Instructions
A. In case of a fire or smoke condition stay calm and do the following:
- Pull the fire alarm box
- Call the Fire Department (911), and
- Notify Public Safety either via Emergency Number (212) 772-4444 or press the button on the Talk Alert box.
- Then, follow the procedures listed below:
B. Procedure
- Evacuate your area.
- Close, but do not lock the doors behind you.
- Follow instructions transmitted over the Public Address system.
- Proceed to evacuate the building through designated exit areas.
- Before entering a stairwell touch the door with the palm of your hand. If the door feels warm or hot do not enter the stairwell. Proceed to the next stairwell.
- When leaving the building keep your head turned to the center of the stairway.
- Walk downstairs-do not run. Remain calm-do not panic.
- Only use elevators when authorized to do so by the Fire Department.
- When using the down escalators make long wide turns going from one escalator to the next escalator in order to prevent pedestrian congestion.
- When you are outside the building, move away from the entrance approximately 200ft.
- Public Safety will notify you when the building is safe and then you may re-enter.
Hunter College Department of Public Safety Fire Safety Plan for the Physically Challenged
The Fire Safety Plan for the physically challenged is established for the safety of the physically challenged members of the Hunter College community and physically challenged visitors to the college in the event of a fire or other life-threatening emergency. This plan will be implemented in any situation in which there may be a need to relocate physically challenged individuals to a safe location.
The Fire Safety Plan for the Physically Challenged identifies the New York City Fire Department as the agency having the primary responsibility for relocating any physically challenged person from an endangered floor to a safe location.
However, if the Fire Department or other New York emergency agency response is not exercised in a timely fashion, and the situation requires immediate removal of physically challenged individuals, Public safety personnel will transport such individual(s) to a safe location. The Fire Safety Plan for the Physically Challenged is part of the Hunter College Fire Safety Plan. All faculty, staff and students are advised to read and be fully familiar with the entire Fire Safety Plan.
Instructions
A. In case of a fire or smoke condition, do the following:
- Pull the fire alarm box.
- Call the Fire Department (911), and
- Notify Public Safety either Emergency Number (212) 772-4444) or press the button on the Talk Alert Box.
- Then Follow these procedures:
B. Procedure for the Physically Challenged
- During an emergency, the entire floor may or may not need to be evacuated. In either case, when you hear the emergency alarm, assemble by any exit door near the elevators.
- Do not enter the stairwell. Do not use the elevator unless directed by the Fire Department.
Relocation Procedures for the Physically Challenged
If it is necessary to evacuate the entire floor, a member of the Fire Department will Search the entire floor to locate physically challenged individuals. The emergency Personnel will remove you to a safe location by the elevator or stairwell. The sign marked “You Are Here Sign” containing these procedures shall be placed on each floor.
Other Precautions
- Remain calm. Your safety and the security of others depend on the absence of panic.
- Before entering any stairwell, touch the door with the palm of your hand. If the door feels warm or hot do not enter the stairwell. Proceed to the next stairwell.
- If you cannot reach the stairwell near an elevator, and you are in an office or classroom and have access to a phone, call Public Safety at (212) 772-4444 or press the button on the Talk Alert or call 911.
- If you are in an area with a door and cannot reach an exit near the elevators, seal the crack around the door with rags or clothing.
What Emergency Personnel Will Do
The Fire Warden, Fire Searchers, Public Safety Officers or a member of the Fire Brigade will report your location to the fire command station. The Fire Safety Director manning the fire command station will inform the Fire Department of your location.
If you are in need of relocation and the Fire Department is not available to relocate You, a member of the Public Safety Department will relocate you in a safe location.
If necessary, you will be relocated to a safe floor or taken out of the building.
Training and Orientation
A. Training
Public Safety personnel are trained in the proper methods for safe lifting and carrying of physically challenged individuals. (See Assembling and Relocation Procedures).
