by the Safety and Risk Management Committee
So you hear the fire alarm sound during one of our services. Do you know where the exits are located? Is there really a fire or is this a false alarm? Or maybe it is just a test of the alarm system. What do you do?
What you DON'T want to do is to hesitate and question whether or not there is a real fire. What you DO want to do is to evacuate the church immediately. Unless instructed otherwise, move quickly (don't run) and quietly to the closest exit and leave the building immediately.
Why do people not respond to fire alarms? People don't like to stop what they are doing, and often a fire alarm is not enough of a cue for people to drop their everyday tasks and exit the building.
Should you respond to every fire alarm? Even when there are no signs of fire, you should react to every fire alarm as if there is an actual fire.
Please be aware of where all of the fire exits are located.