The duty of creating effective and comprehensive evacuation plans is immense. Not only does a plan need to be appropriately designed and written, it also needs to be well-communicated to employees. Employee training, manuals, and evacuation drills guarantee that procedures are executed in an organized and timely manner. Make sure that all evacuation information is accessible to each employee and consider having the information translated for non-English speakers or those with disabilities. Similarly, with emergency notification systems (like public address or alarm systems) make certain that all employees understand their meaning.

Delegating responsibility to chosen emergency assistants and instituting a hierarchical system helps minimize chaos and manage personnel. Public safety experts recommend periodic reassessment of evacuation plans and installation of new evacuation plans when company facilities change or offices move. Current employees must be made aware of any changes and new employees must receive a personal introduction to a companyís most current evacuation plan.

Evacuation plans need to establish who orders an evacuation, procedures for reporting the emergency, important contact names and telephone numbers, responsibilities of emergency assistants, exit routes, rules for securing the facility upon exit, a designated meeting location and substitute communication center. Since not every emergency requires total evacuation, a plan should also be instated for partial-evacuation procedures. In addition, evacuation planners should develop an in-facility emergency plan if employees are restricted to one area of a building. In this situation, disaster relief kits are necessary should water, food or other vital resources become scarce. Planning for worst-case scenarios in a logical and thorough fashion prevents further confusion and injury during an emergency evacuation.

The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reports that employers are permitted to inquire as to special needs of elderly and disabled employees requiring special assistance during an evacuation. Although all medical information must be kept confidential, employers are allowed under the Americans with Disabilities Act to gather this information to ensure employee safety during an emergency exit. For more information regarding this issue, visit http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/evacuation.html .

Public safety experts recommend that company leaders seek input from employees when anticipating risks and preparing evacuation plans. Consulting the building supervisor or owner is another way to gather information. Also, create opportunities to discuss evacuation planning with other company leaders or emergency professionals and maintain a frequent dialogue among employees to prepare the best and most efficient evacuation plan for your company. Various external resources are available to the public regarding evacuation planning, such as The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and The Department of Labor's Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) websites.