This document provides guidance for assisting disabled individuals during emergency evacuations. It discusses considerations for various disabilities including vision, hearing, mobility and cognitive impairments. Key recommendations include asking individuals what assistance they need, being patient and clear with communication, and providing guidance through evacuation routes. Special care may be required for individuals with service animals, psychiatric conditions or medical issues.

1. IIPP Quarterly Training
Assisting Disabled Individuals During Emergency Evacuations
Intended to provide Primary Care Employees with information that will help them to
assist disabled individuals during emergency situations.
Common Examples:
Vision Impairment
Individuals With Service Animals
Hearing Impairment
Cognitive & Psychiatric Disabilities
Mobility Impairments
Crutch & Cane Users
Wheelchair Users
General Considerations:
Individuals with disabilities generally know the best way to be assisted. Asking them
what they may need is the best place to start. Some require minimal assistance (e.g.
blind or deaf generally can use the stairs to exit the facility if notified of the need to
evacuate). If a disability is recognizable, approach the individual and ask if they need
assistance. In all emergency situations, one has to make a judgment call. Your best ally
during any emergency is simple common sense.
Assisting Vision Impaired Individuals
Blind or low vision Individuals may require assistance exiting the building and following
emergency evacuation routes. Individuals familiar with the building and orientation in
normal conditions may lose sound clues they typically rely on if an alarm is sounding.
Blind and low vision individuals may become disoriented if an alternative route is
required.
Basics When Assisting Individuals with Vision Impairments:
Announce Your Presence
Speak Directly And Clearly To Individual
Offer Assistance
Let Individual Explain What Help Is Needed
Describe Actions & Procedures In Advance
Use A Wide Beam Flashlight To Guide Individuals (If Available)
After Exiting Building Lead Individuals With Impaired Vision To Designated
Area of Refuge
Remain With Individuals Until Emergency Is Over (If Possible)
Created by holle_s Page 1 of 3 3/22/2012

2. IIPP Quarterly Training
Assisting Disabled Individuals During Emergency Evacuations
Sight Guided Technique
Touch the individual’s elbow, forearm, or hand with the back of your hand. The individual
will grasp your arm above the elbow with their fingers on the inside of your arm near
your body and their thumb on the outside. Be sure to mention stairs, doorways, narrow
passages, ramps, and any other obstructions.
Assisting Individuals with Service Animals
Service Animals may become confused, panicked, frightened or disoriented during
emergencies. Service Animal guide owners may need to use alternative ways to move
through the emergency evacuation environment. Owners should keep Service Animal
guides confined or securely leashed or harnessed.
Under no circumstances should a DPH employee attempt to control or restrain the
service animal. Trying to handle any animal under stress could result in an injury
to you, the owner, and the animal. Immediately notify Security if the owner is
unable to control their service animal.
Assisting Hearing Impaired Individuals
Tap Individual On Shoulder
Point To The Visible Alarm
Use Facial Expressions & Hand Gestures As Visual Cues
Do Not Cover Or Turn Your Face Away
Check To See If You Have Been Understood
Offer Pencil & Paper (If Available): Written Communication May Be Important
Be Patient: Individuals May Have Difficulty Comprehending Message Urgency
Assisting Individuals with Cognitive Disabilities
Individuals with learning disabilities may have difficulty in recognizing and responding to
an emergency situation. Individuals with cognitive disabilities may become confused
when challenged with unusual activities that occur during emergencies and may have
difficulty in responding to instructions that involve more than simple procedures.
Be Prepared to Talk: Visual Perception Of Written Instructions Or Signs May
Be Confused
Sense Of Direction May Be Limited: Assist If Necessary
Keep Emergency Information Simple
Simple Signals May Be Helpful
Individuals Should Be Treated As Adults With Cognitive Or Learning
Disabilities. Speak Carefully But Do Not Patronize.
Created by holle_s Page 2 of 3 3/22/2012

3. IIPP Quarterly Training
Assisting Disabled Individuals During Emergency Evacuations
Assisting Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities
Individuals with psychiatric disabilities may experience and express panic, fear,
confusion, thought processing and memory difficulties, agitation, paranoia, crying,
pacing, shouting, depression, withdrawal, irritability, anxiety, and shaking. These
reactions may increase in severity during an emergency. Do not attempt to reason with
an individual in acute psychiatric distress. Notify Security if individuals become
combative, belligerent, or refuse to comply with emergency instructions.
Assisting Individuals with Mobility Impairments
Individuals have varying degrees of mobility impairments, ranging from slow walkers to
wheelchair users.
Crutch & Cane Users may be able to use the stairs. One hand is used to grasp the
handrail while the other is used for the crutch or cane. The best practice is allowing the
individual to move independently unless requested to assist them.
Wheelchair Users: In an actual emergency, it may be necessary to leave a chair behind
during evacuation. During Drill conditions, a wheelchair user should not be separated
from their chair.
Other Considerations
Individuals who tire easily due to medical conditions, such as respiratory disorders or
pregnancy, may need special assistance or more time to evacuate:
Respiratory Disorders: Asthma & Emphysema Onset of symptoms can be triggered
by stress, exertion, and exposure to dust or smoke. Remind individual to bring inhalation
medication before leaving the work place.
Cardiac Conditions Remind Individuals to take their medications with them during
evacuation. Offer them assistance.
Pregnancy can result in reduced stamina or impaired mobility, especially while using
stairs. Offer assistance and remain with individual until you have reached safety.
Created by holle_s Page 3 of 3 3/22/2012