TITLE	NUMBER	APPROVED DATE
EMERGENCY EVACUATIONS AND DRILLS	12-1-1	7-25-97
BASED ON POLICY NUMBER AND TITLE
12-1-0 PUBLIC SAFETY

PURPOSE:  To establish institutional requirements and responsibilities for emergency evacuations of buildings during actual emergency events or drills.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Upon activation of the fire alarm, activation of the Emergency Alert System or at the direction of Public Safety, all occupants (faculty/staff, students, and others) within affected building(s) are required to quickly and quietly evacuate.
   
    
2. Each division Vice President or his/her designee will ensure that all personnel are informed of the proper procedures and precautions to be followed during drills or actual emergency events.
   
   
3. All college buildings have clearly marked and illuminated emergency exit signs which indicate evacuation routes.  In some buildings, these signs remain illuminated at all times; in other buildings, they become illuminated when a fire alarm is activated.  The College regularly tests the lighting in these signs to assure that it is adequate day and night.  Additionally, buildings have emergency lighting systems which provide illumination for a short period of time sufficient to permit evacuation.
   
   
   In order to acquaint everyone with the sound of the fire alarm and the exit routes to be followed, Public Safety conducts unannounced fire drills on a regular basis.  It is each employee's responsibility to make sure he/she knows the proper evacuation routes.  In general, each employee should plan ahead for possible evacuations.  Employees should know evacuation routes from their office, classroom, and campus.
   
   
4. Additionally, faculty members and supervisors serve as evacuation monitors/coordinators for their students and employees during such drills or actual emergencies.  Therefore, as preparation for an emergency, each semester evacuation monitor/coordinators should perform the following duties
   
   
   1. Inform students/employees of the location of and routes to area exits.
      
      
   2. Instruct students to evacuate quickly and quietly and take only essential belongings when notified by fire alarm activation or by Public Safety.
      
      
   3. The instructor will identify a primary and alternate student/employee to assist the disabled person during an emergency.
      
      
   4. Inform students/employees the location of a predetermined safe area to assemble at least 150 ft away from the building.
      
      
   5. When notified by fire alarm activation or by Public Safety, evacuation monitors/coordinators shall perform the following evacuation duties:
      
      1. Assist with evacuating persons with disabilities.
         
         Counseling and Career Development's Services for Students with Disabilities Office will obtain information from disabled students regarding their preference for method of evacuation (Comment:  in a real emergency this may not be an option)-- e.g., with or without wheelchairs during an evacuation and will include that information on the faculty notification form.  The instructor will identify a primary and alternate student/employee to assist the disabled person during an emergency.  Instructors should designate these primary and alternate students during the first class period of each semester or as soon as possible; instructors should assign students with disabilities to seats nearest the door to expedite the evacuation, if this does not interfere with the academic program.
         
         
      2. Ensure that classroom/office doors are closed and overhead lights turned off after everyone has evacuated.
         
         
      3. Instruct students/employees to walk not run during evacuation.
         
         
      4. Advise students/employees/visitors to use the stairs, not elevators during evacuation.
         
         
      5. Direct evacuees to stairs and exits.
         
         
      6. Assemble as a group at least 150 feet away from the building.  Do not assemble near fire lanes, hydrants, doors, streets, and where you might impede the access of emergency responders.  Instructors/supervisors should immediately report anyone unaccounted for to Public Safety and locations of individuals who refuse to evacuate.
         
         
      7. Remain as a group and wait further instructions. Do not re-enter the building until directed by Public Safety.  The silencing of building alarms alone is not a signal to re-enter the building.
         
         
      8. Prohibit smoking during all phases of evacuation.
      
      
      
5. Records concerning evacuations and drills will be maintained by Public Safety.  Any problems or discrepancies will be documented and presented to the President and the Vice President of Finance and Administration for correction.
   
   
6. Public Safety will check fire extinguishers and test alarm systems in each building on each campus monthly.  Discrepancies found during checks and testing will be reported to Facilities Management within three (3) business days.
   
   
7. Facilities Management will ensure that all fire extinguishers and alarm systems are inspected semi-annually or annually as required by fire regulations, federal, state, or local laws.   Records will be maintained by Facilities Management to provide documentation of inspections.

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Updated  April 9, 2008