An evacuation is a fixed sequence that everyone has rehearsed: a trigger that was decided in advance, an unmistakable signal, about 60 seconds to grab a bag and move, a muster and headcount, and then movement in an agreed order. Run a drill every quarter with the slowest members, time it each time and fix whatever slows it, because the first drill is chaotic and the fourth is routine.
Part of Escape Route Planning
Evacuation procedures are the rehearsed steps by which a household or small settlement leaves its home on a signal, counts everyone, and moves along a prepared route.
A Procedure Is What People Do When They Cannot Think
Under stress, people forget things they know perfectly well, and the first seconds are the ones that decide whether everyone gets out. The parent article’s evacuation sequence is: decide the triggers in advance; give a clear, unmistakable signal; on the signal everyone grabs their go-bag and moves to the initial rally point with no detours; count heads there; choose the open route; move in a set order; stop at each intermediate point to count and rest. Three articles cover the parts: Trigger Criteria, Movement Order and Accountability and Headcount.
What You Need
- A signal everyone recognises. The parent article offers continuous horn blasts, a specific whistle pattern repeated three times, a rapidly waved red flag, or a code word that cannot be confused with normal conversation. See Signal Systems.
- A bag for each person by the exit, not in it. See Go-Bag Contents.
- A roster, and a named person responsible for each child and each person who needs help.
- Muster points, near and far; see Initial Rally Point.
- A timer.
Method: The Sequence
Step 1: Signal. For a fire, shout and sound the loud alarm so the sleeping wake; a whispered code word will not wake anyone. For an attack, use the quiet code word so the signal does not tell the attackers you are leaving. Agree both in advance (my addition to the parent article’s list).
Step 2: Grab and go. Everyone takes their bag and moves; no detours to collect belongings. The parent article’s target is 60 seconds from the signal to movement.
Step 3: Muster and count. At the near muster point, then the initial rally point: roster in hand, count by name.
Step 4: Choose the route from the direction of the threat; see Primary and Alternate Routes.
Step 5: Move in order, counting at each intermediate point.
Step 6: Review. After every drill and every real event, write down what went wrong.
Drills
Run them quarterly. Time each one from the signal to the end of the count. The first drill is chaotic; the fourth is routine (the parent article). Vary the conditions: night, rain, one exit blocked, a “missing” person. Include the slowest members and the youngest children, and the pets.
Common Mistakes
- A signal that sleepers do not hear. Test it from the bedrooms with the doors shut.
- Drills only in daylight. Real evacuations are at night.
- A drill that skips the slow. The plan must work for them.
- Everyone running to the same door. Assign exits.
Safety
Drills injure people too
Never rehearse with real fire, smoke or flames. Run drills at a walk in the dark over a cleared floor; falls on stairs and over bags are the likeliest drill injuries. Tell the household before a drill starts, so nobody is frightened by a signal they did not expect, and stop the drill at once if anyone is hurt.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Trigger Criteria — deciding when to go
- Combine with: Movement Order — who goes where in the column