Quick Tips

1. Identify evacuation routes and secure-in-place locations.
2. Do not use elevators.
3. After evacuating, move away from the building and follow instructions from emergency personnel. 

Guidelines for People with Disabilities

Make a Plan

1. Determine in advance where you will go and what you will do if you need to evacuate the building.
   • Identify at least on evacuation route from the building or spaces where you spend time.
   • Practice evacuating using the route.
   • Consider who will be available to help you.
   • If you have a mobility impairment, ask about the location of designated areas of evacuation assistance for upper floors if elevators cannot be used. Check with your department supervisor, building manager, classroom instructor, or residence hall advisor to determine areas.
2. Think about what you will be able to do and what assistance you may need before, during, or after an emergency. Plan how you will succinctly explain to fellow evacuees or first responders that you need assistance, what assistance is needed, and what would not be helpful. This may include creating laminated cards with phrases, pictures, or pictograms in case your assistive communication equipment is not working.
3. Set up "buddy arrangements" with colleagues, friends, instructors, supervisors, building managers, or others as needed to assist in emergency evacuation.
4. Persons in fixed locations, such as employees, should assist departments in developing an exit plan.
5. Ask your department or instructor to consult University Fire Marshal for help with evacuation planning by emailing uoem@uoregon.edu
6. Sign up for UOAlerts by text or on DuckWeb to receive emergency text notifications regarding campus-wide emergencies. 

Take Action

During an evacuation, do not use elevators. If you cannot exit the building without using the elevator:

1. Go to the nearest area of evacuation assistance or safe zone. Areas of evacuation assistance may include an enclosed stairwell, a room with a door and an exterior window that can be opened, or a room with a door and an exterior window.
2. Close the door to the stairwell or room.
3. Call 911 immediately to notify emergency personnel of your location. Remain on the line with 911 until you are evacuated.

Blindness or Visual Impairment: Exit the building following the appropriate evacuation route, which may be different than the most familiar path of travel. 

Don’t hesitate to ask for assistance in evacuating the building. 

General Guidelines for Assisting Individuals with Disabilities

Individuals with disabilities may require additional assistance to ensure safety during an emergency. Check on people with disabilities or special needs during an evacuation. 

• Ask if they need assistance. Always ask someone with a disability how you can help before giving assistance.  In addition ask:
  • What is the best way to help?
  • Would anything be harmful or unhelpful?
  • Are there any special considerations or items (medications, etc.) that need to accompany the person?
• Do not use elevators for emergency evacuation.
• In an emergency, call 911.
• Consider setting up a buddy system, where individuals arrange for volunteers or co-workers to alert and assist them in an emergency.

Additional considerations that may apply to individuals with disabilities 

Mobility Impairment 

If a person cannot exit the building:

1. Ask if assistance is needed. Do not attempt to lift a person out of a wheelchair. Serious injury may occur from such attempts.
2. If they elect to await evacuation assistance by emergency personnel, escort the person to an area of rescue assistance.
3. If needed, assist the person in calling 911.
4. After you leave the building, immediately inform emergency personnel of the location of the person awaiting evacuation or call 911.

Blindness or Visual Impairment 

A person assisting an individual who is visually impaired should:

1. Ask if assistance is needed.  If so, offer your elbow and provide guidance through the evacuation route.  This may be especially helpful if there is debris or a crowd. Never grasp the arm of a person you are assisting.
2. Give verbal instructions about the safest route or direction using directional terms and estimated distances.
3. Explain where you are going and what you are doing while escorting the person out of the building. 

Deafness, Hearing Loss, Language Difficulty

If a person appears to be unaware of the need for immediate evacuation or uncertain about what to do:

1. Stay calm. Get their attention by touch or eye contact. Ask if you can help.
2. State the problem clearly and simply including the need to evacuate.  Gestures and pointing are helpful. Be prepared to write a brief statement if the person does not seem to understand.
3. Offer visual instructions to designate the safest route or direction by pointing toward exits or evacuation maps.
4. Offer to escort them from the building.

Questions?

For general questions email Emergency Management at uoem@uoregon.edu. 

For information regarding accommodations or accessibility, additional support is available for students through the Accessible Education Center at 541-346-1155 and for employees through Employee and Labor Relations at 541-346-3159 or uoelr@uoregon.edu.