Evacuations

Dealing with emergency evacuations

Prepare emergency evacuation plans so that 4-H members, Minnesota 4-H volunteers and Extension employees can be evacuated quickly and efficiently in the event of an emergency. Causes for evacuation could be fire, unfamiliar packages, bomb threats, explosions, flood, severe weather, toxic gas or fumes, electrical failure or other emergencies that would require the evacuation of a building or an area.

Consider three evacuation scenarios

1. In-place evacuation. Keep 4-H members, Minnesota 4-H Volunteers and Extension employees in place by securing the location for the emergency at hand.

2. On-site evacuation. Move 4-H members, Minnesota 4-H volunteers and Extension employees out of buildings/play areas/etc. affected and relocate to other areas on the premises.

3. Off-site evacuation. Move all the 4-H members, Minnesota 4-H volunteers and Extension employees completely off site to other designated areas.

Evacuation plans should include

• • Authority

  • Assignment of responsibilities

  • Evacuation procedures and locations

  • Evacuation of handicapped

  • Evacuation routes

  • Collection points

  • Accounting for all 4-H members, Minnesota 4-H Volunteers and Extension employees

In an evacuation, Extension employees & volunteers must

1. Call 911, indicating the need for assistance from the local fire department and law enforcement.

2. Report unidentified or suspicious objects to the authorities.

3. For bomb threats:

   • Telephone  threats: Record as much information as possible, which could include potential location of bomb, exact time of the explosion, description of the appearance of the bomb and the caller’s name and location

   • Written threats: Handle the threat as little as possible and save all the materials as they were received, then turn all materials involved over to authorities.

4. Take head counts to make certain all 4-H members, Minnesota 4-H volunteers and Extension employees are accounted for and are safe.

5. Evacuate everyone at the program/activity to an area as designated above in the evacuation scenarios.

6. Take a second head count for 4-H members, Minnesota 4-H volunteers and Extension employees in new designated area.

7. Do not approach or re-enter the building until consulting with and receiving approval from the proper authorities

8. Notify the first contact or alternate listed on the Minnesota 4-H Volunteer and Extension employee staff emergency contact as soon as possible if the evacuation constitutes an emergency.

Contact

Pat Morreim, program manager, morre002@umn.edu, 763-427-5428