1 — PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to guide members of the University community in the event of a fire or other emergency that requires the evacuation of a building.
2 — EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURES
The first priority in an emergency which requires the evacuation of a building is evacuation, not dealing with the emergency.
If You Discover a Fire (smoke or flames are detected):
a. activate the nearest alarm,
b. exercise good judgment in deciding whether or not to attempt to extinguish the fire with the fire protection equipment available,
c. if in doubt, leave the fire scene, closing all doors and windows if it is safe to do so,
d. leave the building by the nearest safe exit; do not use an elevator,
e. provide assistance to those who are unable to leave the building on their own,
f. go to the designated assembly area for the building,
g. report the situation to a building or floor warden or to Facilities Management at 364-2444, and
h. re-enter the building only after the “all clear” has been given by the Sackville Fire Chief through the building warden.
If You Detect Any Other Emergency Requiring the Evacuation of a Building
a. activate the nearest alarm,
b. only attempt to deal with the situation if you are confident that it can be done safely,
c. leave the building by the nearest safe exit; do not use an elevator,
d. provide assistance to those who are unable to leave the building on their own,
e. go to the designated assembly area for the building, and
f. report the situation to a building or floor warden or to Facilities Management at 364-2444.
If You Hear the Alarm:
a. leave the building immediately by the nearest exit,
b. do not use an elevator,
c. close doors and windows if it is safe to do so,
d. provide assistance to those who are unable to leave the building on their own,
e. go to the designated assembly area for the building, and
f. re-enter the building only after the “all clear” has been given by the Sackville Fire Chief through the building warden.
3 — FIRE PROTECTION EQUIPMENT
If fire protection equipment such as a fire extinguisher is used
a. inform Fix-it by e-mail or call Facilities Management at 364-2444, and
b. move the equipment to a secure area; do not return the used equipment to its original station.
4 — EMERGENCY MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
When medical assistance is required, call 911, and then call Facilities Management at 364-2228 or 364-2444 and a designated first aid provider.
5 — BUILDING EVACUATION PLANS
Each building will have a building evacuation plan posted in the building.
The Director of Facilities Management, in consultation with the building warden and occupants of each building, will co-ordinate the development and maintenance of the building evacuation plan. Each building evacuation plan will be developed using the template found in Appendix A.
6 — RESPONSIBILITIES
Director of Facilities Management
a. Maintains fire alarm systems, exit signs, and posted evacuation plans.
b. Appoints building wardens in consultation with the managers responsible for the students (if the building is a residence) or the departments occupying the building.
c. Develops, in consultation with building wardens and occupants, building evacuation plans using the template set out in Appendix A.
d. Co-ordinates the training of building and floor wardens and building occupants concerning evacuation drills.
e. Supervises fire drills and evaluates their effectiveness with building wardens.
f. Maintains records of building and floor wardens, fire drills and training.
g. Serves as primary liaison with the Town of Sackville Fire Chief.
Building Wardens
a. Appoints floor wardens and alternates in consultation with the managers responsible for the departments occupying the building.
b. Assists the Director of Facilities Management to develop an evacuation plan for the building and to train floor wardens and building occupants in evacuation procedures.
c. Plans, in consultation with the persons concerned, for the evacuation of persons who may in an emergency be unable to leave the building without assistance (Appendix B).
d. Supervises and assists in the evacuation of the building in accordance with the building evacuation plan.
e. Informs building occupants that they can re-enter the building when the “all clear” has been given by the Sackville Fire Chief.
Floor Wardens
a. In accordance with the building evacuation plan, ensures the safe evacuation of the building area they have been assigned.
b. Supervises the evacuation of persons who require assistance (Appendix B).
c. Carries out a head count in the assembly area and reports to the building warden if there are any missing persons who may still be in the building.
Instructional Personnel and Event Leaders
a. Reviews evacuation procedures for the building at the beginning of the class or event or, in the case of a regularly scheduled class or event, at the beginning of the first class or meeting.
b. When the fire alarm bells sound, stops the class, meeting or other activity, advises all persons to leave the building, directs them to the nearest safe exit (not elevators), and requests that they move to the designated assembly area for the building.
c. Supervises the evacuation of persons who require assistance (Appendix B).
d. Closes all doors and windows in the room if it is safe to do so, leaves the building and joins their group at the designated assembly area.
All Members of the University Community
a. Evacuate the building immediately and go to the assembly area according to the building’s evacuation procedures.
b. Co-operate with building and floor wardens, Facilities Management personnel, and the Fire Department.
c. Report any observed lapses in the evacuation procedures or any fire hazard to the building warden.
d. Know the location of fire exits and fire extinguishers and be familiar with the building’s evacuation plan.
e. Advise building warden or instructor if assistance is required to exit the building in the event of an evacuation.
8 — FIRE DRILLS
Fire drills for a building will be held at least once each year. Each fire drill will be co-ordinated and supervised by the Director of Facilities Management in consultation with the building warden.
Appendix A — Building Evacuation Plan Template
Building Evacuation Plan for (Name of Building)
1 — Purpose
This plan has been prepared to ensure orderly evacuation of (name of building) whenever an emergency occurs, or the alarm sounds. It should be read in conjunction with Policy 2215 — Fire & Emergency Evacuation.
