The Importance of Fire Drills at Work

We just had a fire drill at work -- and I'm happy to say that it came off without a hitch. I am now confident that should a small, slow-moving fire start in a remote corner of this huge building of over 5,000 employees, my coworkers and I would be able to make it to safety with relative ease.

I think these drills are important because they simulate the conditions of a real fire. We all know that in real life, people tend to remain calm and engage in idle chit-chat as they casually saunter down the stairs to the parking lot outside, with little more on their minds than what they're going to have for lunch that day. All the smoke, flames, heat, screaming, and stampeding normally associated with burning buildings are nothing but Hollywood inventions designed to make fires in movies more entertaining.

If your office doesn't have fire drills, you should talk to someone and get them implemented as soon as possible. You'll be glad you did -- because we all need to stretch our legs and get a breath of fresh air every few months.