Guide for Helping People with Disabilities During an Evacuation

Supervisors, managers, and/or emergency coordinators should take the time to create an evacuation strategy that takes persons with special needs into account before an incident. This may be relevant if you deal with employees, instructors, students, or someone else who need special help in their offices, buildings, or departments.

Create an evacuation strategy

When making this strategy, consider the following information. Contact Information should be kept with you at all times. Regularly remind all employees that their contact information has to be updated and ask anybody who need help with an evacuation to self-identify their requirements and go through their individual evacuation plan.

Information through email, phone, text, and other electronic and telephone channels should be included in the personnel’s contact information.

Communicate Special Needs and Keep Records: Emergency coordinators should discuss any logistics pertaining to an individual’s plan and record any special instructions such as the location of an Area of Refuge or stairwell, a request to be assisted using an evacuation chair, etc. in emergency plan documents if the individual has self-identified their need for assistance.

Encourage people to use a buddy system where a friend or coworker may notify people of an emergency, check in with them, or help them if necessary. Check the emergency route for obstacles: Make that the route to the Emergency Assembly Point (EAP) is accessible for wheelchairs (step-free).

Alternative Techniques for Communication: You may know someone who is blind or visually challenged; think of other ways to identify EAP (e.g., large print sign, calling out location, etc.). Know where the authorized stairwells and/or Areas of Refuge are so that a wheelchair user may utilize them to wait for help if necessary.

Response

Everyone must behave appropriately and deliberately if an emergency arises. Remember to inquire whether help is required before acting if you see a person. With a handicap having trouble exiting. Ask for advice on the best ways to help the person and whether any safety precautions or supplies should be brought with them. When helping people with impairments in an emergency, keep these ideas in mind:

With Low Vision or Blindness

• Communicate the emergency’s nature: If necessary, describe the emergency’s nature and its location. You should also provide clear advice on how to leave the facility.
• Offer Support: To aid in guiding the person, extend your arm.
• Verbally communicate: Give specifics about your intended path, including any potential detours or hazards.
• Orient and communicate: Once in a secure area, direct the person to their destination and ask if they need any other help before departing.
• Service animal: Make sure the person using the animal is not separated from them, and be aware that in an emergency, the animal may become agitated or unruly.
• People Who Are Hard of Hearing or Deaf Alert Person: To get someone’s attention, turn on/off the lights, wave your arms, or touch them on the elbow or shoulder.
• Face the other person, talk clearly, and/or use gestures to convey instructions while communicating. If time allows, you may also compose a message with evacuation instructions.
• Assist as Necessary: If information cannot be adequately given, the person may need to be taken from the facility.

Individuals with Limited Mobility – (non-wheelchair user)

• Find out whether help is required: Ascertain if they can escape. Using the stairs on their own or with little help.
• Make Sure the Path is Clear: If there is any debris, it could be required to clear a path to the escape route.
• If there isn’t any immediate danger, people may decide to stay within the structure. Or want to be taken to a stairway or Area of Refuge until help arrives.
• Imminent Danger: In cases of immediate danger, carry the individual to safety using a carry method. Or if an evacuation chair is available, use a strong chair (preferably one with wheels).
• Mobility Aid and Device(s): Ensure that the individual given back any mobility aids. Or devices as soon as feasible.
• Alert Emergency Personnel: Be careful to quickly alert emergency personnel. Of any people still present in the building and their whereabouts.

Individuals with Limited Mobility – (wheelchair user)

• Discuss preferences and manners: The requirements and preferences of non-ambulatory people vary greatly. So you should find out how they would want to helped.
• Emergency evacuation Chair(s): Find out whether the building has evacuation chairs, where they are, and how to use them.
• User of a Wheelchair on the Bottom Level: If the wheelchair-user is on the ground floor, they may decide to go on their own with little help.
• Make Sure the Path is Clear: If there is any debris, it could be required to clear. A path to the escape route.
• If there isn’t any immediate danger, people may decide to stay within the structure. Or want to taken to a stairway or Area of Refuge until help arrives.
• Imminent Danger: If a person is in urgent danger and refuses to taken out of their wheelchair, point them in the direction of the closest Area of Refuge. Or stairs and call for help right away.
• Taking Care of Wheelchair Users: The majority of wheelchairs are too heavy to take downstairs by hand. Therefore if the person wants to be carried down the stairs (without their wheelchair), talk to them about the best carry choices. Such as a two-person cradle carry, office chair evacuation, or, if available, using an evacuation chair.
• Mobility Aid(s) and Device(s): Ensure that the individual is given back any mobility aids. Or devices as soon as practicable.
• Alert Emergency Personnel: Be careful to quickly alert emergency personnel of any people still present in the building. And their whereabouts.

Final words

By following these tips, you may proceed with helping people who struggle out of disabilities. Then you can make sure that everyone will be able to get. To a safe location, regardless of the issues that they have.