Emergency Evacuation Plan
The Emergency Evacuation Plan for the campus can be found in the Emergency Response Plan. For more information regarding this, please contact the Vice President for Administration and/or the Chief of University Police. The Emergency Evacuation Plan was formulated to ensure that all students will safely and swiftly vacate college buildings in times of emergencies.
Students with Disabilities
The individual with the greatest need for a safe and swift evacuation will be the person with a disability. No student, faculty, or professional staff person can be expected to possess the expertise to know each student’s abilities or limitations in times of emergency.
The student with a disability will receive a copy of the campus policy regarding emergency evacuation from the Office of Student Accessibility Services. This written policy will be given to the student, by the Director, when they register with the Office of Student Accessibility Services. Students with disabilities who do not choose to register with the Office of Student Accessibility Services should avail themselves of this policy by contacting the Office of Residence Life or the University Police Department (UP).
The Director of Student Accessibility Services is responsible for submitting a list to UP of all students with mobility or any other disability that would require assistance with emergency evacuation. This list will also be sent with the student’s schedule to the Director of Facilities and Capital Improvements.
The Director of Student Accessibility Services is responsible for asking all students with mobility impairments if they would like to participate in emergency evacuation training. If the student accepts, a training time will be scheduled. If the student declines, a statement to decline training will be completed.
The Director is also responsible for notifying all students with disabilities of any fire drills or any other emergency evacuation drills on campus on any given day. Notification of such drills will be sent first to the faculty/staff by email from University Police. The Director should communicate any problems with such drills to University Police.
Cell phones may be signed out to any student who has a disability which may require immediate assistance in the event of an emergency. The cell phones only have 911 capabilities.
The evacuation of students with disabilities from buildings presents unique problems for students and professional staff. Each faculty member who has a student in their class will be notified by the Director of Student Accessibility Services as to their course and section number in which each student is enrolled. The faculty will be reminded that they may be asked to assist the student in evacuating their classroom and the building where their class is being taught. The major responsibility for the evacuation lies with the student. They will familiarize themselves with exits from each academic building and possible emergency “carries” if wheelchair accessible exits are blocked. The faculty member should accompany the student to the exit, and secure the services of other students to provide the assistance in evacuating the student from the building where the emergency exits are. Again, the student must take the initiative in giving clear, concise directions for a safe removal depending upon his/her personal, physical condition and be familiar with the fire exits in the building.
In the event of a building emergency, all elevators will automatically shut off which prevents wheelchairs from exiting in their normal manner. The following procedure should be observed.
The faculty or staff member who is in conference with the student with a disability should assist/accompany the student to the nearest fire stairwell. There they will both wait for Canton Fire Department personnel or University Police Officers who will be on the scene within minutes. The faculty or staff member should advise UP of the student’s location, and then, remain with the student on the landing in the stairwell until help arrives.
If an emergency situation occurs when the student is in transit to see a faculty member in the building, he/she should go immediately to the stairwell exit door, and if it is possible, open the door and wait in the stairwell. If the student cannot open the exit door, they should seek the assistance of the first person they see in the hallway or use their cell phone to call University Police at (315) 386-7777 or dial 911.