"After the fire" meeting held after deadly fire

In April, the Seattle Fire Department held an “After the Fire” meeting with residents and staff where a fatal apartment building fire occurred. The purpose of the meeting was to share information about the fire department’s response to the fire, give residents a chance to share their stories, and to provide grief support and fire safety information to residents.

Contact the Seattle Fire Department if you have had a fire incident and would like to request an after the fire meeting with us.

Prepare an apartment fire evacuation plan

Do you know what to do when the fire alarm in your apartment building sounds?

For people who live in apartments or condominiums, the sound of the building fire alarm can be jarring and frightening. You may not know if there is an actual fire in the building or if your neighbor burned some toast and has left the front door open. Regardless, it’s important to take every alarm seriously and begin your escape plan quickly.

Do I stay inside my apartment or leave the building? That depends. For people able to use stairs, you have a choice. You may evacuate using the stairs or seek shelter inside of an apartment.

Here are a few tips to help you be better prepared for a building fire alarm.

If you can evacuate, do so immediately.

1. Leave your apartment.
2. Close the door as you go.
3. Use the stairs, not the elevator, to leave the building.
4. Go to your building’s outside meeting place. Never wait on a balcony, building courtyard or rooftop.
5. Wait for instructions. Do not re-enter the building until given permission.

Without delaying your escape, you may need to quickly grab a warm coat, phone, keys, ID, and anything you may need for the next couple of hours as you wait outside until it’s safe to re-enter the building. The Fire Department will call for a public bus for temporary shelter but in cold temperatures, you may need a warm coat until shelter is set up. Consider having a go-to kit set up before an actual fire emergency which contains a few essential items.

For people who can’t use stairs or can’t access a stairwell because of smoke in the hallway, shelter in place:

1. Stay inside your apartment.
2. Keep your doors and windows closed.
3. Place a towel or clothing at the base of the door to keep smoke from entering.
4. Stay inside near a large window and do not wait inside bathrooms or outside on decks.
5. Call 911 if smoke comes into your apartment.

Make a plan before the next fire alarm sounds. Your plan should include all members of the household.

Watch our apartment fire evacuation videos in English, American Sign Language, and in several languages.

Apartment fire safety presentations

Have you considered having a Seattle Fire Department educator visit your apartment building for a free apartment fire safety presentation? Attendees can learn how to safely respond to a building fire alarm, how and when to shelter in place, and how to prevent fires.

Request an apartment fire safety presentation