Fire Drills
New Fire Drill Procedures
The University of Alberta is updating its fire drill procedures to meet Fire Code requirements and to reduce interruptions to teaching and research. Previously, the U of A conducted alarm-based evacuations in each building; however, the code permits a variety of drill formats, depending on building hazards.
What is a Fire Drill?
A "fire drill" is a review of fire evacuation procedures that can be achieved in any of the following ways or combination thereof:
- An alarm-based evacuation from a building
- A walkout drill without an alarm
- A table-top discussion
- A seminar
- An e-mailed reminder to building occupants
To determine the correct fire drill format(s) for a building, Emergency Management considers the hazards in the space. For example, in a tall building or high-risk space (such as a shop or laboratory), one annual alarm-based drill and periodic reminders to occupants may be necessary. By contrast, in a low-risk space (such as an administrative building), an annual emailed reminder may be sufficient. Building categories, associated hazards, and suggested fire drill formats are provided below.
Drill Requirements by Building Type
- Any teaching or research space with hazardous chemicals present (including welding studios and shops)
- Must conduct a fire drill every three months, typically one alarm-based evacuation and three quarterly table-top discussions.
- Eg., CCIS, FAB.
- Exception: In very small high-risk buildings, a walk-out drill without sounding the alarms may be most appropriate. Eg., agricultural research buildings on South Campus.
- Nonresidential High Buildings: Any building 36m or greater from ground to top floor
- Residential High Buildings: Any residential building 18m or greater from ground to top floor
- Must drill every two months
- Generally, this will be accomplished through e-mailed reminders to occupants. There is no requirement to evacuate residential suites because they are private residences
- There is no benefit nor legislative requirement to conduct full evacuations in these buildings.
- Emergency Management sends reminders to instructors every term to remind them to discuss emergency procedures with their classes.
- This e-mail, in conjunction with e-mailed reminders to administrative units, will serve as a fire drill, satisfying the code requirements.
- Eg., Athabasca Hall, Education South.
- In the Van Vliet complex, the two-stage alarm means that evacuation during the alarm is not always appropriate; customized instructions required to meet Fire Code and safety requirements will be developed with KSR.
Fire Drill Format By Building
| Forum (including library and Faith and Life Centre) | Emailed reminder to staff and instructors |
| Classroom building (including Science Extension) | Annual alarm-based drill |
| Founders Hall | Emailed reminder to staff |
| Auxiliary Building | Emailed reminder to staff |
| Facilities Building | Emailed reminder to staff |
| Residences | Emailed reminder to staff and notice to residents |
| Pavilion McMahon | Annual alarm-based drill | Due to labs in building |
| Pavilion Lacerte | Emailed reminder to staff | |
| Pavilion Daridon | Emailed reminder to staff | |
| Residences |
| Assiniboia Hall | Emailed reminder to staff | |
| Cooling Plant | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| Convocation Hall | Emailed reminder to staff | |
| Engineering buildings | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| Biological Sciences | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| Earth Sciences Building | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| Tory Building | Emailed reminder to staff and instructors | |
| Humanities Building | Emailed reminder to staff and instructors | |
| General Services Building | Emailed reminder to staff and instructors | |
| CCIS | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| Gunning Lemieux Chemistry | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| Head House | Annual walkout drill without alarm | |
| School of Business | Emailed reminder to staff and instructors | |
| HUB Mall | Annual alarm-based drill | Due to painting studio |
| Agriculture Forestry | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| Pembina Hall | Emailed reminder to staff and instructors | |
| Athabasca Hall | Emailed reminder to staff and instructors | |
| Central Academic Building | Annual alarm-based drill | Due to risk of fire from cooking equipment |
| Cameron Library | Emailed reminder to staff | |
| Rutherford Libraries | Emailed reminder to staff | |
| Human Ecology | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| Industrial Design Studio | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| Student Union Building | Annual alarm-based drill | Due to risk of fire from cooking equipment |
| Administration Building | Emailed reminder to staff | |
| South Academic Building | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| Van Vliet Centre | Special case (see above) | |
| Education North and South | Emailed reminder to staff and instructors | |
| Fine Arts Building | Annual alarm-based drill | Due to welding and paint shops |
| Law Centre | Emailed reminder to staff and instructors | |
| Timms Centre | Emailed reminder to staff and instructors | |
| Lister Complex | ||
| ECHA | Emailed reminder to staff and instructors | Labs in ECHA are low risk |
| Katz | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| HMRC | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| Li Ka Shing | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| Clinical Sciences Building | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| RE Phillips | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| Materials Management Building | Emailed reminder to staff | |
| Heating Plant | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| Medical Sciences Building | Annual alarm-based drill | |
| Corbett Hall | Annual alarm-based drill |
| Foote Field | Emailed reminder to staff and facility users |
| Saville Community Sports Centre | Emailed reminder to staff and support to tenant and space user drill planning |
| AgriFood Discovery Plae | Annual alarm-based drill |
| ALES Livestock buildings | Walkout drills without alarms |
| Vehicle Pool | Annual alarm-based drill |
What Happens Next?
By September 2020, Emergency Management will communicate new fire drill formats to building occupants and will share the schedule for alarm-based evacuation drills, which are expected to occur the third week of September.
Addendum - September 30, 2020: Due to COVID-19 the fall schedule for alarms has changed. Staff and students will receive an email with fire drill formats in October, followed by a high-hazard drill in December.
If you have questions about the proposed drill formats, please contact oem.manager@ualberta.ca.