Evacuation or Relocation of Persons with Disabilities

For persons with disabilities who seek assistance, be sure to ask what type of assistance they require. Follow the instructions carefully; individuals with disabilities, like all persons, have rights and know what is best for them.

Emergency response team members should notify the floor monitor that the individual is being evacuated or relocated to the faculty parking lot. Ask them to explain the special circumstances that necessitated the relocation (e.g., wheelchair with oxygen, individual too heavy to lift).

Team members must also notify the floor monitor of individuals who do not evacuate or who have special evacuation needs.

Leave Wheelchairs Behind

Do not evacuate a person in a wheelchair down stairs; only evacuate the person who sits in it. (An exception would be when oxygen or other life-safety supplies are connected to the wheelchair. In this situation, move the person while in the chair to a stairwell landing or an Area of Rescue Assistance. Then carry the individual to safety.

Once the person is removed from the wheelchair, know that this person may be unable to move from that position or location independently. The floor monitor must immediately notify on-scene fire or police personnel of this person’s location.

If time and safety permit, tag the wheelchair with the owner’s name. Attempt to reunite the owner with the wheelchair as quickly as possible.

Service Animals

Service animals must be evacuated with their owner.

Sight-Impaired Persons

Provide verbal instructions and information for persons with impaired vision.

Hearing-Assisted Persons

Turn lights off and on in succession to attract the attention of persons with hearing limitations. (Note: After an earthquake, do not turn any switches on or off until you are certain no gas leaks exist.) Check workspaces, bathrooms, and areas of common use to make sure no one has been left behind.

Use the floor monitor’s preprinted “EVACUATE NOW!” placards to direct persons with hearing impairments out of the building.