hhpberlin

How can the fire department find what it’s looking for when there’s a fire in the building?  Do the firefighters know about the special aspects they will encounter?  For example, will they be aware of the particular cultural heritage that the building contains, or that it represents itself?

The fire department plans are the answer to these questions.  They provide an overview of the entire building, depicting the entire structure and each of its levels in great detail.  The design must correspond to the standard established by the DlN Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V. (German Institute

for Standardization) while complying with the requirements of the local fire department.  In this way, firefighters can orient themselves quickly in the building.

The plans also indicate special aspects as regards fire protection or the technical operations of the firefighters.  For example, they indicate routes by which to attack the fire in certain risk areas or provide information on how to protect the cultural heritage.

The plans are submitted to the local fire department, and are likewise put up in the fire control center.

The emergency response plans comply with the standard of the DlN Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V. (German Institute for Standardization); they are required for most buildings that serve special purposes.

They set out the rules for preventing fires and prescribe behavior in case of an emergency.

Emergency response plans consist of three parts:

Part A is displayed prominently in the building at a location where people frequently pass through, such as corridors or stairwells.  This part addresses all people coming into the building (such as visitors or customers).

Part B is designed for persons who do not spend time only on a temporary basis in the building (in other words, staff).  This part indicates fire prevention measures, prescribes actions to be taken in case of a fire, and explains the alarm signals.

Part C addresses those people to whom special tasks have been assigned in connection with fire protection and life safety (in other words, fire protection officers).  This part sets out how the operation of the building is organized in order to protect it and its occupants in the event of a fire.

And how do the people in the building know what to do in the event of a fire?  And how to get out of the building as quickly as possible?  The egress and evacuation plans provide this information.  They are put up at a prominent location that many people pass through.  Moreover, these plans are up-to-date, printed in color and easy to understand.  They show the floor plan of the building, or of a part of the building.

These plans are drawn to correspond to the location at which they are displayed.  Accordingly, people can easily recognize where they are and where they should go. 

They will quickly grasp the course of the egress and evacuation routes, the location of first-aid stations and the rules on how to behave in case of a fire and during accidents.

The egress and evacuation plans as well are prepared in accordance with the standard established by the DlN Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V. (German Institute for Standardization) for the marking of routes as being safe for egress.