Emergency Preparedness and Planning
Evacuation for persons with disabilities
See also Evacuation - General.
Individuals with disabilities should identify primary and secondary evacuation routes, and seek out colleagues who are willing to provide assistance if evacuation ever becomes necessary. Faculty, staff, and students can help by being aware of others who may need assistance in an evacuation.
Mobility Impaired
Persons with mobility impairments who are able to walk independently should be able to negotiate stairs in an emergency with minor assistance. Wait until the heavy traffic has cleared on the stairwell before attempting to exit. At least one person should accompany the challenged individual to provide assist, if necessary.
Mobility Impaired - Wheelchair
In most buildings, people will need to use stairwells to reach building exits. Elevators cannot be used because they have been shown to be unsafe in an emergency. It is not safe to attempt to move a wheelchair down stairs.
Evacuation Options for disabled persons:
- Stay in Place
- Working with an evacuation assistant, select a room with an exterior window, a telephone and a solid, fire-resistant door. Remain with the disabled person in this room, and send someone to the evacuation assembly area to notify emergency personnel of the location of the person needing assistance. It is also possible to place the person needing assistance near a stairway landing to await assistance, although this area may not be protected from smoke and other hazards.
- Fire Department personnel, who are trained in emergency rescue, can then enter the building and assist the person in exiting the building, either down the stairs or using the emergency elevator recall.
- While staying in place, the wheelchair user should keep in direct contact with emergency services by calling 911 or 322-2745 and reporting his/her location directly.
- Stairway evacuation of wheelchair users should be conducted by trained professionals from emergency services. Only in situations of extreme danger should untrained people attempt to evacuate wheelchair users. If this must be attempted, one possibility is the following.
- Two-Person Cradle
- Wait until other evacuees have moved down the stairwell.
- The two helpers stand on either side of the individual.
- They reach under the individual and lift them out in a cradle.
- Helpers control the descent by walking slowly and cautiously.
- NEVER leave a wheelchair in a stair well.
- Office Chair Evacuation
- Transfer the challenged individual to a sturdy office chair.
- One helper gently leans the chair backwards.
- The other helper faces the chair and holds onto the front legs of the chair. Both helpers will lift the chair simultaneously, lifting with their legs not their backs.
- The helpers control the descent by bending their legs and keeping their back straight.
Hearing Impaired
Some buildings on campus are equipped with fire strobe lights; however, some are not. Persons with hearing impairments may not hear audio alarms and will need to be alerted to emergency situations by an evacuation assistant.
Visually Impaired
Most people with visual impairments will be familiar with their immediate surroundings and frequently traveled routes. Since the emergency evacuation route may be different from the commonly traveled route, persons who are visually impaired may need assistance in evacuation. The evacuation assistant should offer his/her elbow to the individual with the visual impairment and guide him/her through the evacuation route. During the evacuation, the evacuation assistant should communicate as necessary to ensure safe evacuation.
Natural Disasters
Hazardous Materials Spill
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Medical Center students, staff and faculty should also refer to the VUMC Emergency Response Quick Reference Guide and the VUMC Safety & Emergency Operations Manual.