Evacuees

An evacuation is about saving as many lives as possible. Evacuees from a building which is evacuating due to an emergency situation may include:

• students
• staff
• contractors
• visitors
• children
• people with disabilities

Human Behaviour in Emergencies

• People tend to enter and leave buildings using familiar exits. Emergency exits are often perceived as unsafe, unfriendly and unknown.
• Panic is very rare! People may panic when trapped. but during a normal evacuation they usually don't panic.
• Most people will stop and help another person even in dangerous situations.
• Without clear evacuation messages or alarm systems, most people keep doing what they were doing.
• Some people will search for better information from an “Expert” or “Official” such as a Warden or Emergency Services Officer.
• People take cues from others to understand the situation. If everyone else is evacuating, most people will tend to follow, like sheep!

People with Disabilities

Australian Standard 3745 - 2005 has defined a "Disabled" person as, 'Any person who MAY require assistance in an emergency evacuation'. During an emergency, a fall down crowded stairs would be of such consequence that all reasonable steps must be taken to avoid it. Disabled persons must be found a safe haven until appropriate assistance is available (usually the Fire Brigade). A person must not be carried downstairs unless sufficient people with sufficient strength and knowledge are present.

Unless there is obvious danger at that location, the person should wait on the stair landing for assistance from emergency personnel. Fire isolated stairs are rated at a minimum of two hours fire and smoke protection; in the event of a fire, this location is regarded as quite safe until assistance arrives to carry the disabled person down the stairs.

• An able bodied person should be assigned to stay with that person until they reach the Assembly Point.
• The mobility-impaired person should wait at the door of fire isolated stairs until most stair traffic has passed that level, and then be assisted inside the fire isolated stairwell, on the landing, to wait until assistance is available to enable the person to be carried down the stairs.
• The Floor Warden is responsible for informing the Building Emergency Controller, who will be at the Main Emergency Control Point or Fire Indicator Panel, that a mobility impaired person needs assistance.
• Unless there is obvious danger at that location, the person should wait on the stair landing for assistance from emergency personnel Fire-isolated stairs are rated at a minimum of two hours fire and smoke protection; Fire isolated stairs can be identified by :
  • entry and exit via solid self closing fire doors;
  • fire separation from the rest of the building; i.e. not open stairways.
• Where it is known that mobility impaired persons are regular occupants of a building, it is prudent for the Floor Warden to bring this evacuation procedure to the persons notice.

Sensory impaired people may need special notification that an evacuation is occurring (e.g. the deaf may not hear the alarms).

Lifts

In general, lifts must not be used for emergency evacuations. The lifts may loose power or become a hazard during an emergency. When the Emergency Services arrive at your building, they may choose to use the lifts to assist them with their search and rescue activities.

In most buildings with lifts, the lifts will return to the ground floor and stay there upon notification of an emergency evacuation or fire alarm.