- Report to your assigned Group Leader.
- Exit under direction of Group Leader.
- Stay with group throughout evacuation.
- Do not use elevator during fire emergencies!
- Establish a meeting place in the parking lot for each tenant.
The accepted commercial office building procedure is to evacuate in a fire situation.
Evacuation Notifications
Should a decision be made to evacuate personnel from any floor, this decision will be made by your Group Leader/Emergency Team the Fire Department and the Building Management Office.
Physically Disabled Persons
Each Group Leader should know the names and locations of physically disabled or impaired personnel within their company.
Physically disabled personnel in wheelchairs or on crutches should be carried by two reasonably strong assigned persons when evacuating. Wheelchairs should be left behind.
Please remember, if there is no smoke in the building, the physically disabled individuals may wait in the elevator lobby for assistance from the fire department. If smoke is apparent, stairwells must be used by everyone including physically disabled individuals. However, the fire department needs to be notified that individuals are waiting for assistance on a specific floor.
Protection Of Valuables
Any employees with purses should be instructed to take their purses with them upon evacuation.
All employees should lock their desks (if possible, and if time permits) after placing official papers, documents, etc., in the desks. If time permits, employees should also take their coats with them.
Any employees wearing high heeled shoes should remove them to walk down the stairwells. Male employees should loosen their ties and shirt collars.
Evacuation By Elevators Prohibited
As per City Ordinance, in the event of an emergency, the use of elevators is prohibited other than by the fire department.
Evacuation Via Stairwells
Any fire/smoke emergency which calls for evacuation of floor personnel shall be carried out by using the stairwells. The group leaders are responsible for personnel within a specific company on each floor and shall inform and train all personnel as to their assigned exits (stairwell) location and proper procedure to use.
Exit doors on all floors allow entry into the stairwell.
All stairwells are fire rated for 2 hours and are made of fireproof construction. However, once in the stairwell, doors should remain closed, to help keep smoke from entering them, and only opened to admit additional personnel or to exit onto another level.
PROCEDURES FOR TRAFFIC IN STAIRWELLS
- Group Leaders will assist personnel from their designated floors toward their assigned exit into the stairwell.
- Group Leaders or Emergency Team personnel should lead the people down their assigned stairwell single file in an orderly manner, staying close to the inside of the stairwell.
- As personnel approach the next landing, they should be prepared to move to the center (toward the inside) of the stairwell, if necessary, to allow any evacuees from that level to move into the stairwell.
- The Group Leader or the Emergency Team should be the last person to leave his or her floor, making certain that all personnel have been evacuated from all areas of the floor, including restrooms, conference rooms, utility room, etc.
- As soon as a Group Leader has determined that his or her suite is cleared, he or she will report to the Lobby Floor Warden (representative from the Building Management Office) and advise that all personnel have been evacuated.
LEAVING THE BUILDING
If the evacuation command requires leaving the building, then the Group Leader and/or Emergency Team should take all personnel to their assigned or pre-designated areas.
Care should be taken to avoid hindering fire fighters and vehicular traffic when leaving the building and crossing the street.
A minimum of 300 feet should be used as a safe distance from the building. Should an intense fire occur, flying glass can become an acute problem and hazardous to your safety.
EVACUATION PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW IN CASE OF BOMB THREAT
Should a suspect item be located, all personnel will be evacuated from the suspected area, and also possibly from other floors.
Bomb threat evacuation will be basically the same as fire evacuation.
After all personnel have been evacuated from the particular floor, they will be advised when to return by the Building Management Office.
Having once become familiar with their area, all Group Leaders and their Searcher should be alert to suspicious or strange looking packages, suitcases, etc. located in their area.
EVACUATION PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW IN CASE OF AIRCRAFT COLLISION
While the possibility of an aircraft hitting a building is extremely remote, evacuation procedures will be basically the same as for fire evacuation, except the crash could involve multiple floors. In such an instance, immediate evacuation should commence. If possible, notify the fire department 911 and Office of Building 847.376.2000.
If you are located above the crash (collision) floor, you should assemble your personnel to the opposite side of the building and be prepared to evacuate up or down.