1. Fire - Procedures for Occupants
a. When an alarm sounds on your floor or area, begin immediate evacuation following your plan (Appendix C, Building Evacuation Plan). Close doors behind you.
b. If you discover a fire, activate the nearest pull station and call 911 and Public Safety at x8590. Then you may attempt to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher (use the acronym PASS - Pull the Pin - Aim the Nozzle - Squeeze the trigger - and Sweep the flames). If the fire is too large or you are uncomfortable or unfamiliar with the proper use of a fire extinguisher, after sounding the alarm simply close the door and evacuate.
Remember: Hazardous equipment and processes should be shut down unless doing so presents a greater hazard. Close doors before leaving.
c. Evacuate via the nearest stairwell or grade level exit. Do not block/wedge exit doors in an open position. The stairwell doors must remain closed to keep smoke out and keep them safe for evacuation and fire personnel. Leaving doors open makes the stairwells dangerous and unusable. Persons with physical disabilities have several options (Appendix D).
DO NOT USE THE ELEVATORS
d. Go to your pre-determined Evacuation Assembly Point (EAP) as outlined in
Appendix C. You may have two or more EAP's depending on the size of the
building.
e. At the EAP, account for personnel and report to the Emergency Operations Center if any occupants are unaccounted.
f. If an individual is trapped by smoke, stay low, cover your mouth with a wet cloth, stay near a window, open it but do not break it, hang something out the window to let fire personnel know you are there and put something in cracks around the door, phone Public Safety at x8590 if possible.
g. Special Instructions for Emergency Response Team Members
- Be familiar with evacuation routes from the assigned floor and plan for alternatives.
- Make a quick sweep of all areas within the area to ensure complete evacuation. Check stairwells and designated evacuation points for handicapped individuals requiring evacuation assistance. Report those findings to the Emergency Command Center or appropriate Fire/Police Officers. Check the usability of the normal evacuation routes, and if necessary, advise of alternate routes to ensure complete evacuation of all personnel from the assigned floor. If there is smoke in the hallway, stay low, cover your mouth with a damp cloth or handkerchief, visualize where the exits are and stay close to and use the wall to guide you so you do not become confused. If there is no smoke, you may have trouble getting people to evacuate, be strong, positive and insist. Students and visitors who may not be familiar with this plan must be informed of the requirement to evacuate.
- Report the completed evacuation of the assigned area to the Emergency Operations Center by calling Public Safety at x8590.
- Instruct all personnel to move away from and remain well clear of the building. Congregating in the vicinity of a building entrance may result in injuries from the movement of firefighters and firefighting equipment.
- Special attention needs to be given to any persons with disabilities, in particular those who are visitors and unfamiliar with the building. A process is necessary to insure they are notified and accounted for. (Appendix D).