THE COLLEGE AT BROCKPORT
EVACUATION PROCEDURES IN NON-RESIDENTAL BUILDINGS
POLICY: All fire alarms are to be taken seriously, especially in this time of heightened security awareness and the potential need to evacuate a building for other reasons such as an emergency response to a spill or other event. Evacuation of the facility is mandatory until the signal to re-enter has been given by the Brockport Fire Department, University Police, or Environmental Health and Safety personnel.
PROCEDURE:
- Stairwells in the building will be used for the evacuation of the building – proceed to the nearest exit sign, which MAY NOT be the way you entered the building.
- The elevators will not be used as elevators are programmed to shut down during a fire alarm.
- When the alarm is sounded, all occupants will use the nearest exit. If that stairway is not usable, go to the next closest stairway.
- Doors, and if possible, windows, should be closed as the last person leaves a room or area.
- When the alarms sound, evacuate the building quickly, but do not run. Do not panic.
- Persons who walk slowly or have difficulties with stairs should walk to the right.
- Leave the vicinity of the building so that emergency personnel will have access to the building.
- Proceed to your designated assembly area for your floor. The designated area should be relayed to your group by the faculty instructor, staff member, building coordinator or otherwise indicated in the fire evacuation plan/signage. A head count needs to be taken at the designated area to ensure all occupants have left the building.
- Never re-enter a building without the all clear from the Fire Department , University Police, or Environmental Health and Safety personnel.
FACULTY:
All faculty members should immediately evacuate students from classroom upon activation of the fire alarm. It is imperative that ALL faculty follow this procedure to ensure a complete evacuation of the building.
STUDENTS:
All students are required to evacuate the building immediately and stand approximately 200 feet from the building.
EMPLOYEES:
All employees must evacuate the building and go to designated assembly area.
* Be advised – it is a requirement of the New York State Office of Fire Protection and Control and New York State Law that all occupants evacuate the building once a fire alarm is activated, whether it is a drill or not. Failure to evacuate will result in appropriate disciplinary action.
DESIGNATED ASSEMBLY AREA
Department heads, supervisors, faculty and/or building coordinators should designate a gathering area outside the building approximately 200 feet away from the building for people to go to after evacuation. Once outside, those who are away from their respective group, at time of evacuation, should make their way to the designated assembly area if safe to do so. It is important to know that everyone is out of the building and to ensure that everyone is accounted for. We are all responsible to provide for a safe learning and working environment – please take a few minutes with your floor, your department, or your class to designate an assembly area for your particular group. Communicating this information prior to an incident is critical to the safety of our campus community.
EVACUATION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES – “AREA OF REFUGE”
- All persons (including those who area disabled) should proceed toward the nearest safe emergency exit and exit the building - with the help of others, if necessary. An individual with a disability should contact the either the Office of Students with Disabilities, Human Resources, University Police or the EHS Office to make arrangements for a safe evacuation, in advance.
- Arrangements should be made, ahead of time, to alert building coordinators, departments, faculty and/or staff so that the responding fire department is aware of the location of disabled persons. The fire department will evacuate persons with disabilities in a fire emergency situation.
- If PREVIOUS ARRANGEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE a disabled person should request help from others in the area in order to exit the building. If this is not successful proceed to an “AREA of REFUGE” which should be a fire exit stairwell or an otherwise designated location. It is best to know, ahead of time, where an “AREA of REFUGE” is located. It is strongly recommended to have some form of communication to the outside world from an “AREA of REFUFGE” – cell phone, emergency phone, etc. or let someone else know so this information can be provided to emergency responders. Close all fire doors behind you.
- If you have a phone available, call 395-2222 or X2222 (on campus phone) and give your name and location OR let someone know where you will be, beforehand, so they can relay the information to emergency responders. Do not call 911 from your cell phone.
- Students with disabilities should send information, including class schedule, to Office of Students with Disabilities. The Coordinator of the Office of Students with Disabilities will meet with students needing assistance to discuss a plan of action. The Assistant Director of Human Resources/Affirmative Action Officer will meet with faculty and staff needing assistance to discuss a plan of action.
- If a disabled person is visiting a department, it is that department’s responsibility to assign sufficient employees or students to assist in evacuation when necessary and to alert University Police, EHS, and/or Emergency Responders. The Brockport Fire Department takes control of the building in any fire situation – they need to be alerted to any instance where assistance is required to evacuate the building.
