FIRE DRILLS

Fire drills are designed to avoid confusion and ensure the evacuation of all occupants during a fire. Such drills are required annually in public buildings by the Ohio Fire Code. Accordingly, Access Control, Fire Prevention, & Security Systems works with departments and colleges to schedule and facilitate fire drills for applicable University facilities on a prescribed basis. The CSU Police Department assists ACFP&SS in conducting the actual drills.

Please follow these basic instructions when evacuating from a building:

• Take your valuable and critical personal items that are easily accessible. 
• Proceed calmly, but quickly, to the nearest emergency exit MARKED BY “FIRE EXIT” SIGNS and head to your building’s Designated Meeting Area.
• Do not use elevators.  Use stairways only.
• Keep to the right side of corridors and stairwells as you exit.
• If you are unable to use the stairs for evacuation, do not attempt to use the elevators. 
  • Instead, proceed to the nearest Area of Rescue Assistance or the closest stairwell MARKED BY A “FIRE EXIT” SIGN for evacuation.
  • Once you arrive at the stairwell, please wait on the landing and either press the emergency call button (when available), or call 216-687-2020, or use the Rave Guardian app [Link: https://www.csuohio.edu/police/rave-guardian] to make Campus Safety and/or Emergency Responders aware of your location. 
  • In the event you are unable to open the door to enter the stair well, you should wait next to the door out of the path of proceeding traffic and contact Campus Safety. 
  • Once you arrive at the waiting area for evacuation assistance, you should remain in place until emergency responders arrive.

Please be aware that for drills, individuals that have sheltered in the Area of Rescue Assistance will not be physically evacuated from the building. Instead, the Emergency Responder conducting the sweep will confirm that you are in the correct/designated rescue location for that building. In the event you have concerns about the evacuation plan or rescue location following a drill, please contact the Office of Disability Services by phone, 216.687.2015 or email, ods@csuohio.edu as soon as possible.

• Once outside, do not re-enter the building until emergency personnel give the “All Clear” instruction.

For more information on how to prepare for an emergency, review your department’s Building Emergency Plan or visit https://www.csuohio.edu/emergency-management/emergency

Prior to conducting a fire drill, ACFP&SS notifies the Cleveland Fire Department (CFD) and CSU Police Dispatch that a drill is being conducted.

AC&SS staff and CSU Police and Security Officers take strategic posts in and around the building where evaluations can be made of occupant behavior as they exit. Key observations include the time the drill begins, whether occupants move calmly and quickly to exits, if attempts are made to remain in the building, use the elevators or actually enter the building, and assessments of the fire safety systems (audible alarms sounding properly, strobe lights are working if present, CSU Police Dispatch receives proper alarms on their equipment, etc…), the time the drill ends. The approximate number of occupants evacuated is also recorded.

Any items noted that are contrary to acceptable evacuation procedures are documented and brought to the attention of the appropriate department administrator in writing.