Evacuation Procedures

Evacuation Procedures – General Evacuation Procedures
When evacuating your building or work area:

• Stay calm; do not rush and do not panic.
• Safely stop your work.
• Gather your personal belongings if it is safe to do so. Reminder: Take prescription medications out with you if at all possible; it may be hours before you are allowed back in the building.
• If safe, close your office doors and windows, but do not lock them.
• Use the nearest safe stairs and proceed to the nearest exit. Do not use the elevator.
• Proceed to your building’s designated assembly area unless the evacuation is for a bomb threat. In that case, assemble as directed by emergency responders.
• Wait for any instructions from emergency responders.

Do not re-enter the building or work area until you have been instructed to do so by emergency responders.

Evacuation Procedures – Disabled Individuals

• Persons who are either temporarily or permanently disabled to the extent their mobility is impaired are individually responsible for informing their supervisors and Environmental Health and Safety (EXT. 3234) of their names, building names and room numbers, and nature of disabilities. This information will be placed on a list and given to the Baltimore City Fire Department during emergencies. The rescue of disabled persons who are unable to evacuate themselves will be an initial priority for responding fire units.
• Co-workers may assist evacuating disabled persons only if this places them in no personal danger.
• Never use elevators.
• Always ask someone with a disability how you can help before attempting any rescue technique or giving assistance. Ask the individual how to best assist and whether there are any special considerations or items that need to come with the person.
• Mobility impaired persons in wheelchairs on non-ground level floors should proceed to nearest enclosed stairwells and wait for the Baltimore City Fire Department to arrive. Someone should stay with the disabled person, if it does not place them in additional danger and someone should meet responding fire fighters to report the location of disabled persons. Follow the instructions for being trapped if you cannot get to an enclosed stairwell.
• Visually impaired persons should have a sighted assistant to guide them to safety.
• Individually inform hearing-impaired persons of the emergency. Do not assume they know what is happening by watching others.