2 — Emergency Evacuation Procedures
The first priority in an emergency which requires the evacuation of (name of building) is evacuation, not dealing with the emergency.
If a person detects such an emergency they should activate the alarm and attempt to deal with the situation if and only if they are confident that that can be done safely.
If the alarm is activated, building occupants must
a. calmly, orderly and immediately leave the building using the quickest evacuation route (see evacuation route diagram posted on floor),
b. not use elevators (only reference if there is one in the building),
c. close doors and windows if it is safe to do so,
d. provide assistance to those who are unable to leave the building on their own,
e. go to the designated assembly area (specify the assembly area),
f. if the building alarm system is not connected to the Fire Department call 911 (only reference if this is the case), and
g. report what they have seen to security at 364-2228.
3 — Fire Protection Equipment
If fire protection equipment such as a fire extinguisher is used
a) inform Fix-it, by e-mail, or Facilities Management, at 364-2444, and
b) move the equipment to a secure area; do not return the used equipment to its original station.
4 — Emergency Medical Assistance
When medical assistance is required, call 911, and then call Facilities Management at 364-2444 and a designated first aid provider.
5 — Building and Floor Wardens
The building warden and floor warden(s) ensure that building evacuation is carried out as planned, evacuated occupants are directed to assigned assembly points where they will be accounted for, and persons needing assistance to evacuate are attended to.
Building warden: (Name, location and contact information)
Floor Warden(s): (Name, location and contact information)
In the event of an evacuation, the building warden
a. goes to an assigned entrance and ensures no one enters the building through that entrance,
b. directs persons leaving the building to go to the designated assembly area (specify the designated assembly area)
c. ensures that floor wardens have checked their assigned areas,
d. accounts for individuals within the building and notifies the Fire Department if anyone is not accounted for,
e. silences the alarm when it is appropriate to do so, and
f. informs building occupants that they can re-enter the building when it is safe to do so.
In the event of an evacuation, the floor warden
a. supervises the orderly evacuation of building occupants, including those persons who require assistance,
b. checks to ensure that all unlocked rooms and washrooms in their area are evacuated,
c. ensures that persons who cannot be evacuated are placed in as safe a location as possible (on the floor in the corner of a room near a window) and report to the building warden that the building is not fully evacuated and the location and conditions of persons who have not been evacuated,
d. reports to the building warden concerning these matters, and
e. conducts head counts in the assembly area and reports to the building warden if there are unaccounted persons who may still be in the building.
6 — Fire Drills
Fire drills will take place at least once per year under the co-ordination and supervision of the Director of Facilities Management and in consultation with the building warden. A review of this plan will be done annually by the building warden.
7 — Control of Fire Hazards in the Building
(Identify the fire hazards in the building and how they are controlled. Include information about any flammable or combustible liquids or other dangerous goods.)
8 — Inspections and Maintenance for the Safety of Occupants
(Make comments on inspections and maintenance. These comments can be generic in most cases because buildings are inspected on a monthly basis and there is a process in place.)
The building is inspected for safety issues on a monthly basis, the fire alarm system is inspected by the alarm supplier on an annual basis, and the fire extinguishers are inspected by the University on an annual basis.
9 — Fire Emergency Systems
(Document the type, location, and operation of the building’s fire emergency systems.)
Appendix B — General Guidelines for the Evacuation of Persons Requiring Assistance
Supervisors, building and floor wardens, and classroom instructors are expected to supervise the safe removal of persons requiring assistance if a building must be evacuated.
Persons who may require assistance if a building must be evacuated are encouraged to notify their supervisors, their building or floor wardens or their classroom instructors of the assistance that they may require.
Should an evacuation be necessary, persons who require assistance should inform those near to them that they require assistance.
For Mobility Impaired Persons:
The person in charge of each class, meeting, or other activity must:
a. Ensure that each person with this disability receives assistance from two helpers. The helpers assist this person to proceed to the nearest safe exit.
- i. If the person with the mobility impairment is unable to negotiate stairways and/or evacuate the building without additional assistance, the helpers should move the person to as safe a location as possible (on the floor in the corner of a room near a window).
- ii. The helpers should immediately evacuate the building and provide the person’s location to the Fire Department, who will complete the rescue.
b. Ensure that the Building Warden is made aware of the person and their needs.
For Visually Impaired Persons:
The person in charge of each class, meeting or other activity must:
a. Explain the nature of the emergency quickly and clearly.
b. Guide the person to the nearest safe exit and escort them to the ground level exit.
c. Having reached the designated assembly area, ask the person whether they need any further assistance. Ensure that the Building Warden is made aware of the person and their needs.
For Hearing Impaired Persons:
The person in charge of each class, meeting or other activity must:
a. Explain the nature of the emergency, either by speaking clearly and slowly, or by writing a note.
b. Guide the person to the nearest safe exit and escort them to the ground level exit.
c. Having reached the designated assembly area, ask the person whether they need any further assistance. Ensure that the Building Warden is made aware of the person and their needs.
For Persons with Non-visible Disabilities:
Non-visible disabilities can include communication, cognitive, sensory, mental health, learning, or intellectual disabilities in which a person’s ability to respond to an emergency is restricted.
Having identified or been informed of a person who needs special assistance during an evacuation, supervisors and instructors should plan for such an eventuality in consultation with the person concerned.