Hawaii Community College    

Office of the Dean of of Student Services

Emergency Evacuation Procedures

Evacuation of students with a disability who are otherwise ambulatory, such as blind or hearing impaired individuals, should take place normally with other building occupants. These individuals can benefit from an escort and should identify one or more volunteers from within the class or work area that would be willing to assist in time of emergency.

Persons with hearing impairments may not hear audio emergency alarms and may need to be alerted of emergency situations. If necessary, emergency instructions can be given by writing a short explicit note to evacuate.

Most people with a visual impairment will be familiar with their immediate surroundings and frequently traveled routes. Since the emergency evacuation route is likely to be different from the commonly traveled route, persons who are visually impaired may need assistance in evacuating. The assistant should offer his/her elbow to the individual with a visual impairment and guide him/her through the evacuation route. During the evacuation the assistant should communicate as necessary to assure safe evacuation.

Evacuation of people who are dependent upon equipment such as wheelchairs for their mobility should not use elevators unless directed to do so by the fire department. As stairs are often difficult, if not impossible, to traverse for mobility-impaired individuals, they should proceed to the nearest tenable stairway in the building with a prearranged escort. A designated person should then proceed to the evacuation assembly point outside the building and tell Campus Safety, fire, or police department personnel the location of the person with a disability.

If mobility-impaired individuals are alone in a building at the time an alarm sounds, they should phone Campus Safety at 974-7911 with their present location and the area of refuge to which they are headed.

**It is recommended that a student who uses a wheelchair consider the emergency evacuation in every class that is accessible by elevator. It is best practice to encourage the student to find a ‘buddy’ in each class to assist them in the event of an emergency evacuation. If the student is not able to find a ‘buddy’, the Disability Service Provider should be notified and discussions will begin as to the level of assistance that may be needed.

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