Building Emergency Procedures and Resources

The UW Police Department provides the Active Threat/Shooter Guide that includes safety tips and actions for preparing for and responding to an active threat situation.

Demonstrations and protests are common at universities.  Most are a peaceful attempts to raise awareness of a particular issue.  Occasionally demonstrations begin peacefully and then turn violent resulting in property damage and personal injury. 

The University provides the following instructions to help UW personnel, students and visitors prepare for responding to an emergency on the Seattle campus. University units and departments can modify these instructions for their specific location(s) and add them to their Fire Safety and Evacuation Plans.

Below are some guidelines on how to respond and react to demonstrations. 

Interacting with Demonstrators

• Do not provoke, obstruct, or get into verbal altercations with the demonstrators.
• Move away from potentially dangerous areas if a demonstration is becoming violent.

Maintaining Security

• When you leave your office or lab always close and lock doors.
• Do not allow others to follow you into secured areas.
• If necessary, have the building coordinator/facility manager secure your building or area:
  • Lock exterior doors.
  • Reprogram your campus automated access management system (CAAMS).
• For scheduled demonstrations on the Seattle campus, contact University Police Department (206-685-8973) if you feel you will need additional security.

When to Call 9-1-1:

• If there is a disruption to teaching, research, or work
• If demonstrators obstruct sidewalks or doorways
• If you feel threatened or passers-by are being harassed
• If you see suspicious, criminal or destructive activity
• If violence appears imminent or has erupted

Elevators are one of the safest forms of transportation; however, it is important to be prepared to help ensure passenger safety in the event an elevator stops working.

The University provides the following instructions to help UW personnel, students and visitors prepare for responding to an emergency on the Seattle campus. University units and departments can modify these instructions for their specific location(s) and add them to their Fire Safety and Evacuation Plans.

If There is a Fire or Power Outage

• Never use an elevator if a fire alarm has been activated. 
• Most elevators will automatically go to a designated floor. 
• Elevators are likely to be out of service in the event of a power failure.
• Emergency lighting will come on inside an elevator if there is a power failure.

If YOU ARE Trapped in an Elevator

• Do not panic.  There is plenty of air in the elevator.
• Don’t pry open closed doors to attempt to climb out.
• Push the “bell” or “alarm” button to alert people outside that there is a problem.
• Use the emergency call panel inside the elevator to call for help. 
  • Use your cellphone to call UW Facilities at 206-685-0200 if the emergency call panel is not working. If your signal is weak, text a friend and ask them to call UW Facilities.
• Call 9-1-1 in case of fire or medical emergency only.

If YOU ARE HELPING Others Trapped in an Elevator

• Listen for a bell or alarm sound, or voices in the elevator. If you can communicate with the trapped individual(s), find out their condition.
• Call 206-685 0200 to reach UW Facilities 24 hours a day.
• Reassure the people who are trapped that help is on the way.
• Call 9-1-1 in case of fire or medical emergency only.

If an Elevator has Stopped Working AND no passengers are inside

• Notify the building coordinator or call UW Facilities at 206-685-0200.
  • Provide the location and details of the issue.
  • Let them know if the elevator outage is preventing individuals with limited mobility from exiting the building.
• Call 9-1-1 in case of fire or medical emergency only.

A hazardous material spill is an uncontrolled release of a substance that is potentially hazardous to humans, animals and/or the environment. University personnel and students working with hazardous materials, including chemicals, biological agents and radiological materials, should be prepared to respond in the event a spill or release occurs.

The University provides the following instructions to help UW personnel, students and visitors prepare for responding to an emergency on the Seattle campus. University units and departments can modify these instructions for their specific location(s) and add them to their Fire Safety and Evacuation Plans.

Emergency spills or releases

If you cause or witness a hazardous material spill that endangers people or may lead to a fire, follow these emergency procedures:

• Activate the fire alarm system. Pull the nearest fire alarm to evacuate the building.  
• Call 9-1-1 as soon as you are safe. Report any details you know about the spill:
  
  • Location
  • Material and physical state (e.g., liquid, powder)
  • Quantity spilled
  • Any known hazardous characteristics
• Provide information such as the safety data sheet (SDS) or a chemical inventory to the fire department once they arrive. The fire department will stabilize the spill but might not clean it up.

