of the fire exit drill requirement.

Physical Plant Technicians shall notify UPD and GFR via radio before and after each drill.

The EH&S Facility and Fire Safety Program Director or his designee shall be present during the fire drill.

Any persons found in the building shall be given a copy of EH&S' "Campus Fire Safety" pamphlet and their names shall be given to the appropriate supervisor for further action, if warranted.

Records of fire drills shall be maintained by EH&S in the building files.

Table of Contents

Back to the Deans, Directors, and Department Chair Memo