B. Orientation
Orientation to the Fire Safety plan, including the relocation procedures, will be provided for the physically challenged faculty, students, and staff yearly under the auspices of the 504 committee. Orientation for the new physically challenged students will be included in the orientation program for entering freshman. Instructions regarding the Fire Safety Plan and Relocation Procedures will be included in the regularly conducted fire drills.
Locating Physically Challenged Individuals
Public Safety maintains class schedules for the physically challenged and work Schedules for physically disabled faculty and staff. These schedules will be used to assist emergency personnel to locate disabled individuals in an emergency.
Students are responsible for reporting their class schedules, work schedules, and schedule changes to the Coordinator of the Office of Access and Accommodations located in the East Building room E-1124.
Physically challenged faculty and staff are responsible for reporting their work schedules and any changes to the Director of Human Resources located in the East Building room 1502 A.
Responsibility for Implementation
The Director of the Department of Public safety is responsible for the Implementation of the Fire Safety Plan.
Distribution of Fire Safety Plan for Physically Challenged
The Hunter College Fire Safety Plan for Physically Challenged Individuals will be distributed to all physically challenged faculty, students and staff.
Assembling and Relocation Procedures
When there is a fire alarm in one of the college’s buildings, physically challenged individuals who are unable to walk down steps should assemble at one of the Physically Challenged Individuals Fire Emergency Assembly Areas (P.C.I.F.E.A.A.)
These areas are located on every floor of Hunter College’s buildings near the two stairwells closet to the elevators. Please look for the signs marked “Physically Challenged Individuals Fire Emergency Assembly Area.”
During a fire alarm, fire wardens, fire searchers and Public safety personnel have been directed to communicate the number, the location, and the status of all physically challenged individuals via Fire Warden Phones or through Public Safety personnel at the Fire Command Station. The Fire Safety Director or Public Safety Officer at the Fire Command Station will notify members of the New York City Fire Department that responds to the building of the status of all physically challenged individuals in the building.
No person should ever use an elevator in a fire unless directed by Fire Department personnel. The New York City Fire Department has stated that they have the primary responsibility to determine if elevators can be used to transport physically challenged individuals during fire emergencies. Fire Department officials also state that they are responsible for relocating physically challenged individuals to a safe location if such action is deemed necessary.
The New York City Fire Department considers transporting physically challenged individuals in an emergency a very risky procedure. The relocation process may subject physically disabled individuals and those assisting to transport them to sustain injuries. However, if it is necessary to relocate physically challenged individuals during an emergency, the Fire Department will handle the relocation using safe procedures and experienced Fire Department personnel.
If the elevators have been deemed safe by The New York City Fire Department to be used for transporting physically challenged individuals during a fire alarm all assembled individuals will be relocated to a safer area. The New York City Fire Department considers use of elevators to be the best method of relocation because it is practical, safe and efficient. This explains the Fire Departments position of advocating emergency assembly areas fir physically challenged individuals. The Fire Department often refers to this type of assembly area as a refuge area.
If there have been excessive alarms activated in the building it may be the result of either a system function that was activated but response by the Fire Department was not necessary such as cigarette smoke near a smoke detector or an unwarranted alarm due to a system malfunction. If there is no imminent threat of danger from fire or smoke the Fire Department does not automatically recommend the evacuation of physically challenged individuals outside the building. In most cases, the Fire Department would recommend that such individuals be moved to a safe location within the building.
If you have any questions regarding the standards used to determine the need for evacuating the buildings, contact the Director of Public Safety at (212) 772-4521.
When Public Safety Officers will Relocate Physically Challenged Individuals
If, for any reason, a physically challenged individual is in imminent danger due to fire, smoke, or any other life-threatening situation on campus, and members of the Fire Department are not present to relocate the physically challenged individual, Public Safety Officers and other members of the Fire Brigade will assume the responsibility of relocating that individual to a safe location.
Public Safety Officers and members of the Fire Brigade operating under the direction of the Fire Safety Director will take command and take immediate action to relocate physically challenged individuals to a safe location.
