Visually Impaired Persons
Explain the nature of the emergency. Alarms or confusion may disorient a person, even when normally familiar with the area.
- Guide the student or person with disability (or provide someone to do so). The person will take the guide's arm below the elbow and will follow.
- Tell the person where you are as you walk.
- Advise of any obstacles in the path.
- When you have reached safety: Orient the person to where he or she is and ask if any further assistance is needed before leaving.
Hearing Impaired Persons
If you must get a person's attention:
- Flash room lights
- Wave your arms
- Tap person's shoulder
- Gesture what is happening and what to do
- Write on board or paper: Nature of emergency & evacuation route – show egress route.
Mobility Impaired Persons
- Always ask students/disabled person first if they have special needs or requirements.
- Individuals using wheelchairs can be pushed or accompanied to safety
- Individuals using canes, crutches, or walkers should evacuate themselves except in the event that rapid evacuation is deemed essential. If they choose, they may wait at the ARA, offered a chair with sturdy arms, until first responder assistance is available.
- Call the BEC, USCA Police or other First Responder (emergency phone at the ARA) and wait for help before transferring a person from a wheelchair or transporting a person on a stairway, unless the situation is imminently life threatening.
- Special Emergency Evacuation chairs (EEDs) may be used for stairway evacuation or to transport injured or non-ambulatory persons. These are mounted near the stairwell Areas of Rescue Assistance (ARA) in most classroom buildings.