About Evacuation Plans

Types

• Evacuations are carried out before, during and after disasters. Plans can be formulated to prepare for many different potential disasters. These can include volcano eruptions, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, military attacks, industrial or nuclear accidents, fires, bomb threats, and viral outbreaks. Individual businesses, large buildings, schools, and certain municipal areas have evacuation plans for potential threats. It is also important to have an evacuation plan from your home in the case of emergency incidents within the house.

Guidelines

• Although evacuation plans are specifically tailored to each organization for specific emergencies, general guidelines in creating an evacuation plan have been developed and tested by those in emergency situations. An emergency coordinator and an alternate, as well as safety monitors, should be designated and trained as to their responsibilities in the case of an emergency. Floor plans with evacuation routes and other information specified in the evacuation plan should be posted in work areas. A meeting site at a safe location outside of the building should be established and known to all those within the building. The evacuation plan should be reviewed, and practice runs should be made regularly to make sure that the plan is efficient and appropriate. Finally, periodic evacuation drills, along with critiques, should be conducted.

Considerations

• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, requires a written emergency action plan for all businesses that employ more than ten people, but for those with fewer than ten employees, the plan may be communicated orally. It is important that the evacuation plan is evaluated and practiced to ensure its efficiency.

Benefits

• Well-established evacuation plans hasten evacuations from emergency situations. This helps a greater number of people to escape and at a faster rate, it lessens the panic and confusion typically associated with evacuations, and it allows for a quicker return to normalcy once an emergency is dealt with.

History

• The 21st century has witnessed a number of disasters since its onset. All involved have been criticized for not having evacuation plans or poor implementation of the plans that existed. Specifically, in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, both the federal and local governments were faulted for not being prepared with an evacuation plan and for failing to take into account citizens who would need assistance evacuating. In light of these and the attacks of September 11, 2001, everyone has become aware of the importance of evacuation plans.