Chevy Chase Pavilion

Occupant and Visitor Responsibilities

IN CASE OF FIRE, PULL FIRE ALARM & EVACUATE, CALL 911

Pre-Evacuation Procedures

All occupants shall:

1. Familiarize themselves with the location of fire extinguishers and manual fire alarm stations.
2. Know the location of the exits.
3. Recognize the sound of the fire alarm.
4. Know how to activate the fire alarm.
5. Know how to notify the fire department.
6. Familiarize themselves with the building fire evacuation procedures.
7. Notify management of any employees with special requests or disabilities.
8. Proceed directly to the exit whenever the fire alarm is heard.

General Guidelines

1. As the emergency situation dictates, pull the nearest fire alarm located in lobbies, stairwells and suite areas.  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FIGHT THE FIRE YOURSELF.
2. Immediately call Fire Department (911).  Tell them:
   1. What is on fire.
   2. Type of occupancy: Mixed use building (office, retail and hotel).
   3. Address – 5335 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC.
   4. Floor numbers – Where fire is, if known.
   5. Telephone number where you are available.
   6. Then stop and listen to dispatcher instructions.
3. After you have spoken with the dispatcher:
   1. Call Security at 202.207.7900, available 24/7.
   2. Call Property Management at 202.594.3890.

General Guidelines

4. When an alarm sounds, all occupants should immediately begin evacuating the building.
   1. In the event of a false alarm, you will be advised to disregard the alarm.
   2. Close all doors behind you, especially the door to a burning or smoke-filled room – this will slow the spread of fire.
   3. Proceed directly to the stairwell exits.  NEVER USE THE ELEVATORS DURING A FIRE EMERGENCY.  Smoke could enter the elevator shaft and asphyxiate the occupants.  In a fire emergency, all elevators are immediately called to the lobby level.
   4. Proceed quickly and calmly to the lobby level and exit immediately.
   5. Assist those requiring help.
   6. In all instances, follow the directions of fire and security personnel.
   7. Assemble in a designated area 500 feet away from the building.
   8. Do not return to the building until instructed to do so by authorities.
   9. Smoking during a fire drill or evacuation is absolutely prohibited!

5. If your exit route is blocked by smoke::
   1. Stay calm and stay low in smoke; the air is easier to breathe near the floor. Take short breaths (through nose) until you reach an area of refuge.
   2. Feel the door that leads from your office to the corridor before opening it.  If it is hot or smoke is seeping in, do not open.  If you become trapped in your office, keep the door closed and seal off any cracks around the doors and vents.  Use a phone to call the fire department by dialing 911.
   3. Signal at the window to rescuers.  If there is a phone in the room, give the fire department your exact location, even if they are on the scene.
   4. If door feels cool, open it cautiously.  Be braced to slam it shut if hall is full of smoke or if you feel heat pressure against door.  If the hall is clear, proceed with the safety/evacuation plan.
6. The building staff will conduct an annual fire evacuation drill to ensure that personnel are familiar with procedures.  Participation is required by all Clients.

Fire Protection System

Chevy Chase Pavilion is equipped with a sophisticated fire protection system that includes a smoke/heat detection system, full-coverage sprinklers, automatic fire department notification, annunciate and evacuation alarm and procedure direction speakers.

Whenever a floor goes into alarm status, the floor above and the floor below will also go into alarm.  At that time, all elevators will automatically go to the lobby and open their doors to allow passengers to exit.  When building staff is present, an announcement will be made that a possible fire emergency exists in the building and that the elevators will not be operating.

For example: if the elevator lobby smoke detector on the 5th floor goes off, at the same time the 4th and 6th floors will both go into alarm status.  This means that these three floors and, initially, only these three floors, must evacuate the building via stairwells 6 and 7.  During an alarm, the stairwells will pressurize for your safety, making it a little more difficult to open the doors.

After the fire department arrives and evaluates the situation, they will either put the building into full alarm, at which time all floors must evacuate, or they will re-set the alarms.  Because of the all-concrete construction of the building and the particular type of sprinkler system, this procedure gives maximum protection to all Clients and causes the lease amount of inconvenience.

Each floor above the lobby level has two manual fire alarm pull stations; they are located near both stairwells.  Everyone should know where these two stations, as well as the fire extinguisher and the exit stairwells, are located.  DO NOT USE THE ELEVATORS DURING A FIRE ALARM.

FIRE ALARM EVACUATION PLAN

1. Know where the nearest stairwell door is and the quickest route to it.
2. When alarm sounds, BE CALM.  MOVE QUICKLY but carefully to the nearest stairwell.
3. Upon reaching the first floor, leave the building and report to the designated evacuation area.
4. Do not use elevators during a fire alarm.
5. Always offer assistance to anyone who appears to be in need of assistance.  If a person is incapable of using the stairs, use the buddy system.  Have a capable person inform fire or security personnel or building staff while the other waits.
6. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FIGHT THE FIRE ON YOUR OWN.

Fire alarm tests are conducted quarterly between 6:00 am and 8:00 am.  During these tests, you may see strobe lights flashing or hear announcements over the PA system.  In addition, there are periodic tests performed on this system by the engineers and the District of Columbia Fire Department.