Emergency Procedures For Individuals With Disabilities
General Guidelines
Responsibilities of Person with a Disability:
1. In an emergency situation, it is critical to your health and safely that YOU are familiar with your needs during an emergency evacuation.
2. We recommend that you identify someone in advance who might assist you in leaving the building and/or who will inform emergency personnel of your presence and your location.
3. Be familiar with the location of exits and “safe zones/areas of refuge” in each building. Do not use elevators.
4. Remain calm.
5. Treat every alarm as an actual emergency.
6. Use the closest and safest exit.
Emergency and Fire Drill Procedures
In a fire drill or actual emergency, an alarm will sound.
When the alarm/siren sounds, classes will be dismissed and the instructor will be responsible to make certain everyone in his/her class is evacuated safely and quickly and to direct the students to the designated evacuation area.
Use of the elevator is prohibited except by or under the direct supervision of emergency services personnel.
Emergency personnel should be contacted for assistance in evacuating individuals with disabilities, i.e. individuals with mobility impairments, and escorting them to safety by use of the elevators or other means.
All students and staff shall remain in their assigned evacuation areas until instructed to return.
Special Considerations:
Persons with Visual Impairments:
Ask a fellow student or professor about the nature of the emergency.
If you require assistance in exiting the building, ask for assistance from a fellow student or staff member. Ask that they take your elbow and escort you, advising you of any obstacles that you may encounter.
When you have reached safety, ask to be oriented as to your location and/or escorted to emergency personnel or staff from Physical Plant for further assistance.
Persons with Hearing Impairments:
Ask a fellow student, professor or your interpreter about the nature of the emergency.
If you cannot perceive emergency alarms and if a visual alarm signal is not available, request an alternative warning, such as a written note or a flashing of the light switch be provided.
Exit the building by following students and staff.
Persons with Mobility Impairments:
Students should move toward the nearest marked exit. In the College Center, the smoke tower stairwells are the “Areas of Rescue”.
If you are unable to navigate an exit using stairs, you are to stay in the exit corridor or the landing in the smoke tower stairwell. You will be evacuated by emergency personnel.
All exit corridors and smoke tower stairwells are marked with exit signs and are protected with self closing fire rated doors. These are the safest areas during an emergency.
Inform a student or staff member of your location and ask that they immediately inform emergency personnel of your location as they exit the building.
Call for help until rescued. Persons who cannot speak loudly should carry a whistle or have some other means for attracting the attention of rescue personnel.
Emergency personnel will start at the top floor of a building and work down until all areas have been evacuated.
