Campus wide fire drills

Dear students, faculty and staff,

In order to meet State and Federal regulations, the Environmental Health and Safety Office, in coordination with the UIC Police and UIC Facilities Management, will conduct evacuation drills for all UIC buildings beginning Tuesday, Sept. 10, through Thursday, Sept. 12, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The hospital and clinics will not participate, nor will buildings that have already had a planned evacuation drill or have already scheduled an evacuation drill for the current year.  All other buildings will have an evacuation drill on one of the above dates.

A building evacuation goes into effect in the event of a fire or other emergency that requires all occupants to immediately leave the building to ensure their safety.  Please refer to the evacuation guidelines below and to the Emergency Evacuation Route maps, which you can find by the main elevator lobby of each floor in all buildings or in the main lobby of those buildings that do not have an elevator.

Building Evacuation

In preparation for any event that may require you to evacuate a building, know what you should do beforehand, so you’re prepared to evacuate safely and efficiently.

• Identify the two nearest exits for your area.  It’s important to know two exit paths should you find one blocked by smoke, fire or other hazards.
• Identify the location of the nearest fire alarm pull-station if they exist in your building.  This is the best way to alert others about a fire.
• Follow instructions of emergency services personnel, including UIC Police, Chicago Fire Department, UIC Environmental Health and Safety Office, or other responding agencies.
• When the fire alarm is activated, leave immediately through the nearest and safest exit.  Do not attempt to use elevators.
• If you’re not able to evacuate without assistance, proceed to the nearest stairwell and wait there to be evacuated by a member of the Chicago Fire Department.  Once you are in the stairwell, use a cell phone to call UIC Police at 312-355-5555.  Be prepared to tell them your exact location, name, cell phone number and any other information needed to assist in evacuation.
• As you evacuate, close, but do not lock, all doors to slow the spread of smoke and fire. Once outside, move to the building’s Evacuation Assembly Area as noted on the Emergency Evacuation Route maps that are posted at your building.
• Once safely outside, call UIC Police at 312-355-5555 to alert them to the activated alarm.  Be prepared to tell them the name and address of the building.
• DO NOT reenter the building until authorized emergency personnel give the “all clear” signal.

Thank you in advance for your participation.

Although these are planned drills, it is important to treat each alarm as a true emergency.  It is safer to evacuate and find out there is no emergency than to remain in the building and find out that there is.

John Coronado
Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services

For more information, please contact:
Marco Navarro
mnava@uic.edu