Fire Alarms & Fire Drills    

When you hear a fire alarm or see flashing fire strobes, evacuate the building immediately!

FIRE DRILLS

Texas A&M University at Galveston requires that all buildings on campus have at least one fire drill annually. Residential buildings are required to have three.

  • During a fire drill, representatives from Environmental Health & Safety are looking for the following things:
  • All people have evacuated the building
  • All doors and windows are closed
  • All halls, stairwells, fire system components, and walkways are clear and accessible
  • Elevators are bypassed in favor of stairs
  • All people have moved at least 50 feet from the building (walls and doors; 50 feet from an entrance is not the same as 50 feet from the building)
  • The building was completely evacuated in under 4 minutes (11 minutes for buildings taller than 3 floors)

Upon inspection of the building, representatives from Environmental Health & Safety will cite the building for the following:

  • More than one open door or window
  • Failure to evacuate in the required time
  • Failure to evacuate without an order to do so by an Environmental Health & Safety official
  • Objects in halls or stairwells
  • Any fire hazards that are contrary to NFPA Code or TAMUG life safety procedures

Should a building fail a fire drill, a remedial fire drill will be held within 7 days following a report of deficiencies.

EVACUATION

It is important to be familiar with your evacuation routes before a fire. Take note of the two nearest exits to your office, room, or workspace. You should always have two ways out of your building. It is natural to use only one way in and out of your building, particularly when you take the elevator to an upper floor. Familiarize yourself with the stairwells and where they lead before an evacuation is necessary.

Remember:

  • Use stairs
  • DO NOT use elevators
  • Walk
  • DO NOT run
  • Move 50 feet from the building once outside
  • There is no such thing as a "false alarm" evacuation is mandatory and sensible whenever the fire alarm is activated
  • Failure to evacuate during a fire alarm may result in disciplinary action, fine, injury, or death