Note: The Public Safety Officer in charge of the evacuation process will determine the number of carriers needed to relocate a physically challenged individual. Factors to be considered when making these assignments will be weight of physically challenged individual, the weight of the wheelchair, the width of the staircase and any other factors that are deemed necessary to successfully carry out these functions without incident.
Procedures
Person Who Is Visually Impaired
A physically challenged person who is visually impaired and has to be relocated but is able to walk downstairs, will be personally escorted to a safe location by either a Public Safety Officer, a Fire Warden, a Fire Searcher, or a member of the college Fire Brigade.
Person Who Is Hearing Impaired
A person who is hearing impaired will be alerted to a fire alarm by either blinking strobe lights, a Public Safety Officer, a Fire Warden, a Fire Searcher, or a member of the Fire Brigade. A person who is hearing impaired and has to be relocated but is able to walk downstairs, will be escorted to a safe location by either a Public Safety Officer, a Fire Warden, a Fire Searcher, or a member of the college Fire Brigade.
Lifting and Carrying Physically Challenged Individuals
Before lifting any physically challenged person, when possible ask the physically challenged person how they should be lifted. A physically challenged person knows better than anyone else how she/he should be lifted or carried in order to avoid any unnecessary injuries to herself/himself.
For Your Safety
All Hunter College buildings are equipped with Fire Emergency notification devices. It is the responsibility of everyone to become familiar with their locations and their uses. These Fire Emergency notification devices consists of the following:
Fire Alarm
The Fire Alarm Pull Stations are small red boxes. They are mounted on the walls and located next to a fire exit. Printed on these pull stations is “Pull Here In Case Of Fire”. To activate the Fire Alarm Pull station, follow these steps:
Pull down the white lever on the Fire Alarm Pull Station box. This will cause the fire alarm to sound on that floor and the floor above. In addition, it will send a signal to the Fire Command Station indicating the location of activation. The Fire Safety Director at the Fire Command Station will carry out the fire emergency procedures. Familiarize yourself with the Fire Alarm Pull Stations so in an event of a fire you will know where they are located.
During a fire alarm, Fire Wardens, Fire Searchers and Public Safety Officers have been directed to communicate the number, the location, and status of all physically challenged individuals via Fire Warden Phones to the Fire Command Station. The Fire Safety Director will notify members of the New York City Department regarding the status of all Physically Challenged Individuals in the building as soon as the Fire Department arrives on campus.
No person should ever use the elevator unless directed by the Fire Department personnel. Using the elevator in a fire is extremely dangerous and Hunter College has been informed by the Fire Department that the use of elevators in a fire has, in many incidents, resulted in unfortunate deaths of many people.
The New York City Fire Department will be responsible for the relocation of physically challenged individuals to a safe location if deemed necessary. The Fire Department considers relocation of physically challenged individuals to be very hazardous during an emergency. The relocation process may subject individuals to sustain injuries or have accidents.
If the elevators can be used during a fire alarm, the Fire Department considers this the best method of relocation because it is practical, safe and efficient. This explains the Fire Department’s position of advocating emergency assembly areas for physically challenged individuals. The Fire Department refers to this type of assembly area as a refuge area.
When there is report of a fire alarm in the building and physically challenged individual is not specifically in any danger from the fire or smoke condition, the Fire Department does not automatically recommend a full building evacuation, rather relocation to a safe area within the building.
Note: It is imperative that every member of the Hunter College community understand the protocol of the New York City Fire Department for evacuation of a building that is experiencing a fire. Everyone in the building should not automatically evacuate to the street or be relocated within the building. This is the policy for both physically challenged and non-physically challenged individuals.
If you have any questions regarding the various parameters used to evaluate the necessity of evacuations and relocations, please consult with the Fire Safety Director at (212) 772-4521.
 Return to: General Information
Return to: Student Rights and School Policies |
