I. Emergency Guidelines for Students with Disabilities

Butler University cannot make any guarantee or representation that its personnel will be able to assist an individual with a disability in the event an emergency evacuation occurs.

Students who are concerned about their ability to safely evacuate in an emergency should utilize every precautionary measure to help ensure their own safety. To this end, students should review the following guidelines and procedures prior to an actual emergency and should convey their evacuation concerns to their instructors and all other relevant university employees. Students must also be prepared to review their evacuation concerns with emergency personnel during an actual emergency situation should the need arise. Students need to familiarize themselves with campus buildings and exits, and should seat themselves near classroom doorways and exits whenever possible. The following guidelines should be followed:

• Students should discuss evacuation issues early in the semester and are encouraged to set up a buddy system for evacuation from the classroom. For nighttime hours, a “three deep buddy system” is recommended which involves three individuals with whom the student is in personal relationship, in close proximity, and who are willing to check on them in an emergency. During an evacuation effort, students who are unable to exit a building on their own accord should remain in an area of refuge, most generally near a stairwell or elevator lobby. Emergency personnel will generally, as a matter of practice, check all exit corridors and stairwells for those who may need assistance. Students with cell phones should pre-program their phones with the BUPD emergency phone number, 940-9999, as this number should be used to report the need for evacuation assistance as well as the student’s physical location on campus. Students should remain calm while waiting and should continue to loudly call for help until assistance arrives.

• Students with physical disabilities are encouraged to consider installing a multi-layered telephone system in their residential room to enhance their ability to contact responders in an emergency situation (i.e., cell phone, land line phone, emergency pendant, etc.)

• Individuals who CANNOT speak loudly or who have voice/speech impairments should carry a whistle or have other means of attracting the attention of others. Emergency whistles are available in Jordan Hall 136.

• All individuals should be familiar with alarm signals.

• NO ONE should re-enter an evacuated building until permitted to do so by emergency personnel.

• Elevators should not be used in an evacuation unless instructed to do so by emergency personnel. Elevators could fail during a fire, earthquake, or flood.

• If an individual suspects fire is behind a door, cover the hand to provide protection, and then test the door by touching it. If the door is hot, it should not be used as an exit; instead, an alternative exit should be located.