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General Emergency Procedures

Building evacuation

Contact your building manager as soon as possible (ahead of any possible emergency) if you do not know location of your building’s assembly area.

Localized events, such as a single building fire re a chemical release require evacuation of the immediate area. UCLA Fire or UCPS will direct the building evacuation. During an evacuation Transportation and Parking Services and UCPD will direct traffic at major intersections to maintain a smooth flow of vehicles.

If a building evacuation is necessary, the following steps should be observed:

  1. Emergency procedures and state law require that everyone exit a building when the alarm is activated
  2. Evacuation procedures should be followed according to your department’s plan.
  3. Be aware of all exits from your area and building. Know the routes from your work area.
  4. Do not use elevators for fire/earthquake evacuation because they may be damaged and unreliable.
  5. Proceed toward the nearest safe exit. Take your purse, briefcase, backpack and keys with you if possible.
  6. Assist persons who are disabled to exit the building.
  7. After exiting your building go directly to your pre-arranged assembly area. If that area is no longer safe, determine the safest place away from imminent danger.
  8. Wait for instructions from emergency personnel. DO NOT return to your building until notified by emergency personnel.

Evacuation of persons with disabilities

During emergencies when an elevator is not available for use, the following procedures have been developed to handle situations in multi-story buildings for those unable to use the stairs.

  1. When the fire alarm is activated, designated personnel should assist/escort individuals with mobility, visual, and hearing disabilities to a safe location (enclosed stairwell landing that leads to an exterior exit at the ground level).
  2. Someone should remain with the individual while another person notifies arriving emergency personnel of the location of anyone who needs assistance.
  3. The instructions of the emergency responder should be followed, and no attempt should be made to move the individual to another building level unless there is imminent danger, e.g., there is heavy smoke in the stairwell.

  4. Individuals unable to utilize the stairs and working alone should call 911 and report the location of their planned refuge (stairwell landing).

  5. Anyone unable to reach a stairwell (for instance due to smoke), should close all doors into their area, call 911 and wait for emergency personnel to arrive.
  • Evacuation for persons with disabilities (with visual aids or video)
  • Assembly areas map (downloadable PDF or interactive)

Civil Disturbance or Demonstration

  1. Avoid provoking or obstructing the demonstrators.
  2. Avoid any area of disturbance.
  3. If a class, lecture or your workplace is disrupted, the offending person(s) should be requested to leave. If they refuse, call 911.
  4. Continue with your normal routine. Stay away from doors or windows if a disturbance is outside.

Shelter-in-Place

Shelter-in-place means to seek immediate shelter inside a building. This action may be taken during a release of hazardous materials to the outside air, severe weather, hostage situation, or other emergency. For shelter-in-place due to violence in progress, see the tab “Active Shooter.”
 

If you are ever advised to shelter-in-place: 

For any chemical/biological hazard:

  • Turn off all fans, heating and air conditioning systems.
  • Be prepared to improvise and use what you have on hand to seal gaps so that you can create a barrier between yourself and the contamination.

Identify a location where the door locks, opens inward and has furniture to barricade the door, preferably with little to no windows.

Make sure your shelter-in-place location(s) are equipped with extra food, water and medication in case the shelter-in-place lasts several hours/days.

Choosing a room/lab to shelter in place.

  • Select a small, interior room, with no or few windows.
  • Choose a room in which exterior doors and windows close completely.

Stay inside the room until you have received an “all clear” via BruinAlert and check Bruins Safe Online.