Loyola University Chicago

Emergency Response Plan

Evacuation of Persons with Disabilities

General:

  • Faculty and staff are asked to assist persons with disabilities during building evacuations.

  • It is suggested that persons who use a wheelchair or persons with a mobility impairment prepare for an emergency ahead of time by informing faculty, staff or classmates on how to assist him/her in case of an evacuation.

  • The Coordinator of Services for Students With Disabilities, Human Resources, and the Faculty Administration Office will provide Campus Police and Public Safety with a list of known students, staff, and faculty requiring assistance during building evacuations. The list will include the person's office, classrooms, and/or residence hall locations during different times of the day.

Emergency Actions:

  1. During a building evacuation, assist persons with disabilities by helping them move to the nearest marked exit. A person who uses a wheelchair or a person with a mobility impairment may use the building elevator, BUT NEVER IN THE CASE OF A FIRE OR EXPLOSION.

  2. During a fire, assist persons with disabilities to the nearest stairwell and help them exit the building. If the person=s disability prevents you from helping them exit the building, then you should assist them to the nearest emergency phone and call Public Safety at 4-4911, to inform them of the person=s exact location. If you cannot locate an emergency phone, then assist them to the nearest sanctuary point.

  3. Sanctuary Points are identified on each building evacuation diagram; they are generally located in stairwell landings. They are designated as safe locations because of their fire protection factor. During building evacuations, these areas will be checked first by Public Safety and/or Facilities staff. DO NOT LEAVE A PERSON INSIDE A STAIRWELL THAT HAS SMOKE IN IT.

  4. After leaving a person with a disability at a sanctuary point, you should exit the building and immediately contact Public Safety by calling 4-4911 or by using the nearest one-button yellow emergency phone to inform them of the location of the person.

  5. The Public Safety Telecommunicator, upon receiving the notification that a person with a disability is in need of assistance, will direct Officers and/or Facilities staff to that location.

  6. Public Safety Officers and Facilities staff responding to a building evacuation situation (e.g., fire alarm, bomb threat, etc.) will clear the building by checking all sanctuary points first. This procedure will be followed even if not alerted that a person was left at a sanctuary point.