Evacuation Plan

Mount Holyoke Assembly Locations by Building

1.0 Purpose
  The purpose of this plan is to ensure the safe and orderly evacuation of a building during emergency situations such as fire, chemical spills, natural disasters, bomb threats, etc.
   
2.0 Emergency Personnel
  Evacuation team members and their duties are identified below:
   
  2.1 Evacuation Coordinator
  Director of Public Safety and Service or designee
    
  During an evacuation, the evacuation coordinator will oversee all operations and make all critical decisions regarding life, safety, and property. He or she will also determine if the incident is serious enough to invoke the college's emergency response plan.
   
  2.2 Building Safety Liaisons (Each building)
    
  The building liaisons are responsible for maintaining a roster of people with offices in the building and conducting a roll call at the designated assembly area. If any person is known to be or suspected of still being in the building, the building liaison will immediately notify the evacuation coordinator. The building liaisons will determine ahead of time if special arrangements need to be made for mobility-impaired individuals during an evacuation.
   
  2.3 Faculty and Instructors
 
  At the beginning of each course or semester, faculty and instructors will inform students of the designated assembly area for the building. In the event of an alarm, the faculty or instructor will conduct a roll call at the designated assembly area. If any person is known to be or suspected of still being in the building, the building liaison will immediately notify the evacuation coordinator. The faculty or instructor will determine ahead of time if special arrangements need to be made for mobility-impaired individuals during an evacuation.
  
  2.4 Security
  Public Safety and Service
  
  Public Safety and Service or designee is responsible for greeting and directing municipal or contract responders to emergency locations and restricting access to unauthorized individuals.
  
  2.5 Communications
  Public Safety and Service Dispatcher
  
  The Public Safety and Service dispatcher will call in additional personnel as directed by the evacuation coordinator. The Dispatch Center maintains a call list of internal and external emergency personnel. A pre-recorded message may be placed on the Mount Holyoke College message line 413.538.2330.
  
  Director of Communications or designee
  
  The director of communications will coordinate communication systems (telephone, e-mail, television, radio, Intranet) on campus for disseminating information and maintain information on the college Web site.
  
  2.6 Public Relations
  Director of Communications
  
  If the situation warrants media coverage, the director of communications will coordinate all press releases and establish a press area a safe distance from the site for all press that arrive on campus.
  
  2.7 Utility Coordinator
  Director of Facilities and Grounds
  
  The director of facilities and grounds is responsible for assessing the impact on utilities and shutting down utilities as necessary.
  
  2.8 First Aid
  Public Safety and Service
  
  Public Safety and Service will respond to all medical situations, dispatch EMTs as necessary, and call for any off-site emergency assistance.
  
3.0 Reporting Emergencies
  
  3.1 Fire Alarms
  
  Fire alarms and smoke detectors are signaled to Public Safety and Service, which is staffed 24/7. Upon receiving an alarm, they notify the fire department and send an officer to the alarm locations. If a person has knowledge about the cause of the alarm, he or she should exit the building and call Public Safety and Service to relate the details.
  
   3.2 Other Emergencies
  
  All other on-campus emergencies should be phoned into the Public Safety and Service emergency line at 413.538.2304 or 1-911 (campus phone). 
  
4.0 Evacuation  
  Every person in the building, including staff, faculty, students, visitors, and contractors where the fire alarm is sounding, regardless of known or suspected cause, is required to evacuate immediately. Persons evacuating must leave via the closest exit. Any equipment that could cause a fire should be turned off before exiting if it can be done quickly and safely. Exits are posted throughout each building.
  
  4.1 Elevators 
  
  Elevators cannot be used by any person as a means of emergency evacuation. Elevators in most buildings are pre-set to return automatically to the bottom floor. Use of an elevator can result in opening on the fire floor, exposure to life-threatening levels of fire or gases, and being trapped in a malfunctioning elevator.
  
5.0 Evacuation for the Mobility and Visually Impaired  
  
  Persons with mobility impairment may be allowed to "defend in place" and not be required to evacuate if they are: (1) located above or below the level of building exit, and (2) physically cannot exit without assistance. 
  
  5.1 Definition of Mobility Impaired
  
  Persons who use a wheelchair, crutches, canes, walkers, etc. Persons who are able to walk should exit if possible, but need to decide if they can safely descend stairs. Those with emphysema, asthma, heart disease, and arthritis, depending on the situation, may also follow the guidelines for defending in place. 
  
  5.2 Visually Impaired 
  
  Persons who are visually impaired should, with the assistance of others, evacuate the building using the stairs, if they are familiar with their immediate surroundings and frequently traveled routes. If visually impaired persons are unfamiliar with the emergency evacuation route and assistance is not available, they should defend in place. 
  
  5.3 Defend in Place 
  
  Unless the fire or other hazard is life threatening to a mobility or visually impaired person, or the person is on the ground floor (exit level of the building), then it may be advisable for that person to remain in his or her currently occupied room. If the individual decides to defend in place, he or she must immediately: 
 
  • Notify others evacuating that you are remaining in your room and ask them to contact Public Safety and Service with that information immediately upon exiting the building.
  • If a phone is available, call Public Safety and Service at 413.538.2304 to inform them that you are defending in place, and your exact location.
  • Close the door to prevent smoke entry, and, if necessary, put towels or any other available fabric at the crack at bottom of the door.
  • If possible, move to a window with a brightly colored cloth to wave to the fire department. Do not break the window unless absolutely necessary. (Breaking the window could allow smoke to enter the room from the floor below or injure a person below). 
  
  5.4 Pre-Planning 
  
  Having a plan ahead of time is important to safe evacuation: the disability coordinator is available to review procedures, and also maintains a list for Public Safety and Service of sleeping quarters. 
  
6.0 Assembly  
  
  Once outside the building, all occupants should proceed to the designated assembly areas for a roll call. Each organization is responsible for determining the assembly areas for all buildings that their participants and staff may be using, especially the housing areas. These areas should be at least 25 feet away from the building and should leave access for emergency personnel to enter the building. 
  
  The building liaison and/or faculty/instructor will take the roll call and report back to the evacuation coordinator. The roll call is an important function as town emergency personnel responding to the incident need to determine if anyone is missing and may be in the building. If employees are missing, do not re-enter the building! Notify emergency response personnel and/or the evacuation coordinator and inform them of the missing employee's name and last known location. 
  
  Re-entry into the area will be made only after clearance is given by the evacuation coordinator or his or her designee.
  
7.0 Rosters  
  
  Each building liaison keeps a list of people who live or have offices in the building. Examples include mod lists, residence hall lists, and staff rosters. 
  
  Because the college is a public place, all people in the building may not be on a roster. The evacuated groups should be polled by the building liaison as to who may be left in the building. 
  
8.0 Information and Drills
 
  Fire Emergency Procedures are posted in each building and provided to new employees at orientation.
  
  All Mount Holyoke College residential buildings have an evacuation drill each semester. All other buildings are drilled on a periodic basis.