Follow the instructions on the Spill Response Poster for biological, chemical and radiological releases (on page 2).

Follow the instructions on the Exposure Response Poster if an exposure to hazardous materials has occurred (on page 3).

• After the incident, schedule an exposure assessment through the UW Employee Health Center (206-685-1026) or your personal healthcare physician.
• Submit an incident report to the University’s Online Accident Reporting System (OARS).
• Contact the Environmental Health & Safety Spill Line at 206-543-0467 for assistance with contacting a spill cleanup contractor who will clean up and safely package the hazardous waste.

Non-emergency spills

If the spill is contained and not endangering persons or property, it may be possible to clean it up yourself.

Call the EH&S spill line at 206-543-0467 for advice during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.); after business hours, call the UW Police Department non-emergency phone number 206-685-UWPD.

Visit the Spills webpage for more information.

Natural gas is a safe and clean source of energy used throughout campus, but like any gas, there is potential for it be released unintentionally. Your response to a natural gas leak will be to evacuate.

The University provides the following instructions to help UW personnel, students and visitors prepare for responding to an emergency on the Seattle campus. University units and departments can modify these instructions for their specific location(s) and add them to their Fire Safety and Evacuation Plans.

Natural Gas

Natural gas is flammable; a gas leak can lead to fire and explosion. Natural gas smells a little like rotten eggs; you can smell it even at very low concentrations. All natural gas odors should be treated seriously.

If you smell natural gas indoors

• Turn off all sources of ignition (open flames, electrical equipment).
• Laboratories: Check gas outlets for open valves and local gas tubing for leaks.
• On the Seattle campus, call UW Facilities at 206-685-1411 (answered 24/7) to investigate building systems and equipment for leaks.

indoor natural gas odor is strong, widespread, and/or quickly worsening

• Evacuate the area. Turn off all sources of ignition (open flames, electrical equipment) as you exit.
• Close local and emergency valves if present. Close all gas outlets and the emergency gas valve for your floor, laboratory, or area (if one exists).
• Activate the fire alarm. If the building is equipped with a fire alarm system, activate the alarm at a pull station.
• Stay out. Do not return to an evacuated building unless told to do so by the on-scene authority (fire department, police department or other authorized personnel).

If you smell natural gas outside

Call 9-1-1 when you smell strong odors or natural gas outdoors.

Other strong odors

Investigate whether the source is isolated in your area. If not, check the hallway and adjacent areas to determine if the odor is widespread.

Take action if the source is obvious and something can be done without putting anyone at risk. For example, eliminate or control the odor by moving a laboratory benchtop procedure to a fume hood.

• Contact Environmental Health & Safety at 206-543-7262 or airquality@uw.edu if you experience symptoms or illness.
• Construction site odors (e.g., diesel fumes, dust, asphalt): Contact UW Facilities at 206-543-5200.
• Tobacco smoke: Contact Environmental Health & Safety at 206-616-1623 or phdept@uw.edu.

Visit the Indoor Air Quality page for more information.

The University provides the following instructions to help UW personnel, students and visitors prepare for responding to an emergency on the Seattle campus. University units and departments can modify these instructions for their specific location(s) and add them to their Fire Safety and Evacuation Plans.

When the power goes out

Visit the UW Alert Blog, tune to KOMO 1000 AM, or call UW 206-547-INFO to get information about the situation. If conditions seem dangerous, evacuate the area and assist others to evacuate as needed. Do not re-enter a building until authorities have determined it safe to do so.

Emergency lighting

• Many buildings are equipped with emergency lighting systems that provide minimal light for exiting, not routine work. Evacuate buildings while these systems are still operating. 
• Emergency pathway lighting is only designed to last about 90 minutes.
• Some buildings on the Seattle campus may have emergency lighting for up to eight hours but many have no emergency power at all.

