When a fire breaks out, panic can spread faster than flames. The difference between chaos and control often comes down to one thing: a well-designed fire evacuation plan. But creating an evacuation plan isn’t just drawing a few arrows on a map. To truly protect people and property, your fire evacuation strategy needs to be realistic, actionable, and tested.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through how to create a fire evacuation plan that actually works—not just on paper, but in a real emergency.
Why you need an effective fire evacuation plan
- Protects lives: Minimizes injuries and casualties during a fire.
- Saves time: Ensures quick and organized evacuation.
- Supports emergency response: Makes firefighting efforts more effective.
- Meets compliance: Required by safety regulations, insurance, and audits.
Step-by-Step guide to creating a fire evacuation plan
- Conduct a fire risk assessment
- Identify potential fire sources: electrical panels, flammable materials, machines, kitchens, etc.
- Determine who is at risk (employees, visitors, contractors).
- Highlight high-occupancy or vulnerable zones (basements, chemical stores, etc.).
- This helps define your evacuation priorities and safe routes.
- Design clear evacuation routes
- Map out at least two exits from every room or area.
- Ensure routes are unobstructed, well-lit, and clearly marked.
- Use standard signage (e.g., green exit signs) and emergency lighting.
- Consider people with disabilities—ramps, wider exits, or additional assistance.
- Place evacuation maps at strategic points throughout the facility.
- Assign roles and responsibilities
- Fire wardens/marshals: Ensure evacuation, check zones, assist those in need.
- Assembly point coordinators: Maintain headcounts and communicate with emergency services.
- First aid responders: Provide basic care until professional help arrives.
- Make sure everyone knows their role in an emergency.
- Designate assembly points
- Choose safe locations away from the building and fire hazards.
- Avoid roads, gas pipelines, or overhead power lines.
- Ensure signage is visible and accessible to all.
- Conduct regular headcounts at the assembly point during drills.
- Install fire detection and communication systems
- Smoke and heat detectors, fire alarms, and PA systems
- Alarm must be loud enough to alert across the entire premises
- Backup power is a must for alarm and communication systems
- Include emergency contact numbers and procedures in the plan.
- Train your people
- Conduct fire safety training and explain the evacuation procedure
- Demonstrate how to use fire extinguishers, alarms, and exits
- Train on assisting differently-abled individuals during evacuation
- Make training part of your on-boarding and conduct refreshers every 6–12 months.
- Run fire drills regularly
- Simulate real scenarios (e.g., blocked exit, power outage)
- Involve all employees and time the evacuation
- Review drill performance and update the plan accordingly
- Drills help identify weak spots and build muscle memory for emergencies.
- Review and update the plan
- Review at least once a year or after:
- Building renovations
- New machinery or departments
- Fire incidents or near misses
- Staff changes
- Keep a record of all drills, revisions, and training sessions.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming everyone knows what to do without training
- Using blocked or cluttered escape routes
- Not updating the plan after changes in layout or operations
- Failing to assist differently-abled personnel during evacuation
- Not maintaining working fire alarms and signage
Final Thoughts
A good fire evacuation plan is more than a document, it’s a living process. It saves lives not because it exists, but because it’s practiced, updated, and understood by everyone.
Action Point: Review your current fire evacuation plan this week. Are the exits clearly marked? Are roles assigned? Are drills conducted regularly? If not, now is the time to take action.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only. It is advised to verify the currency and relevance of the data and information before taking any major steps. Please read the sales brochure / policy wordings carefully for detailed information about on risk factors, terms, conditions and exclusions. ICICI Lombard is not liable for any inaccuracies or consequences resulting from the use of this outdated information.