If I become trapped, should I break a window? Should I jump?
If you are trapped in a high-rise building, try to locate yourself in an area where you can close the door and seal the cracks to keep smoke out. Use a telephone to call the fire department and report your exact location in the building. Try to be patient. Emergency rescue of high-rise building occupants can take a long time. You can signal your position to rescue personnel from a window using a light-colored cloth, but it is not advisable to break a window. If you can open the window slightly, it is generally safe to do so to allow fresh air in, but be prepared to close it if smoke comes in. A broken window cannot be adjusted to block smoke from pouring in. Finally, falling glass from a broken window can sever fire hoses and severely injure rescue and suppression personnel below. It is very dangerous to use a window for escape from anything higher than the second floor.

Show All Answers

1. Are building owners/operators required to hold regular emergency drills?
2. Are emergency instructions tailored to events and communicated to building occupants?
3. How can I judge if my building's evacuation plan is adequate for any emergency?
4. If I become trapped, should I break a window? Should I jump?
5. If I have a long stairwell, is it better to go to the roof?
6. If the neighboring high-rise is one fire, should my building evacuate?
7. Is high-rise building evacuation different from other buildings?
8. Procedures for people in wheelchairs or other disabilities that affect mobility?
9. Should my building have any type of exterior escape device?
10. Under what circumstances may I use the elevator safely?
11. What are the key elements of emergency preparedness?
12. What happens when the event is not typical?
13. Will the systems work in a terrorist attack?