Across the globe, fire is one of the world’s biggest killers. Not to mention one of the most devastating.
Just a single spark can soon see an entire building go up in flames, endangering the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of people in the process.
In the UK alone, Fire and Rescue Services attended 212,500 fires in the 2013-14 period. Fires are an alarmingly common occurrence and it’s essential for home and business owners to have effective prevention solutions in place, regardless of what language potential victims speak.
So how can you ensure that language barriers don’t play a role in your fire safety strategies? Read on for an overview of the universal fire indicators you can employ.
Smoke alarms
Smoke alarms categorically save lives; it’s as simple as that. The devices are set off at the slightest puff of smoke which can save valuable seconds when it comes to evacuating buildings. Yet despite their life saving abilities, the latest statistics from the Local Government Association have revealed that a huge 1.5 million UK residences aren’t equipped with smoke alarms. This is an alarmingly high figure that shouldn’t go unnoticed. Is your building equipped with smoke alarms? If so, are the batteries fully charged?
Exit signs
In commercial building illuminated exit signs mounted over doors and stairwells are an absolute must. In the case of a fire, lights will often fail and smoke will cloud up the room which means people need assistance when locating escape routes. ‘EXIT’ is a universal word and will let everyone know exactly what direction to head in should a fire evacuation warning be issued.
Evacuation plans
Often, commercial premises will print off evacuation plans that are distributed to all staff. These should be made up largely of images that clearly map out evacuation routes. If there is any text accompanying the pictures this should be accurately translated into any relevant languages pertaining to regular building users.
Designated person
Every building should have a designated fire procedure volunteer on-hand to help streamline the response and evacuation process. In multi-level buildings each floor should have its own separate volunteer.
Whether it’s a home or a business, fire safety shouldn’t be language specific. Regardless of native tongue or country of origin, all persons should be able to react and respond to incidents in the same way.
Get in touch with me at levent@ttcwetranslate.com if you have any questions about translation for the fire protection industry.
