Fire Alarms and Evacuation Procedures

The fire alarm is going off in the Northern Michigan University facility you’re in. What do you do next? Not knowing the university’s fire alarm evacuation procedures can put you and others at risk.  All NMU students, faculty, staff and visitors are encouraged to review the entire evacuation procedure, which includes steps for residence hall evacuations, evacuating persons with disabilities and some special requirements for the Jacobetti Complex, Learning Resources Center and Physical Education and Instructional Facility (PEIF).

However, here are the general fire alarm procedures:

1. When a fire alarm sounds, all personnel must evacuate the building immediately.
2. When evacuating, personnel must move away from the exit doors.
3. With the exception of fire department personnel and Public Safety officers, no one is allowed to re-enter the building until notification has been given by a representative of NMU’s Public Safety and Police Services.
4. If the fire alarm is silenced, this is not an indicator that it is safe to re-enter the building.
5. NMU Public Safety and Police Services has the responsibility to determine that the building has been evacuated and when it is safe to re-enter. The officers will coordinate with maintenance, custodial and fire department personnel, as required.

Read the full details of the procedures.

Also, having a good understanding of basic fire safety can be a lifesaving skill. To review some quick safety tips, go to NMU Public Safety’s fire safety information.