Disability Fire Evacuation Procedure

Essential Information from you

If you have a disability that effects your ability to evacuate from a building or to hear the alarm, it is imperative that you inform the Disabilities Services so your needs can be addressed

The Faculty/Departmental managers will then be able to make reasonable adjustments so that you are not put at a disadvantage

If you have any special needs, it will assist the University in meeting them if practicable

It will ensure a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) is completed

All Staff and Students who have a disability that may affect their evacuation from a building, must have a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) completed. If not please follow the link ……and complete the form and send it to the Disability Service as soon as possible.

Essential Information from you

PEEP InformationHULLReport Centre: (01482 46) 6868EMERGENCY: (01482 46) 5555

SCARBOROUGHSecurity: (07123 34) 7266EMERGENCY: (01723 35) 7266

If the Scarborough number is not answered immediately, it will link automatically to a

radio link - so don’t hang up!

This PEEP should be saved as “Your Surname-PEEP” and returned to the Disability Service as soon as possible, please include any concerns regarding its content.

disability-services@hull.ac.uk

All information from the document will be made available to the following posts:

Head of Department/School The Departmental Safety OfficerDisabilities Tutor Personal TutorFire Safety Officer

The University Of Hull

The University maintains many systems and procedures to ensure the safety of life and to protect the buildings

Fire Detection Heat, Smoke and Carbon monoxide Detectors

Prevention of fire and smoke spread Structural fire precautions i.e. Fire doors and screens etc

Raising the Fire alarm Break-glass call points Emergency Telephone Number

Awareness the Fire alarm has activated Fire alarm bells, sirens, klaxons & beacons Deaf Alerter

Action in the event of the Fire alarm activating Evacuation procedure

Evacuation Chair procedure

Fire Extinguishers To fight the fire if you are trained to do so

Training CoursesFire Awareness, Fire Wardens, Buddy

The University Of Hull

Trained PersonnelTo assist all building occupants to evacuate safely

Departmental Safety Officers (DSO)

Fire Wardens (FW)

Evacuation Chair Operators (Buddy)

The University Of Hull

Deaf Alerter System

A signal is sent from the panel to the pager which is issued to each hearing impaired person. This vibrates a warning to the person informing them that the Fire Alarm has activated in the building they are in.

The University uses the ‘Deaf Alerter System’

It is attached to the Fire Alarm System and activates when the alarm goes off

Deaf Alerter System

If you are living in University accommodation you will be issued with a night cradle in which you would place your pager.

This then allows a vibrating pad (under your pillow) to be attached which would wake you up if the Fire Alarm activates while you are asleep, in addition there is a flashing light on the cradle which will ensure you are woken

Sight Assistance

The University have placed tactile mats at the head and bottom of all stairs.

In addition it has good contrast step edges on all its main staircases.

Chair Lifts

The University have placed Chair lifts in as many areas as is possible to assist access.

The keys for these lifts are available from the Disability Service.

Your Role

It is essential that you know what actions to carry out in the event of the fire alarm activating and what the procedure is.

For the evacuation procedure to be effective, it is essential that all students, when they go to the lecture areas for the first time, identify their nearest and alternative exits and refuges

Disability Evacuation Procedure On hearing the fire alarm or being warned by the Deaf Alerter Pager start to evacuate the area and make your way to the nearest available exit and leave the building.

If you are above ground floor and feel you are unable to use the stairs, follow the same route until you reach your nearest ‘Refuge’.

Contact the Report Centre/Security via the two way communication system in the refuge.

Pass on the following information:

Your name

Your mobile telephone number if possible

Your location

Your ‘Buddies’ name

CommunicationsAll refuges will have two way communication fitted, this is an ongoing process.

A speaker box is to be fitted in every refuge and will become live on the activation of the fire alarm.

This system connects you to the security control room (Report Centre) who will then contact the security mobile patrol who will be at the Fire Panel, to inform them of your presence.

In addition the system connects you to the Fire Panel directly so you can communicate with the incident controller.

CommunicationsAdditionally you can use a mobile telephone to contact the Report Centre

Ensure you put the Emergency Telephone Number in your phone, preferably as a hot key.

Hull 01482 46555

Scarborough 01723 357266

It is essential that you pass on the following details:

Your name

Your mobile telephone number if possible

Your location

Your ‘Buddy’s’ name

Disability Evacuation Procedure The Security Service will inform the mobile patrol of your location.

The Refuges will be checked by the Building Fire Wardens. If they are trained as a Buddy they will stay with you, if not they will report your presence to the incident control and organise a Buddy to join you.

Buddies will check their designated Refuges and will remain with you until confirmation is received as to why the alarm was activated.

If it is a confirmed fire they will assist you to evacuate the building using the Evacuation Chair.

Disability Evacuation Procedure

If at any time you feel unsafe or the area is compromised you must evacuate immediately.

If it is a false alarm the security service will contact you stating you do not have to evacuate and to wait there for further instructions.

RefugesThe University has REFUGES on every major evacuation route from its buildings

A refuge is an enclosure such as a compartment, lobby, corridor or staircase that provides at least a half hour of fire and smoke protection or an area in the open air such as a flat roof or balcony.

A refuge is a place where you can wait and rest until confirmation is received that it is a real fire.

If at any time you feel you need to evacuate, you can initiate the procedure.

All REFUGES are marked with this sign

Evacuation ChairThere is an emergency Evacuation Chair located on your floor or it will be on both the floor below or above

The Buddy will retrieve the chair for you

It is essential that you are able to self transfer into the Evacuation Chair, if not contact your disabilities tutor

It is vital that that if you may need to use an evacuation chair you are practiced in its use (Contact your DSO for assistance)

The weight limit of the chair is 22 stone

All the Emergency Evacuation Chair operators (Buddies) have been trained in how to use the Evacuation Chair.

If you wish, you can ask a course colleague or friend if they would be willing to be trained. If so contact your disabilities tutor who will organise it.

Evacuation Chair Use

Once you have transferred into the Evacuation Chair you will be secured into it by a waist belt.

It is important that you keep your hands in your lap or you will try to grab the stair rail which would be unsafe

If you have involuntary movements the chair is fitted with other restraints to prevent any difficulties for the Buddy

Once you are secure the Buddy will tip the chair backwards and push you to the head of the stairs

Evacuation Chair Use

Once you are at the head of the stairs the Buddy will control your descent using the friction runners on the chair

This operation can be carried out by two trained people.

Once evacuated the Buddy will stay with you until the end of the incident.

End of Presentation