Hospital Evacuation Plan Template

Key principles

In an immediate evacuation, while there is no time for anticipation of the incident, the efforts a hospital makes to adapt to the circumstances are anticipated to help the staff better know what to do without needing specific direction and where to go to protect their patients and themselves. Moving all patients, visitors, and staff out of dangerous and/or damaged facilities as safe as possible is always the goal of an evacuation.

Guidance

• Full evacuation of a hospital should generally be considered as a last resort when mitigation or other emergency response efforts are not expected to maintain a safe care environment.
• Safety is the primary concern.
• Simplicity and flexibility are vital as the staff needs a simple plan to follow in an emergency.
• Employees at every level must be prepared and educated to take immediate action in their area. Timely communication from hospital leaders may be difficult or even impossible.
• It may be necessary to evacuate patient care sites before transportation resources. Hospitals must also identify and designate Assembly Points located away from the main clinical areas for every patient care unit that will accommodate essential patient care functions while transport is being arranged.
• Unit teams are familiar with their patients, therefore will better manage them in a chaotic situation away from the care unit.
• Evacuating patients should be brought to meet their transporting ambulances and other vehicles in rapid-throughput staging areas.
• Leaders and staff must focus on the “greatest good for the greatest number.”

List of situations that may warrant evacuation

• Fire and smoke.
• Facility or structural damage.
• Loss of major utilities.
• Potential exposure to hazardous materials.
• Terrorism or violent, armed visitor(s).
• Credible bomb threat.

Plan Activation

• Authority to order an evacuation.
• Making the decision.
• Notification of hospital employees.
• Notification of external agencies.
• Key decisions for the incident commander.