High Rise Fire Safety
Mather Tower
make evacuation routes look
different.
The reasons for a controlled
evacuation are:
The Mather Tower is
classified as a high rise
building.
Make sure you are familiar with the
path of travel to your primary and
secondary exit route.
It is important to understand that in
a high rise building, the fire alarm
initiates a controlled evacuation.
Typically the floor of the fire or
activated fire pull station, the floor
above and the floor below will be
immediately evacuated.
How to Sound the Alarm
Fire alarm pull stations are typically
located near the fire stairwell, exit
doors and main lobby doors. To
activate the fire alarms, simply pull
the handle.
1) Initial evacuation is limited to
those people in the direct vicinity of
the fire, as they are most at risk and
need to be able to quickly evacuate
the area of danger. In the vast
majority of situations, only these
floors need be evacuated.
What to Know
Activated Fire Alarm
The entire building will hear 3
rounds of an audible alert tone with
visual strobes followed by a voice
message. The voice message will
contain the following information:
Attention Please - Attention Please –
“The signal tone you have just heard
indicates a report of an emergency in
this building. If your evacuation
signal sounds after this message,
walk to the nearest stairway exit and
leave the floor. All handicapped
occupants shall follow the building
evacuation plan. While the report is
being verified, occupants on other
floors shall await further
instructions”
This message shall be transmitted
three (3) times.
After the voice message, if the alert
tone (3 temporal tones) and strobes
continue on your floor –
EVACUATE.
Under certain conditions, the
Cambridge Fire Department will
evacuate the entire building if
necessary.
Your responsibility is to understand
your part of the evacuation plan and
be ready to act.
Evacuation Route
Smoke from a fire, or a change in
lighting due to a power outage, can
Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are for small fires
and emergency escape purposes only.
Only trained personnel should
attempt to use a fire extinguisher.
Meeting Place
Know your designated meeting
locations.
Do not evacuate to the building
lobby, as this will only impede
firefighters responding to the alarm
and hamper others trying to evacuate
behind you.
Controlled Evacuation
In most high rise buildings, the fire
alarm will continue to alarm on three
floors (fire floor and one floor above
and below the fire) in the direct
vicinity of the fire.
This controlled method is preferred
instead of evacuating the entire
building at once.
2) Due to the number of building
occupants, if an evacuation is not
controlled, backups are likely in the
stairwells and the opportunities for
injury or panic increases.
Additionally, large numbers of
people in the stairwells impede the
progress of firefighters who are
attempting to get up to investigate
and fight the fire.
If You Discover a Fire
Close off the area if safe. Closing a
door helps confine the smoke and
limit the spread of fire, heat and
toxic gases.
Alert Others
Pull the fire alarm pull station to
initiate an evacuation. The alarm
will notify other floor occupants of
the need to evacuate to a safer
location.
Call for Help
Notify the fire department by
calling 911 from a safe location,
then immediately contact the
University Operations Center at
617-495-5560.
Evacuate the Area
Stay low if smoke is present and go
quickly to the nearest stairwell.
Never attempt to use the elevator
during a fire emergency.
Follow your predetermined plan, and
listen for directions from building
personnel or the fire department.
If You Can’t Leave
High Rise Fire Safety
Mather Tower
Stay in an Area of Refuge
There are two main options for an
area of refuge.
1)
2)
The fire rated stairwell if it is
safe (free of smoke).
An enclosed room with a
window and a telephone.
Review your options before an
emergency situation arises.
If You Choose the Stairwell
Wait near the exit stairwell until
everyone has evacuated the floor and
traffic in the stairwell has cleared.
Enter the stairwell and wait on the
landing.
Let evacuating people know that you
will be in the stairwell and they
should let the fire department know.
Call the fire department on your cell
phone if you have one; tell the fire
department your exact location.
Wait for further instructions.
Breaking windows will put you at
great risk to smoke entering from the
outside, and will hamper rescue
efforts below.
Fire and Life Safety Systems
High rise buildings in Cambridge
have many built-in safety features
that increase your safety if a fire
does happen.
Fire Alarm System
All high rises have a fire alarm
system monitored by an approved
central station monitoring company.
The Fire Department is notified
immediately when an alarm is
activated.
Elevators
Elevators are recalled to the building
lobby when an elevator’s smoke
detector is activated. This prevents
elevators from being used by
building occupants.
The Fire Department will send
firefighters to assist you if an
evacuation is necessary.
Exit Stairwells
All high rises have at least two firerated exit stairwells, entered into
through self closing, fire-rated doors.
If you choose a room on the floor as
your area of refuge:
Keep the door to the room closed. A
closed door is a barrier to smoke.
Sprinklers
Massachusetts high rises are
equipped with sprinklers systems
that significantly increase the
occupant safety.
Use towels or clothing to block
openings around doors or vents
where smoke might enter. Place a
signal in but do not keep windows
open. The signal can be anything
that will call attention to your
location.
Call 9-1-1 to report your location.
Emergency Generator
An on-site diesel generator runs the
fire and life safety systems in the
event of a power outage.
Cambridge
Police - Fire Medical
911
If smoke or fire enters the room, stay
low to the floor to breathe the best
air. Put a wet cloth over your mouth
or nose.
Harvard University Police
Department
HUPD
495-1212
It is advisable not to keep open or
break windows. Often smoke from
the outside of the building can enter
through open windows.
Harvard University Operations
Center
495-5560
For more fire safety information
http://www.uos.harvard.edu