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Evacuation Requirements

Evacuation requirements differ slightly based on the type of location being evacuated and the type and number of people in the area being evacuated. There are similarities regardless of the type of evacuation and basic requirements are a cornerstone to any good evacuation plan. Regardless of the type of disaster that prompts the evacuation, getting away from the disaster and to a safe location is the primary goal.

  1. Escape Routes

    • The primary goal of an evacuation is to get out of the area of danger as quickly and safely as possible. The exit strategy should be clearly defined with both primary and secondary routes outlined and thoroughly detailed. In locally centralized areas such as houses and buildings, escape routes should be highlighted and designated on evacuation maps that have been given to and explained to anyone in the area on a regular basis. In addition, the maps should be posted and placed in visible areas that anyone can see very quickly. For public areas, evacuation maps should be made available to the public for viewing and should also be posted in easily accessible areas. The main goal of an evacuation is to leave and get out of harms way. Knowing the best way to do that is the most critical requirement of any evacuation.

    Chain of Command

    • There must be a chain of command established prior to any evacuation. This includes designating a person to be responsible for instituting the evacuation and making sure the evacuation plan is followed accordingly and the process is set into motion. There also needs to be other people named as responsible for areas and action items. For example, in an office building, department heads or a representative from each floor would coordinate and work with the primary evacuation contact to make sure their designated areas were evacuated properly.

    Notification

    • A system or a series of processes needs to be established as to how an evacuation is to be communicated. For example, in an office building, fire and evacuation alarms connected throughout the building would sound and trigger an evacuation. In a house, it would be a smoke detector for an evacuation due to a fire. For an area such as a public place or a city, evacuation announcements would come in multiple ways--over the radio, television, text messaging and loud, publicly placed sirens.

      It is beneficial to utilize more than one system so that there is a backup in place in case the primary system fails.

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