Fire

Evacuation

  1. When a fire or evacuation alarm is activated, all persons inside are required to leave the building immediately.
  2. Residential Education staff may assist with the evacuation of the building as availability and safety permit.
  3. It is the responsibility of all campus residents to familiarize themselves with proper fire and emergency evacuation procedures. Evacuation guidelines are posted in each room.
  4. Failure to respond to a fire alarm or to Residential Education staff requests during an evacuation may result in University disciplinary action and/or municipal fines.
  5. When an alarm sounds, follow these guidelines:
    • Close room doors and windows.
    • Wear shoes and carry or wear a coat.
    • Don’t panic - move quickly outside the building to at least 100 feet away from the structure and to the designated assembly point, and check in with Residential Education Staff.
  6. Do not use elevators as exit routes. Use exterior stairwells or fire escape ladders. As a second option, use a central staircase.
  7. If you are on an upper floor and are not able to escape from your room:
    • Close your door and seal it off with a towel or blanket. Duct tape often works well to seal cracks.
    • Dial 9-1-1 and report your situation to the dispatcher. Don’t hang up until directed to do so.
    • Hang a bright colored sheet or towel from your window to alert emergency crews to your location.
    • Open your upper window for fresh air if necessary. If smoke enters the room from the outside, CLOSE your window immediately.
    • Wait for rescue. You can be safe inside your room for a long time as long as you don’t panic and open the door or prematurely jump from your window.

Recovery:

  • Check in with [College/School/Department name] Leadership to determine response status
  • Do not enter a building until allowed to do so.
  • Once entering the building, inspect your work area and report any issues
  • If food services are involved, the County Health Department is required to inspect the food service area before food service can be conducted
  • Contact EH&S (541-737-2273) for additional monitoring or questions regarding the work environment after a fire incident
  • Contact WCC (541-737-2969) to schedule or verify that repair work is being conducted

Mitigation:

  • Store and handle flammable, combustible and other hazardous materials in accordance to OSU policies/procedures
  • Maintain a tidy, waste free work area
  • Conduct monthly room inspection of common areas to reduce fire hazards
  • Participate in a required annual evacuation drills
  • Identify staff/faculty responsibilities:
    • Building manager/floor monitor duties (Safety Manual Section 204 http://oregonstate.edu/fa/manuals/saf/204)
    • Faculty with students – ensure students under direct faculty supervision are evacuating
    • Employees required to stay behind and operate critical equipment prior to evacuating
  • Report problems with fire safety systems immediately to Facility Services 541-737-2969
  • Have a representative participate on the Building Manager’s Evacuation Committee to assist with planning and identifying areas of concern

Preparedness:

  • Staff familiar with fire and life safety policies and responsibilities, to include use of portable fire extinguishers
  • Identify the closest two exits to your work location
  • Identify escape routes to the nearest exits
  • Identify where the fire alarm pull station and fire extinguishers are located
  • Know where the outside evacuation assembly point is for the building
  • Report to [College/School/Department name] Director any obstructions or limitations to the evacuation routes
  • Evacuation maps posted in each room
  • OSU Bridge Training: