Building Evacuation Drills:
There are two major drill objectives:
- Familiarize Students, Staff, and Faculty on fire alarm and fire evacuation and re-entry procedures.
- Test campus alarming/alerting systems.
The plan is to test the alarms and alerting systems and evacuate one or more buildings every 4 to 6 weeks during AM and PM hours. You can expect a courtesy heads-up email prior to scheduled evacuation events – most of the time.
Building Evacuation Procedures:
What to do.
- Floor Evacuation Coordinators/Building Marshals. Walk through your floor and remind people to evacuate the building immediately, and direct them to the evacuation area. If necessary encourage evacuees to help others who may require assistance or direction. When you reach the evacuation area report anyone who might not have left the building to a uniformed first responder or to the Building Marshal. When directed to do so, or when the all clear alarm sounds, blow your whistle long and loud to prompt everyone that re-entry is permitted.
- Faculty. Take Charge, and (1) Lead your students to the evacuation area, and (2) Be sure that you can account for every student who was in your classroom. And if a designated evacuation assembly area is unreachable, then think on your feet and re-direct your group to a different route or to a different safe area to assemble.
California Fire Code 408.3.1.1 (4) provides instructions for classroom faculty. 4.1 Maintaining order during evacuation. 4.2. Removal of roll call book and calling of roll when designated evacuation area is reached. - Students. Follow Instructions, and take a look around at everybody in the classroom and help determine who made it outside with you – or who didn’t!
- Staff. Leave the building immediately and render assistance as necessary.
Special reminders.
- Do not use elevators.
- Stairwell landings are designated rescue areas for people with difficulty in mobility. All fire fighters know this and immediately sweep through stairwells upon arrival. Faculty, be sure you know who must remain on stairwell landings as well as those who choose to remain to render support; and continue to lead your group to the designated assembly area.
When to go back inside.
- When you hear the 3–4 second audio “all clear” tone and/or the evacuation coordinators’ whistles,
- or when uniformed first-responder personnel tell you it’s ok to go back inside.