Step 1: Obtain Your Floor Plan
Start with an accurate floor plan of your facility. Sources include: original architectural drawings, building management, landlord or property management company, or you can create a basic floor plan by measuring your space. The floor plan should show all walls, doors, rooms, and major fixtures. If creating from scratch, use a simple drawing tool or even graph paper.
Step 2: Walk and Document Your Facility
- Identify all exit doors and their locations
- Locate all fire extinguishers and note their types
- Find fire alarm pull stations
- Locate first aid kits and AED devices
- Identify stairwells and emergency exits
- Note any areas with special hazards (chemical storage, etc.)
- Find wheelchair-accessible routes and areas of refuge
- Determine the outdoor assembly point location
Step 3: Determine Evacuation Routes
For each area of your facility, identify the primary evacuation route (shortest path to nearest exit) and at least one secondary route (alternate if primary is blocked). Routes should be the most direct, unobstructed paths. Consider occupant load - high-traffic routes may need to be wider or split to multiple exits to prevent bottlenecks.
Step 4: Add Required Symbols
- "You Are Here" marker at the exact map posting location
- Green arrows showing primary evacuation route
- Alternate route indicators (can be dashed green)
- Red fire extinguisher symbols at actual locations
- Fire alarm pull station symbols
- Blue first aid/AED symbols
- Exit door symbols with "EXIT" label
- Assembly point marker (often star or flag symbol)
- Clear legend explaining all symbols used
Step 5: Review and Validate
Have your safety officer, facilities manager, or local fire marshal review the completed map. Walk each route shown on the map to verify accuracy. Ensure all exits are accessible and correctly marked. Confirm "You Are Here" markers will be accurate for each posting location. Make revisions as needed before finalizing.
Step 6: Print and Post
- Print maps at appropriate size (minimum 11x17 for most areas)
- Use durable materials (laminate for high-traffic areas)
- Post at eye level (54-60 inches from floor)
- Install near all main entrances and exits
- Post in break rooms, conference rooms, and common areas
- Ensure map is visible from at least 10 feet away
- Create multiple versions with different "You Are Here" markers for different locations
DIY vs. AI Creation Timeline
DIY: Gather Materials
Collect floor plans, safety equipment list, and drawing tools
DIY: Create Draft Map
Draw routes, place symbols, create legend
DIY: Review & Revise
Walk routes, get feedback, make corrections
AI: Upload Floor Plan
Simply upload your floor plan image or PDF
AI: Generate Map
AI analyzes layout and creates compliant map
AI: Download & Print
Download print-ready PDF and post
The most common DIY evacuation map mistake is creating one "master" map and posting copies everywhere. Each posting location needs its own unique "You Are Here" marker. If you post the same map at 10 locations, you need 10 different versions with the marker in 10 different positions. This is tedious for DIY creation but trivial with AI - our tool automatically generates unique versions for each posting location you specify.