Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

After Evacuation

  • 06/01/19

In the case of an emergency requiring evacuation of a facility, another important aspect to include in emergency plans is where occupants should go and gather in order to determine that everyone has safely left the building. To ensure the fastest, most accurate accountability of building occupants, consider including these steps in your emergency action plan:

  • Designate assembly areas or areas, both inside and outside of the building, where people should gather after evacuating. Assembly locations within the building are often referred to as “areas of refuge.” Make sure your assembly area has sufficient space to accommodate everyone. Exterior assembly areas, used when the building must be partially or completely evacuated, are typically located in parking lots or other open areas.
  • Take a head count after the evacuation. Identify the names and last known locations of anyone not accounted for and pass them to the officials in charge. Accounting for all building occupants following an evacuation is critical. Confusion in the assembly areas can lead to delays in rescuing anyone trapped in the building or unnecessary search-and-rescue operations.
  • Establish a method for accounting for individuals who may not be residents of the facility.
  • Establish procedures for further evacuation in case the incident expands. This may consist of sending people off campus by normal means or providing them with transportation to an offsite location.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management June 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Phoenix School District Breaks Ground on New Prep Academy

    The Creighton Elementary School District near Phoenix, Ariz., recently broke ground on a campus replacement for Biltmore Preparatory Academy, according to a news release. The new space will allow the school to expand its enrollment by 50 percent for K–8 students and accommodate modern, collaborative learning styles.

  • UCF Modernizes College of Hospitality Management

    The University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fla., recently completed a major renovation effort for the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, according to a news release. The project modernized 77,600 square feet worth of academic classrooms, teaching labs, and collaborative spaces to support both students and faculty.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Facilities and Construction Brief Survey

    Spaces4Learning recently launched the 2026 Facilities and Construction Brief Survey, which collects data on the previous year’s K–12 and higher education construction projects nationwide.

  • UPenn Announces Completion of New Veterinary Education Facility

    The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn., recently finished construction on an 11,800-square-foot veterinary education building, according to a news release. The Gail P. Riepe Center for Advanced Veterinary Education is the first dedicated classroom facility at the New Bolton Center, a large-animal hospital and campus about 35 miles west of the campus proper.