Guidelines for Assisting  Disabled Persons during an Emergency

  

The following guidelines have been adopted by Purdue University Fort Wayne to assist in planning for the evacuation of people with physical disabilities.

 

In all emergencies, after an evacuation has been ordered:

• Evacuate if possible
• DO NOT use elevators, unless authorized to do so by emergency services personnel.
• Check on people with additional needs during an evacuation.
• A “buddy system,” where people with disabilities arranges for volunteers (co-workers/neighbors) to alert them and assist them in an emergency, is recommended.
• ONLY attempt an emergency evacuation if you have had emergency assistance training OR the person is in immediate danger and cannot wait for emergency services personnel.
• Always ASK someone with a disability how you can help BEFORE attempting any emergency evacuation assistance. Ask how they can best be assisted or moved, whether there are any special considerations or items that need to come with the person.

If you have a physical disability and are unable to use stairways:

• Stay calms and take steps to protect yourself.
• If there is a working phone, call 911 and tell the dispatcher where you are or where you will be moving to.
• IF you must move, we recommend the following:
  • Move to an enclosed exit stairway, while taking care not to block the exiting of building personnel.
  • Request persons exiting by way of the stairway to notify the Fire Department of your location
  • Await Emergency Responders.
  • IF you are in immediate danger, move to an area where you can shelter-in-place (recommended areas would be a room with an outside window or a room with a sprinkler system if available)
  • You are also encouraged to carry a sounding device like a small whistle, a flashlight and a cell phone to alert emergency personnel of your location.
  • Having a plan and practicing it may save your life.

 

Obtaining Assistance:

• Faculty and Staff who have mobility impairments should let their Departmental Safety Representative or DTI know the location of their usual work area and additional needs.
• An individual that requires additional assistance may fill out the Voluntary Registry for Persons Requesting Additional Assistance form.
• The University Police Department will assist the individual in developing a personalized response plan for possible emergency incidents.
• Once all information has been entered on the form, it should be forwarded to the Campus Emergency Preparedness Office for inclusion in emergency planning.

Power Outages: 

• If an outage occurs during the day and people with disabilities choose to wait in the building for electricity to be restored, they can move near a window, if possible, where there is natural light and access to a working telephone. During regular business hours, Department Safety Representatives should be notified so they can advise emergency personnel.
• If people would like to leave and an evacuation has been order, or if the outage occurs at night, call 911 and request evacuation assistance.

The following guidelines are general and may not apply in every circumstance:

• Building occupants should be invited to volunteer ahead of time to assist people with disabilities in an emergency. If a volunteer is not available, designate someone to assist who is willing to accept the responsibility.
• Two or more trained volunteers, if available, should conduct the evacuation.
• Always ASK people with disabilities how you can help BEFORE attempting any emergency evacuation assistance. Ask how they can best be assisted or moved, and if there are any special considerations or items that need to come with them.
• Try to avoid evacuating people who use wheelchairs while they are still in their wheelchairs. This is standard practice to ensure the safety of people with disabilities and volunteers. Wheelchairs will be evacuated later if possible.
• Proper Lifting Techniques (e.g. bending the knees, keeping the back straight, holding the person close before lifting, and using leg muscles to lift) should be used to avoid injury to the rescuer’s backs.
• Certain lifts may need to be modified, depending on the disabilities of the people.
• Volunteers can obtain more emergency evacuation information regarding lifting techniques from the office of Environmental Health and Safety.

Tips to remember when interacting with people with specific disabilities:

Blindness or Visual Impairment

• Provide verbal instructions to advise of the safest route or direction using simple directions, estimated distances and directional terms.
• DO NOT grasp a visually impaired persons arm. Ask if he or she would like to hold onto your arm as you exit, especially if there is debris or a crowd.
• Give other verbal instructions or information (i.e. elevators cannot be used)

Deafness or Hearing Impairment

• Get the attention of a person with a hearing impairment by establishing eye contact. If the person’s back is toward you, tap him/her on the shoulder to get his/her attention. Clearly state the problem. Gestures and pointing are helpful, but be prepared to write a brief statement if the person does not seem to understand.
• Offer visual instructions to communicate safest route or direction by point toward exits or evacuation maps.

Mobility Impairment

• It may be necessary to help clear the exit route of debris (if possible)
• If people with mobility impairments cannot exit, they should move to a safer area, examples include:
  • Most enclosed stairwells
  • An office with the door shut which is a good distance from the hazard (and away from falling debris in case of earthquakes)
  • Call 911 and notify police or fire personnel immediately about any people remaining in the building and their locations.
• Police or fire personnel will decide whether people are safe where they are and will evacuate them as necessary.
• The fire department may determine that it is safe to override the rule against using elevators.
• If people are in immediate danger and cannot be moved to a safer area to wait for assistance, it may be necessary to evacuate them using an evacuation chair or a carry technique.

 

Summary:

• Prepare occupants in your building ahead of time for emergency evacuations.
• Faculty and Staff who have mobility impairments should let their Departmental Safety Representative know the location of their usual work area and additional needs.
• An individual that requires additional assistance may fill out the Voluntary Registry for Persons Requesting Additional Assistance form.
• Know your building occupants.
• Train staff, faculty and students to be aware of the needs of people with disabilities and to know how to offer assistance.
• Hold evacuation drill in which occupants participate, and evaluated drills to identity areas that need improvement.
• Everyone needs to take responsibility for preparing for emergency.
• People with disabilities should consider what they would do and whether they need to take additional steps to prepare.