Smoke alarms save lives but only if people know what to do when they hear them. That is why Poudre Fire Authority has partnered with businesses, fraternities, sororities, and other groups to help teach leaders how to conduct safe and educational fire drills.

Fire drills are an essential piece of creating a safe living environment, especially in group environments such as the workplace, residential halls, and multi-family apartment buildings.

This page is designed to provide you with the information needed to conduct your own fire drills including how to notify the appropriate parties, educate people on what to do and where to go when a fire alarm sounds, what to expect, and more.

Watch this short instructional video that shows a Poudre Fire Authority assistant fire marshal running through, step-by-step instructions on how to conduct a fire drill. The information below the video outlines other helpful information such as code requirements. 

Step-by-Step Instructional Video on How to Conduct a Fire Drill

NOTE: Do not notify people of an upcoming drill if it is avoidable. They should be trained ahead of time on evacuation routes, an outside meeting place, and how to quickly respond. Having previous knowledge of a scheduled fire drill often leads to people not treating the drill seriously or even ignoring it entirely.

You want to know how they will truly react to the alarm sounding – and then educate people and update your plan as needed based on responses to the most realistic scenario.

1. Call your fire alarm monitoring company if you have a monitored fire alarm system.
   1. They must be notified that you are conducting a drill. They will need to take the system off-line while the fire drill is in progress. This means that 9-1-1 Dispatch Center will not send the fire department or other resources in response to the alarm response.
   2. The monitoring company will then disarm the system and not activate the automatic request to 9-1-1 for an emergency response. Ask your alarm company for the reset code to re-activate the alarm when the drill is completed.
2. Call PFA’s Non-emergency Dispatch Center number at: 970-221-6540 prior to the drill, to let them know you will be conducting a fire drill.
   1. This will avoid having a fire engine show up at your location.
3. After the drill is completed, reset your fire alarm (this could require a physical key or code).
4. Call your fire alarm company and Non-emergency Dispatch Center number again to let them know the fire drill is concluded and to put the system back on-line.

4. After the drill, residents should have a quick discussion and evaluation including a Q & A session with all participants to correct risky behaviors (using the most familiar exit instead of nearest, ignoring alarm, etc.) and to update procedures as needed.

5. Fill out associated paperwork, sign and save with fire evacuation drill documents for verification by a Poudre Fire Authority inspector during the annual fire safety inspection.

The GOAL of this fire drill is to evacuate QUICKLY, keep people safe, and meet your organization’s or facility’s requirements.