Evacuating Individuals with Disabilities
If it is safe for you to assist persons with disabilities or special needs, do so. If you are unable to assist, notify emergency responders of the location and number of disabled or special needs persons located in your area.
Note: If the fire alarm is not pulled, the elevators should be used to expedite the evacuation of anyone that needs help evacuating the building.
The guidelines in the Evacuation Plan for Individuals with Disabilities are as follows:
Evacuating individuals with mobility impairments
Some individuals with mobility impairments may need special equipment such as wheelchairs, braces, or crutches to move around campus; others whose impairments are less visible may have decreased coordination or stamina and may need to move at a slower pace or rest frequently.
If elevators are operational, individuals with mobility impairments can be escorted down by elevator. Otherwise, they may need to be escorted to a designated safe area. Their location should be noted and reported to the fire department, Wayne State College facilities staff, and/or the WSC Campus Security.
It is not advisable to try to carry a person who is in a wheelchair. Only trained personnel should attempt to carry the individual and/or the wheelchair. Wheelchairs may have parts not intended for lifting; batteries or life support equipment may be connected. Trained emergency personnel should be directed to the area as soon as possible.
Evacuating individuals with vision impairments
If elevators are operational, individuals with vision impairments can be escorted down by elevator. If people are being escorted out of the building, the individual with the vision impairment should be evacuated together with the sighted evacuees.
If you are escorting a blind or vision impaired individual, take your directions from the individual about how to guide them. For example, if you are going down stairs, they may ask you to stand in front of them and by the right side of the stairwell – they may have one hand on your shoulder and one hand on the handrail. If walking side by side, they may take your arm (above the elbow) while holding their cane and or leash of an animal with their other hand.
Evacuating individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing
As the individual with a hearing loss may not perceive an audio emergency alarm - alternative communication or warning techniques may be needed. These techniques include: switching the lights on and off to get the person’s attention, writing down the type of emergency and closest evacuation route, and escorting the person out of building.