General procedures for academic buildings

• Assess the extent of the outage in your area.
• Remain calm; provide assistance to others if necessary. Help co-workers in darkened work areas move to safe and lighted locations.
• Exits may be indicated by lighted signs if the emergency power is operating.
• Report the outage to your facility manager. On the UW Seattle campus, call 206-685-1411.
• Open blinds for additional light.
• Open windows for improved ventilation, if needed.
• If possible, shut off power to machinery and equipment that could restart while unattended.
• Don’t use candles, lanterns, charcoal, grills, or anything that uses fuel inside a building.
• Don’t bring emergency generators indoors or near building doors or windows.
• If you are trapped in an elevator on the Seattle campus, use the emergency call panel inside the elevator to call for help. Use your cellphone to call UW Facilities at 206-685-0200 if the emergency call panel is not working.
• Evacuate if the power is anticipated to be out for an extended period of time and work conditions are not safe or exit pathways are not lighted.

Procedures for laboratories, shops, and locations with potentially hazardous materials or conditions

• Shut down equipment and preserve important work.
• Promptly evacuate areas with hazardous materials and equipment.
• Close sashes on fume hoods and biological safety cabinets.
• If possible, cap any open containers of hazardous materials.
• Secure any hazardous materials in transport. 
• Keep refrigerators and freezers closed throughout the outage. If necessary, implement backup procedures such as obtaining dry ice for refrigerators.
• When power is restored, assess your area for potentially hazardous situations, such as devices left “on.” Also do this if power is restored when the facility would normally not be occupied.
• Review the UW Laboratory Safety Manual, Section 9, for additional information.

Procedures for on-campus residential buildings

Follow the procedures above and following instructions from UW Housing & Food Services (HFS).

Responses to types of power outages

The classification of unplanned power outages depends on several factors (expected duration of outage, time of day, time of year, etc.). In general, unplanned power outages can be broken down in terms of severity and probable emergency actions, as follows:

• Minor impacts to individual rooms or small buildings, for periods usually not exceeding 1 day
  • Emergency actions typically include the temporary relocation of directly affected personnel (as necessary) until repairs can be made by facilities management.
     
• Impacts to a small number of buildings for periods exceeding 1 day, or where the outage impairs life safety or heating system needs
  • Assuming the needs of displaced or impacted personnel can be met on campus, emergency actions typically include the temporary relocation of students in affected buildings to other on-campus facilities, and employees being given alternative work assignments or sent home until repairs can be made by facilities management.
     
• Multi-day or multi-building impacts, where the outage impairs life safety or heating system needs
  • Assuming the needs of displaced or impacted personnel cannot be met on campus, emergency actions typically include the temporary relocation of students in affected buildings to other off-campus facilities, and employees being given alternative work assignments or sent home until repairs can be made by facilities management or the utility supply vendor.

No. Any evacuation plan that meets the general intent of the International Fire Code, including an EEOP, is an acceptable substitution for a Fire Safety and Evacuation Plan. The FSEP template provided by EH&S aligns  more closely with the International Fire Code and is easier to complete; however, using the FSEP template is optional. Depending upon workload, EH&S may be able to help a University unit/department convert their existing evacuation plan to the newer template. To request EH&S assistance call 206-685-0341.

There are pre-determined evacuation assembly points designated for the Seattle campus. View a map of all evacuation assembly points for the Seattle campus.
Select an evacuation assembly point that is nearby and within sight of the location where emergency services are anticipated to respond. In some cases, it may be necessary to select two evacuation assembly points (EAPs) so that occupants may take the nearest exit and avoid significant travel around a major building complex. 

Completing a Fire Safety and Evacuation Plan is usually the first step in getting prepared for building emergencies. After completing your plan, you should:

• Distribute the plan (and emergency procedures) to building occupants;
• Identify evacuation wardens;
• Conduct a fire drill and critique drill performance; and
• Take steps to improve response to a building alarm and other emergency scenarios.

The written evacuation plan should be distributed annually and when updated, and used for new employee orientation.

Information about the roles and responsibilities of evacuation directors and evacuation wardens on the Building Evacuations and Fire Drills webpage.