Evacuation Procedures
Students Who Have Mobility Limitations
If a student in a wheelchair or with a mobility issue is in your area when the fire alarm sounds, help the student to the designated Area of Rescue. The designated Area of Rescue is typically the stairwell on the Front Street side of the buildings on the Downtown Campus or the nearest stairwell on the North Campus. However, emergency personnel may designate another Area of Rescue (i.e., alternate stairwell) depending on the location of the emergency situation or hazard, so it is important to always be alert. A CFCC representative should wait with the student until the fire department arrives.
Evacuation will proceed from the top floor to the bottom floor. Security, Maintenance, and Housekeeping personnel will immediately go floor to floor to determine the location of students who have mobility limitations. This information will be relayed to the CFCC representative in charge and to emergency personnel as soon as they arrive on campus.
It is the responsibility of emergency personnel to evacuate the student. DO NOT attempt to evacuate a student in a wheelchair unless there is imminent danger. As a last resort, trained CFCC personnel will evacuate the student using an Emergency Evacuation Device (Evacutrac). Evacutracs are located in the 4th-floor stairwell of the N building and in the 3rd-floor stairwell of the L building on the Downtown Campus (Front Street side of both buildings). At the North Campus, an Evac Trac is located in the Student Development Department (NA 100-G). Ask the student for input regarding the best way to transfer him/her from the wheelchair to the Evacutrac. Remember: Always wait on emergency personnel to evacuate, if possible.
Students Who Have Visual Limitations
If a student who is blind or has low vision is in your area when the fire alarm sounds, help the student to safely evacuate the area by walking with the student to the stairwell and down the stairs. Remove obstacles in the way and act as a buffer for the student in congested areas. Give verbal cues such as “we are walking through a door” or “take two steps down” to help the student. If the student is not able to safely navigate the stairs, have him/her wait in the designated Area of Rescue (see above instructions for students who have mobility limitations).
Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
If a student who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing is in your area when the fire alarm sounds and he/she does not see the flashing light, write a note indicating the emergency and need to evacuate the building. If time does not permit you to write a note, get the Deaf student’s attention and point to the flashing fire alarm. Remember, the student will not hear verbal commands given by emergency personnel.
