If you live in a townhome or small condo in which you know most of the residents, you may feel a natural inclination to look out for them. This attitude is helpful when the building experiences a fire alarm. Whether it's a false alarm or the alarm was actually triggered by smoke or fire, it's important to take the situation seriously. While your first priority should always be to ensure that your family members get safely out of your home and to a safe area to wait for the authorities to arrive, you may wish to help the other residents of the building. Here are some ways that you can do so.

Organize A Head Count

If the building is small enough that you can easily list its residents in your head — which might be the case with a four-unit townhome, for example — try to organize a head count. Recruit one other adult and quickly count the number of residents who are safely outside. While an adult resident may be away on business or a child may be at a sleepover, you can ask other adults if you're concerned that the head count is showing fewer people than it should.

Assist Senior Citizens

Senior citizens may need a helping hand leaving the building during a fire alarm. This may especially be true if they're on the upper level of a small condo building and have trouble navigating the stairs. Although it's not a good idea to remain in the building if fire, smoke, and heat are clearly present, you may wish to knock on the doors of any seniors' units and see if they need help. Additionally, you could quickly run through each of the building's stairwells to ensure that no one is moving slowly and in need of assistance.

Consider The Pets

Ensuring that the humans are safely outside should always be the first priority, but once you've ascertained that each adult and child is safe, you may wish to consider what pets live in the building. Take a quick canvass of the families that are outside. Some may have taken their pets with them, while others' pets may still be inside. If you've deemed that it's safe to re-enter the building, you may do so with the intention of retrieving the pets. If not, pass this information along to the first responders, who will make an effort to get the pets to safety.

Contact an alarm company, like American Service Company, for more help.