Disaster Planning Meeting: Fire Department
(Estimated 1- 1 ½ hours)
Homework to be completed before the meeting:
1.
Edit basic evacuation plan for the facility that addresses the safety of visitors and staff based on the results of the discussion in the Facilities meeting
2.
Edit floor plan based on the results of the Facilities meeting
3.
Have prepared a list of questions or concerns for the fire department that came out of the
Facilities meeting
4.
Arrange for the fire department to be at the meeting, bringing the Knox Box keys or their copy of the organization’s key if applicable
Materials for meeting:
1.
Copies of the evacuation plan for all participants
2.
Copy of the draft floor plan for each participant
Meeting agenda:
I.
Review the goals of the meeting with the fire department

Review the draft of the evacuation plan soliciting their input

Review the draft floor plan soliciting their input
 Address questions or concerns coming out of the Facility meeting
II.
Walk through the organization’s building(s) with the fire department pointing out the significant locations
 Utility shut offs
 Collections storage areas
 Significant architecture (if applicable)
III.
Discuss response to the location
 Estimated time to respond
 How the fire department will connect with a responsible person from the organization

How the fire department will gain access to the building (test the Knox Box and/or the fire department copy of the key to ensure they work)
IV.
Assign homework

Any changes to the evacuation plan or floor plan based on the fire department’s feedback


Make list of any short or long term concerns the fire department raises in their walk through (improved exit signs, more smoke detectors, etc.)

Assign the homework to be completed in preparation for the next meeting.
Fire Department Meeting Background:
One of the most important things in disaster planning is to build relationships, most particularly with your local first responders. Do you want the first time your fire chief sees the inside of your building to be when it’s burning? Is that when you want to meet the chief for the first time? This meeting is designed to help your organization and the fire department build a mutual understanding of what will happen in the event of a disaster – and it is a great opportunity to get some good advice on your emergency signage, evacuation plan, or on whether you have enough smoke alarms.
From CERC’s experience with 26 organizations, the vast majority of fire departments welcome the opportunity to better familiarize themselves with their local cultural institutions and the conversations that come out of the meeting are very useful to the organization.
Who Should Attend This Meeting:
The Fire Department Meeting should include representation from the organization’s decision makers/leadership, facilities and collections people (whether staff or volunteer), and the fire department. The meeting will include a review of the evacuation and floor plans, as well as a discussion of fire department response and access to the site. A typical meeting will also include recommendations from the fire department for signage, additional smoke alarms, or information that should be provided to first responders. Frequently the meeting will result in some action items that will have to be prioritized by the organization.
Suggestions:
In working through this process with 26 different organizations, CERC has found that it works best when:

You have the person mostly likely to be working with the fire department extend the invitation, to begin building the working relationship.

You ask the Fire Department to bring a copy of the key they have on file for your facility or for your
Knox Box (a lock box outside the building that contains the keys to get inside) so that it can be tested.
One organization we worked with discovered that the key in their Knox Box had never been changed when the locks had been changed a few years previously. In the event of a fire, the fire department would have had to break windows or doors to get inside.

You have someone taking notes on the fire department’s recommendations so that they are captured for prioritization later.

You discuss the evacuation of priority collections with the fire department if you don’t have significant security concerns (like an art museum displaying multi-million dollar paintings). If they are able to tailor their response, they may be able to help you save items.

Things to Think About in the Meeting:

How will the fire department know who is in charge? How will the organization determine who should be in charge if the normal person is not on site (say, on vacation)?

If the fire department has significant suggestions for your organization, how will those suggestions be prioritized?
What to Do With the Information:
The major products coming out of this meeting are the floor plan and the evacuation plan. Some organizations also created a floor plan with arrows showing evacuation routes that could be posted in publicly visible spots.
Examples are on the following pages.

All staff should be familiar with exit routes, locations of fire extinguishers, etc. Floor plans indicating these are on the pages following page 13 of this document.
If facility needs to be evacuated quickly and alarms are not sounding, pull the Fire Alarm.
In the event of an emergency in which the facility needs to evacuate, staff member(s) will:
1.) Evacuate Building
Leave through the nearest Emergency Exit
- One staff member will sweep the Second Floor and one staff member will sweep the
Main Floor, IF IT DOES NOT ENDANGER THEIR LIFE TO DO SO.
- When only one staff member and volunteer is present the staff member will sweep
Second Floor and the volunteer will sweep the Main Level, IF IT DOES NOT ENDANGER
THEIR LIFE TO DO SO.
- Difficult locations to see patrons
 2 Closets in JO room
 Closets in upstairs hallways
 Under the seats in the JP room
2.) Meeting Location
Bank Parking Lot across the street
Baptist Church in inclement weather
3.) Call 911
Point person talking to the fire department should have a traffic vest on.

Archival Material
 Located in the basement, to the right when exiting the stairwell or elevator.
Herbie Hancock Paintings

Located on the first floor on the stone wall near the circulation desk and the wall behind the new wing library stacks – the same wall as the emergency exit.
Grandfather clock

Located on the wall outside of the conference room.
Office Closet
 First Aid Kit, Flashlights
Sink Closet – Under the old stairs

Paper Towels
Main Floor
On the column in the Original Building facing the Middle Lobby.
In the wall to the left of the elevator towards the Emergency Exit by stairs.
Second Floor
On the wall to the left of elevator.
Basement
On the wall to the left of the Mechanical Room.
Electrical
Gas
Located in the Electrical Room in the middle section of the basement.
Found at a labeled ceiling pipe in the basement.
Water
Found at a labeled ceiling pipe in the basement.

All staff should be familiar with exit routes, locations of fire extinguishers, etc. Floor plans indicating these are on the pages following page 13 of this document.
If facility needs to be evacuated quickly and alarms are not sounding, pull the Fire Alarm.
In the event of an emergency in which the facility needs to evacuate, staff member(s) will:
4.) Evacuate Building
Leave through the nearest Emergency Exit
- One staff member will sweep the Second Floor and one staff member will sweep the
Main Floor, IF IT DOES NOT ENDANGER THEIR LIFE TO DO SO.
- When only one staff member and volunteer is present the staff member will sweep
Second Floor and the volunteer will sweep the Main Level, IF IT DOES NOT ENDANGER
THEIR LIFE TO DO SO.
- Difficult locations to see patrons
 2 Closets in JO room
 Closets in upstairs hallways
 Under the seats in the JP room
5.) Meeting Location
Bank Parking Lot across the street
Baptist Church in inclement weather
6.) Call 911
Point person talking to the fire department should have a traffic vest on.

Archival Material
 Located in the basement, to the right when exiting the stairwell or elevator.
Herbie Hancock Paintings

Located on the first floor on the stone wall near the circulation desk and the wall behind the new wing library stacks – the same wall as the emergency exit.
Grandfather clock

Located on the wall outside of the conference room.
Office Closet
 First Aid Kit, Flashlights
Sink Closet – Under the old stairs

Paper Towels
Main Floor
On the column in the Original Building facing the Middle Lobby.
In the wall to the left of the elevator towards the Emergency Exit by stairs.
Second Floor
On the wall to the left of elevator.
Basement
On the wall to the left of the Mechanical Room.
Electrical
Gas
Located in the Electrical Room in the middle section of the basement.
Found at a labeled ceiling pipe in the basement.
Water
- Found at a labeled ceiling pipe in the basement.