If you see smoke, a fire, or smell something burning, it is essential for the safety of all Tenants that you follow instructions as approved by the City of Houston approved Fire Safety Plan. Building Management is required to submit to the Fire Marshall a “Fire Safety Plan” of the Building for approval. For multi-Tenant buildings, such as 1900 West Loop South, each Tenant shall be obligated to conform to the approved Fire Safety Plan established by the City of Houston. Each Tenant should provide Fire Wardens, responsible personnel to assist the Building Fire Safety Director to control the movement of their co-workers during an evacuation of the Building. See instruction for Fire Warden Information under FORMS.

Tenant Duties
A sufficient number of “Fire Wardens” should be selected, so that an evacuation organization will be in force in all occupied portions of the Building, and the public areas under the plan, i.e., lobbies, exit access, and exits.

Building & Tenant Duties
The Fire Safety Director, Assistant Directors, Fire Wardens, and such other persons specified in the approval plan shall have attended a Fire Warden class conducted by the City of Houston Fire Department. The training required shall cover the subject of organizing and training to conduct fire drills, evacuations and related activities. The training shall be approved by the Fire Marshall and may include written tests and demonstrations.

Fire Drills
The Building Management shall conduct a fire exit drill at least every six months so that Tenants can fulfill the evacuation requirements in a safe and efficient manner. It is a requirement of the Fire Code that all Tenants cooperate, as directed, with fire drills.

Fire Wardens:

1. The Tenant or Tenants of each floor shall, upon request of the owner or person in charge of the Building, make responsible and dependable employees available for designation by the Fire Safety Director as Fire Warden.
2. Each floor of a building shall be under the direction of a designated Fire Warden for the evacuation of the occupants in the event of a fire.
3. Each tenant's Fire Warden should be familiar with the Fire Safety Plan, the location of exits and the location and operation of any available fire alarm system.

Fire Alarm Announcements
In case of a fire alarm you will hear the following announcement:

“May I please have your attention? We have an alarm on the _ floor. The Fire Department has been notified and the Fire Response Team is en route to investigate. Please go to the nearest stairwell and stand by for further instructions.”

In case of a fire you will also hear:

“May I please have your attention? We have an emergency on the _ floor. The Fire Department has been notified and the Fire Response Team is in route to investigate. Floors must evacuate IMMEDIATELY. Everyone else please go to the nearest stairwell and stand by for further instructions.”              

In the case of a fire drill you will hear:

“May I please have your attention? This is a Fire Drill and only a drill, please go to the nearest stairwell and stand by for further instructions.”

If you discover a fire:

1. Isolate the fire by closing the door, if possible
2. Call the Fire Department – dial 911
3. Call the Fire Safety Director – Call (713) 850-9555
4. Call the Fire Warden – on the floor with the fire, give location and severity of fire.
5. Pull the fire alarm
6. Evacuate – use the Fire Exit.

If you think you smell smoke, immediately call:

1. Management Office (713) 850-9555
2. Fire Warden – on the floor with the smell, give location and characteristics of the odor.

Information to be given to the Fire Department:

1. Address of the building & floor of fire
2. What is on fire?                                .
3. Type of occupancy – if it is a commercial office building, house, etc.
4. Telephone number you are calling from, then listen to the dispatcher.

The Fire Safety Director will notify the Fire Department and have someone with keys that knows the Building meet the Fire Fighters.

Fire Wardens have been assigned to each floor of the Building for our Tenants’ safety. If there is a fire the Fire Warden:

1. He/she is the one who should be notified on your floor.
2. Will notify the Fire Department (911) and the Fire Safety Director at (713) 850-9555.
3. If necessary, they will direct the evacuation of the floor in accordance with directions received from the Fire Safety Director and the following guidelines.
1. Elevators may be used only when assisted by the Fire Department.
2. The Fire Warden on your floor shall select the safest stairway to use for evacuation.
3. The Fire Warden will be the last person to evacuate after making certain that all personnel have been evacuated from all areas of the floor - restrooms, conference rooms, utility rooms, etc.
4. The Fire Warden will keep the Fire Command Station informed of the means being employed for evacuation by the fellow Tenants on his floor and other particulars.
5. Evacuation of one level above and below the fire floor is generally adequate. The Fire Command Station is kept informed regarding the location of evacuating Tenants.
6. Fire Wardens and Assistant Fire Wardens will notify all occupants on their assigned floor of the fire and have them proceed immediately to execute the Fire Evacuation Plan.
7. Fire Wardens on the floor above the fire shall, after executing the Fire Evacuation Plan, notify the Fire Command Station of the evacuation means being used, and other particulars.
8. Fire Wardens on each floor will know where all mobility impaired occupants are located and keep an up-to-date list. These occupants may need special assistance in the event of evacuation, so please be considerate.
9. Please evacuate to the west side of the building. (surface parking).

