Optimizing Emergency Egress to Safe Zones: Planning for a Major Earthquake at the University of Oregon

Abstract

An emergency occurs, an alarm signals the need to exit immediately, and building occupants evacuate. But then what happens next? Presumably evacuees would gather in open areas of relative safety, or "safe zones," where emergency personnel would communicate with staff, provide fIrst aid, prioritize response needs, and announce next steps. The National Response Framework is increasingly becoming integrated into universities' emergency management, but additional guidelines for the development, management, and implementation of campus safe zones are still needed. To address this challenge, case study research of twenty west coast universities was conducted to determine commonalities among campus evacuation planning processes. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis was then used to illustrate opportunities and challenges of safe zone planning at the University ofOregon. This research indicates that while universities share similar planning objectives, collaboration among universities and integration of spatial technology can significantly optimize emergency egress to safe zones.