UHWO Evacuation/Fire Drill on Friday, Sept. 30

Evacuation Drill in Building D on Sept. 30, 2016

Evacuation Drill in Building D on Sept. 30, 2016

September is National Campus Safety Awareness Month. UH West Oʻahu will
conduct a test of its emergency communications and evacuation procedures
this Friday, September 30, at 10 a.m. Only the Classroom Building (D
building) will be evacuated via a scheduled fire alarm. If you are in D
building when the alarm is activated, please evacuate to the Great Lawn. Do
not linger in other areas.

As a reminder, when UH West Oʻahu is not in evacuation training mode, any
time you hear an audible alarm activated in your building, please evacuate
to the Great Lawn.

During the evacuation drill, a UH Alert email message will go out to all
students, faculty, and staff, and UH Alert text messages will be sent to
those who have signed up to receive emergency text messages at
http://www.hawaii.edu/alert. All members of the UH West Oʻahu community are
urged to sign up to receive these opt-in text messages.

The UHWO homepage at http://www.uhwo.hawaii.edu and UHWO social media pages will be also updated to reflect the test and evacuation drill.

Per our Emergency and Safety Procedures Guide, UH West O’ahu’s evacuation
procedures are as follows:

– Remain calm. Leave your area quickly by walking to the nearest exit.
Do not use elevators.
– Only take essential personal possessions when leaving the building. Take
items such as cell phones, car keys, and handbags in case the building is
shut down and you are not able to re-enter the building.
– Close doors behind you when leaving. Check to make sure everyone is out of
the room before closing the door.
– Evacuate to the Great Lawn. Be prepared to relocate if instructed to do so
by Campus Security or Emergency Responders. If the meeting place is downwind
of smoke or fumes, relocate to an upwind location. The evacuation map can be
found on page 11 of the Emergency and Safety Procedures Guide.
– Await further instruction from Campus Security or Campus Administration

Additionally, here are pre-planning tips:

– Know all exit locations in a building. Most people recall the way they
entered the building, but if this entry/exit is blocked or overcrowded, it
is important to know an alternate exit location. If you find yourself in a
building you’re unfamiliar with, follow the overhead exit signs.
– Have a pre-designated meeting place for everyone in your office or
classroom.
– Know who is not present for the day so that they can be accounted for at
the designated meeting place.
– If an evacuation is necessary, the building can be evacuated either by the
fire alarm being sounded or by instruction to leave by Campus Security,
Campus Administration through UH Alert, or emergency response personnel.
Alarm-pull stations, extinguishers, AEDs, and exit locations are identified
on the floor plans posted in each building near the elevator.

Evacuation of Individuals with Disabilities (pages 11-12 of theEmergency and Safety Procedures Guide)

Preplan:
– Individuals with disabilities should prepare for emergencies ahead of time
by discussing their evacuation needs with the appropriate personnel.
– Students with disabilities are also encouraged to discuss evacuation plans
or other emergency needs with their instructors and/or classmates.
– Individuals who cannot speak loudly should carry a whistle or have other
means of attracting attention of others.

In an evacuation:

– Individuals with disabilities who cannot evacuate on their own or cannot
be evacuated should stay in an exit corridor or in a stairwell landing.
– Don’t assume that emergency responders know where you are. Call 911.
Continue to call for help until you are rescued.
– When assisting an individual with a disability during an evacuation, ask,
“What is the best way I can help you?”

Individuals who are visually-impaired or blind – Announce the type of
emergency, offer your arm for mobility assistance, tell the individual where
you are going, ask if further help is needed once you reach safety, and
announce to the individual where you are located when you reach your
destination. If possible, stabilize the individual against something sturdy.

Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing – Turn lights on/off to gain the
individual’s attention, indicate directions with gestures, or write a note
with evacuation directions and assist to safety as needed. If you speak to
the individual, do not yell, but ensure that the individual has a clear,
direct line of sight to you.

Individuals using crutches, canes, or walkers – Assist and accompany to the
evacuation site if possible, or use a sturdy chair (or one with wheels) to
move the individual, or help carry the individual to safety.

Wheelchair users – Check with the individual on their preference, determine
if an evacuation chair is available, remove any immediate dangers, and
immediately advise arriving first responders of special evacuation cases.
Keep in mind that stairwells may be safer than hallways.

If you have any questions about other considerations for individuals with
disabilities, please contact the UHWO ADA Coordinator at 808-689-2675.

Please adjust your schedules accordingly for this Friday’s, Sept. 30, 10
a.m. evacuation drill. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience that
this may cause.

Image courtesy of UHWO Staff