Persons with mobility disabilities are encouraged to:
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Consider evacuation options for each building they occupy.
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Identify a volunteer who will be responsible to communicate with emergency services on their behalf during a building emergency.
- Document their evacuation plans on the Evacuation Plan for Persons with Disabilities form and provide it to the building evacuation director who will inform evacuation wardens and retain it for reference.
Evacuation Options
Persons with disabilities have three evacuation options as follows with preferred options listed first:
- General Evacuation: Use accessible routes to exit the building if the route appears safe. Note that the accessible route may not always be the nearest exit.
- Area of Refuge: Move to an area of refuge (also known as Areas of Evacuation Assistance or Evacuation Waiting Area) which is protected by substantial fire rated construction. Many building stairwells with large landings that serve as very good area of refuge. Wait near the exit stairwell until everyone has evacuated the floor and traffic has cleared, then enter. For assistance identifying an area of refuge, call EH&S at 206-543-7262.
- Stay in Place: If evacuation or moving to an area of refuge is not possible, staying in place, in your office for example, may be appropriate. An enclosed room with an exterior window, a telephone, and a solid or fire-resistant door may be a good choice. With this option the person may keep in contact with emergency services by dialing 911 and reporting his or her location directly. Emergency services will relay this location to on-site emergency personnel who will determine the necessity for evacuation.
Elevators can be unsafe to use in an emergency and in most buildings they are automatically recalled to the ground floor. Emergency personnel have special keys to over-ride the elevator functions and can use them to assist with evacuation.
Areas of Refuge and/or Evacuation Waiting Area
Location |
Location Description |
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Evacuation Waiting Areas- Stairwells |
South stairwells on 1st, 2nd and 3rd floor. North Stairwell on 3rd floor. Restrooms in Basement. |