Evacuation Buddies

Access and Functional Needs  

Any person with a physical limitation temporary or permanent, or other condition that would require them to need assistance during an evacuation is considered to have “Access and Functional Needs” (AFN). Access and functional needs are further defined as anyone who, without the assistance of another person, would have difficulty evacuating or relocating to a safe location, or would slow down evacuation of other occupants within the building.  

This may include, but is not limited to: 

  • Persons with a mobility impairment who use a wheelchair, walker, cane, crutches, or other mobility device 
  • Persons recovering from surgery or medical procedure 
  • Persons with a hearing or sight impairment 
  • Pregnancy 

All personnel should prepare ahead of time for emergency evacuations: be familiar with your buildings’ egress routes and emergency exits; know your fellow building occupants; be aware of the needs of anyone with physical limitations; know how to offer assistance.   

  • Persons with AFN should consider what they would do during an evacuation and whether they need to take additional steps to prepare.  
  • Request evacuation buddy

Evacuation Buddy 

Evacuation Buddies are pre-identified personnel that will assist someone with access and functional needs to evacuate the building. Evacuation buddies should be located in close proximity to the employee with AFN, such as office mates or neighbors in nearby offices. Evacuation assistance ranges from assisting someone to walk down the stairs to utilizing an Evacuation Chair. 

Areas of Refuge: 

In the event that persons needing special assistance are not able to exit directly from the building, proceed to a stairway vestibule and wait for assistance. Tell evacuating occupants that you need rescue assistance. Advise them to notify Security & Safety/ emergency response personnel of your location and status. Fire Department/ emergency response personnel will help evacuate occupants that require assistance. 

When an evacuation has been ordered: 

  • Personnel with physical limitations will often need assistance to evacuate. 
  • It may be necessary to help clear the exit route of debris (if possible) so that the person with a physical limitation can move out or to a safer area.  
  • DO NOT use elevators, unless authorized to do so by Security, Fire or Police. Elevators could fail during a fire or major earthquake.  
  • If someone with physical limitations cannot exit, they should move to a “Refuge Area”, e.g. enclosed stairwells to wait for assistance from first responders.  
  • Notify Security as soon as possible of anyone remaining in the building, and their location. 
  • Attempt a rescue evacuation ONLY if you have had rescue training, or the person is in immediate danger and cannot wait for professional assistance.  
  • Always ask someone with a physical limitation how you can help before attempting any rescue technique or giving assistance. Ask how they can best be assisted or moved, and whether there are any special considerations or items that need to come with the person. 
  • The individual with the physical limitation is the expert in their disability, so ask that individual for advice before lifting or moving that person.  
  • Take extra time when communicating with people who are deaf, hearing impaired, or speech impaired.  
  • Avoid separating personnel with limited mobility from their assistive aids: wheelchairs, canes, hearing aids, etc. 
  • A person’s medical and/or assistive equipment may not be working after a disaster occurs, or it may be insufficient for emergency circumstances.  
  • If someone is in immediate danger and cannot be moved to a safer area to wait for assistance, it may be necessary to evacuate them using an evacuation chair or a carry technique. (evac-chair.com; Evacuation Chair Video Demo) 

Evacuation Chair Locations 

 

Persons in wheelchairs 

  1. Discuss with the user of the wheelchair how to lift the user and the wheelchair either together or separately. When circumstances necessitate separating the user and the wheelchair, keep the period of separation to a minimum.  
  2. Some parts of a wheelchair are safe to lift from, others will come off when lifted. Always ask the user to confirm where it is safe to lift from. Also, ask the user what else about his or her wheelchair you should know in order to lift it safely.  
  3. Wheelchairs with four wheels (not three-wheeled scooters) usually have handbrakes on each side of the chair. When the wheelchair is to remain stationary, set both brakes.  
  4. When more than one flight of stairs is traversed, helpers may need to switch positions since one person may be doing most of the lifting. Switch positions only on a level landing.  
  5. When the lifting is complete, follow the instructions of the chair’s user and restore the manual or motorized wheelchair to full operation; then direct the user to a safe area. 

 

Evacuating a person with limited mobility or injuries yourself 

Consider your options, the risks of injuring yourself and others in an evacuation attempt. Do not make an emergency situation worse. Evacuation is difficult and uncomfortable for both the rescuers and people being assisted. Some people have conditions that can be aggravated or triggered if they are moved incorrectly. Remember that environmental conditions (smoke, debris, loss of electricity) will complicate evacuation efforts and affect the level of urgency.  

Updated 10/2/24