On the receipt of an alarm for fire, the Houston Fire Department shall:

1. Report to the fire floor to assist in the evacuation and provide information to the Fire Command Station.
2. After evacuation of the fire floor, they will endeavor to control spread of the fire (closing doors, etc. )

Important Things To Know

1. The roof is not an approved exit and is kept locked.
2. When the Fire Department arrives, they are in charge.
3. The most critical areas for immediate evacuation is the fire floor and one floor above and one below.
4. Use the elevators only when assisted by Fire Department Personnel.
5. Smoke is the number one problem in any fire. It can deplete the air of valuable oxygen and contaminate the air with toxic materials. If caught in smoke, DON’T PANIC remember it could be difficult to see so, take slow easy breaths, breathe through your nose, and crawl along the wall to escape.
6. Touch all doors with your hand before opening. If it is hot, do not open it and seek another exit.
7. Opening or breaking windows fuels a fire with more oxygen. Do not open any windows during a fire.
8. When evacuating by stairwell, move to the center of the stairwell to avoid being hit by exit doors and to allow the fire men to pass.
9. Ladies, take off your high heels. Gentleman, loosen your ties and shirt collars.
10. The designated Emergency Relocation Area outside the building is the parking area located on the north side of the Building.

Fire Prevention Tips

1. Smoke only where permitted. (Smoking is prohibited in the buildings and at the entrances) there is one area designated for smoking at 1900 W Loop South: The garage area off the Northwest corner of Visitor Parking.
2. Large ash urns have been provided for your convenience please use them and dispose of ashes and butts only when they are cold.
3. Check up after smokers for “live” butts in the waste cans.
4. Look for electrical equipment that is not working right or smells funny. Strange odors from appliances or lights can be the first sign of fire.
5. Do not overload wall outlets. The fire department requires the usage of power strips when multiple items are to be plugged into one outlet.
6. Keep heat-producing devices away from things that burn.
7. Assign someone to make sure appliances are turned off when people are about to leave the building
8. Store and use non-flammable liquids.
9. Trash is fuel for a fire. Throw it out.
10. Portable fire extinguishers have been provided in the fire hose cabinets. Read the instructions beforehand.
11. Portable Electric Heater: The Department of Energy, Rules and Regulations 490.15 Auxiliary Heaters, “No auxiliary heating devices such as portable electric heaters, heat lamps or other devices whose principal function at the time of operation is to produce space heating may be operated.” In addition, the Fire Code prohibits the use of Portable Electric Heaters within the building and any heater found will be removed. If you are cold, call the management office and we will do our best to adjust the temperature within normal building standards.

Fire Prevention / Procedures

• Do not accumulate quantities of discarded files or other paper trash in your office or storage area. Pay special attention to housekeeping in those departments that produce quantities of debris, such as duplication machines, mailing and receiving rooms.
• Do not store large quantities of flammable solvents, duplicating fluids, or other combustible fluids.
• Keep electrical appliances in good repair.
• Where potential for fire is especially high, such as supply rooms, tenants may wish to consider installing additional fire extinguishers.

IF YOU DISCOVER A FIRE, you should remain calm and:

• Pull the nearest fire alarm. Alarms are located in the corridors adjacent to the stairwells.
• Call 911 from a safe location.
• Evacuate or relocate and assist all others in the immediate area.
• Close doors behind you to isolate fire.
• Proceed to stairwells and listen for instructions. NEVER use the elevators.
• Be cautious when opening doors so as not to spread the fire.
• Touch any door to see if it is hot before opening.
• If smoke is present, stay low and crawl with your body against the floor. The clearest air is near the floor. If forced to make a dash through smoke or flame, hold your breath and cover your nose and mouth with an article of clothing.

Evacuation Procedures
It is extremely important that all tenants evacuate in the precise manner and to the exact area as designated by the tenant’s Fire Warden, when necessary.

The following evacuation procedures should be observed:

• Before opening any door to the corridor, check the door and doorknob for heat. If it is warm, stay in your office and, if possible, caulk around the door seams using wet towels or "duct" tape. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR! Find another exit to the corridor.
• If both your door and doorknob are cool, and you leave your office:
• Check for smoke in the corridor.
• When smoke is present, stay low by crawling since clean air is closest to the floor.
• Everyone should proceed quickly, but calmly to the nearest stairwell. DO NOT RUN. All the stairwells are constructed with fire-resistant materials to provide safe evacuation for building occupants.
• DO NOT PANIC, Panic is the most harmful and most difficult element to control in an emergency. Avoiding panic is accomplished through the following steps:
• Knowledge of procedures which must be followed.
• Confidence in the responsible personnel's ability and guidance.
• Calmness and self-confidence of responsible personnel.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE THE ELEVATORS, Elevators report to the main lobby where the doors will open during building alarm and are not available for use.

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