Emergency Evacuation Wardens Responsibilities

Each department in the company is required to nominate two staff member to be appointed an emergency evacuation warden and alternate emergency warden respectively.

Once they have passed the relevant training they should be formally appointed by the appropriate senior official in charge of emergency response at the company.

The emergency evacuation wardens are appointed to coordinate the evacuation of the building in case of an emergency.

Duties of an Emergency Evacuation Warden

The following is a summary of the duties of an emergency evacuation warden:

1. In case of an emergency, the emergency evacuation warden must wear an identification vests that will identify him/her to the occupants of the building.

2. The emergency evacuation warden should assist the occupants to evacuate the building safely without endangering his/her own life. He/she should check all offices, restrooms, tea rooms, cafeterias and any other places in his/her area of responsibility to ensure that nobody is left in the area under his/her jurisdiction. Beginning at the farthest reaches of the area and assure that the occupants ahead of him/her have evacuated. The warden should conduct a quick search as he/she proceeds to make sure hazardous equipment is shut off, doors are closed and no one is left behind. If there is smoke in the hall, stay low, cover his/her mouth with a cloth or handkerchief, visualize where the exits are, stay close to and use the wall as a guide so he/she do not become confused. If there is no smoke, the warden may have trouble getting people to evacuate. Be strong, positive and insistent. Visitors who may not be familiar with this plan must be informed of the requirement to evacuate.

3. The emergency evacuation warden should direct occupants to the exits and remind them to assemble at the assembly point. If there are warden assistants or helpers, they should be stationed in front of the elevators to make sure no one attempts to use it. The Warden should instruct everyone not to go to the roof unless it is the only way out. There are often too many obstructions for a helicopter rescue. If a stairway is full of smoke, if possible, go to another stairway.

4. The emergency evacuation warden is responsible to go to the assembly point and make a headcount, if anyone is reported missing, he/she must inform the emergency commander and coordinate with the emergency chief for the search and rescue effort. At the assembly point the warden must record the headcount by using the Warden Headcount Checklist to account for all occupants in their individual area of responsibility. The warden should immediately report to the evacuation commander any missing persons on his/her list and their last known location.

5. The emergency evacuation warden should make sure that all the doors are closed but not locked. He/she should not allow the stairway doors and other exit doors to be blocked or wedged open.

6. Special attention needs to be given to any persons with special needs, in particular those who are visitors and unfamiliar with the building. The best process to follow includes that they are personally notified and accounted for.

7. The emergency evacuation warden must switch off the main electric breakers in the building in case of electrical fire if the specific task has been expressly allocated to him/her.

8. If somebody is injured in the building the warden should direct the rescue team to the location for them to conduct the rescue.

9. The emergency evacuation warden should report to the emergency commander and provide him/her with any information about the location of the fire, injury, or other emergency source.

10. The emergency evacuation warden should meet with the emergency commander for the critique meeting immediately after the emergency.

Conclusion to Emergency Wardens

Any evacuation plan depends heavily on the work that the emergency evacuation wardens perform. If they are not properly trained or do not understand their roles and responsibilities clearly an evacuation could be a disastrous event in itself.

The key to ensure that emergency evacuation wardens understand their roles and responsibilities are to practice over and over again. At the conclusion of each practice session a critique session should be held where the deviations are discussed.

If enough practice sessions are done emergency evacuation wardens will be able to instinctively act correctly during a real emergency evacuation and in the process safe many lives.

© 2009 Carl Marx