At Kromberg & Schubert, safety and occupational health are our highest priorities. To ensure that everyone can respond quickly and correctly in an emergency, a comprehensive evacuation drill was carried out at our plant in Abensberg in cooperation with the Abensberg Fire Department.
The exercise scenario was based on a simulated fire in the kitchen on the third floor. Heavy smoke development was recreated using a fog machine. Once the fire had been detected and reported, the evacuation alarm was triggered and the fire department was alerted in accordance with the established emergency procedures.
Within just a few minutes, the entire facility was evacuated. Particularly encouraging was the successful use of the newly introduced evacuation zone maps, which proved effective in supporting a fast and well-structured evacuation process.
To make the exercise as realistic as possible, additional challenges were incorporated into the scenario. In addition to the simulated fire, emergency responders had to rescue a person trapped on the third floor and provide assistance to an injured employee in the stairwell. Our fire safety assistants responded professionally and supported the injured individual until a safe evacuation from the building had been completed.
Following the initial assessment of the situation, the fire department took over firefighting operations and inspected the affected areas of the building. At the same time, the trapped person was successfully rescued from the third floor using a turntable ladder.
Just five minutes after the alarm had been activated, all buildings had been fully evacuated. Once the exercise was completed and a subsequent debriefing had taken place, regular operations were able to resume.
The objective of the drill was to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing fire alarm and evacuation concept, measure evacuation times, strengthen responders’ familiarity with the plant, and identify potential areas for improvement. The overall conclusion of all participants was highly positive: the exercise was successful and confirmed the effectiveness of the established procedures. At the same time, valuable opportunities for further improvement were identified for the future.
Our special thanks go to the Abensberg Fire Department for the excellent cooperation and professional support. Through their dedication and commitment, they help ensure the safety of people throughout our region every day.
We would also like to thank all employees, fire safety assistants, and organizers whose efforts contributed to the success of this exercise. Together, we create the foundation for a safe working environment.
