Fire and Life Safety

Overview

JBG SMITH encourages all tenants to become familiar with the building’s life safety systems.  Additionally, please provide your Property Management Team with the following:

• A copy of your emergency evacuation plan.
• A list of your disabled or persons requiring assistance.
• A completed Tenant Contact Form. 
• Location of your designated Area of Refuge.

The building is equipped with modern fire detection and annunciation (speaker) systems, with smoke detectors, fire pull stations, speakers, and strobe lights on all floors of the buildings.  These devices work together to detect smoke or fire, and quickly sound an alarm.  The sprinkler system throughout responds to heat from a fire and extinguishes it rapidly.

The functionality of this fire alarm system is standard for high-rise office buildings.  A pre-recorded public announcement is made, and strobes are activated on a floor with an active alarm, as well as on the floor above and the floor below.  If smoke or fire expands to other locations, additional devices are activated and alarms sound on additional floors for evacuation.  Only the floors where the announcement is heard, and strobes are flashing need to evacuate, although the decision is up to you.

If you hear a fire alarm, please evacuate your office suite immediately, depart the building and go to the assembly place your organization has designated. 

 

Preparation

Every occupant needs to be familiar with exits and fire apparatus in the building.  Fire drills are conducted at least once per year.  There are fire pull stations located at the entrance to the stairwells and fire extinguishers located in areas around the elevators.

Your Property Management Team will provide you with a floor plan that shows the locations of stairwells, so your organization can develop its own emergency evacuation plan – especially how to evacuate persons requiring assistance, your organization’s place to assemble and check in after exiting the building.

Familiarize yourself with the fire exit stairwells and where you enter them as well as where they terminate by walking down them at least once, so you know where they exit the building.

Remember - in a fire emergency DO NOT use the elevators.  Elevators automatically return to the first floor, discharge any passengers, and are then reserved for use by the fire department. 

 

Fire Prevention Tips

• Do not accumulate quantities of discarded files or other paper trash in your office or storage area.  Pay special attention to housekeeping in departments that produce quantities of debris, such as copy rooms, mailing and receiving rooms.
• Where potential for fire is especially high, such as supply rooms, tenants may wish to consider installing additional fire extinguishers.
• Flammable materials are not permitted in the building at any time.  If, for any reason, you have any materials necessary for the operation of normal office equipment which requires special care, they must be stored in safety containers and you must notify the Property Management Office.
• Space heaters or fans of any kind or size are not permitted.
• Use of extension cords in lieu of permanent wiring is never recommended.  If used, extension cords should be sized and grounded according to the load.
• Appliance connections and cords should be kept in good repair.
• Smoking is strictly prohibited in all areas of the building.
• Your office’s wiring was designed to carry a normal electrical load.  Appliances that have greater than normal electrical requirements shall not be used without the prior approval of your Property Manager.
• Water should never be used on electrical, oil, gasoline, or grease fires.  Your building is equipped with fire extinguishers on each floor, which are located near the main elevators.  Please check the hallways to become familiar with the locations of extinguishers.  These extinguishers are designed to be used on all types of fires.
• Anyone spotting potential fire hazards in the building is asked to report these conditions to the Property Management Team or Tenant Service Center immediately.

When furnishing an office, consider the fire potential of materials used in large amounts, like overstuffed chairs, settees, couches, or anything that could become a combustible item.  Such furnishings should be flame proof.