Drill and Evacuation Procedures

The Operations Office will initiate an Evacuation/Communications drill by activating the RFS phone tree (Zone coordinators/Bldg Safety Coordinators). Once you have received a call you should initiate the phone tree for other buildings in your Zone; evacuate your building and proceed to your Zone.

All staff, faculty and students are required to participate in the drill. The campus Fire Marshall will be observing the departmental participation.

First make sure all staff, faculty, and students etc. are out of the Bldg.

Please have the following items in a place that is readily accessible. You will need to grab these items as you vacate the building:

  • Have an accurate updated personnel list on a clipboard to check off the names of all persons accounted/unaccounted. You will be required to radio this information to the EMA Coordinator.
  • Wear you orange safety helmet/vest, identifying you as a Zone Coordinator and Official Roll Taker. Grab your emergency walkie-talkie issued to you by RFS Operations.
  • Make sure your Alternate knows where the items are located.

Once you have vacated the building you should use the following procedures:

  • Verify that all the offices are empty; that all Bldgs in your Zone have reported, and that everyone is heading towards the proper evacuation area.
  • Remember the letter of your Evacuation Zone.
  • When you are monitoring the radio, please wait until your Zone is called to report your status. Push the button on the side of the radio and speak clearly.
  • Keep the walkie-talkie about six inches from your mouth.

dan w-radio-resizeThese are some typical responses:

“This is Zone _____ (insert Zone letter). All of my people are present or accounted for.”

“This is Zone ______, we have three people unaccounted for, and here are their names _________.”

This is Zone ______. All of my people are accounted for. We have three additional people at our location who are not part of our department or Zone. Here are their names ______ Bldg number(s) and Zone __________.”

Once you have taken roll from all the Bldg Safety Coordinators in your Zone, and reported into the EMA Emergency Manager, take the time to go over the following Emergency situations that RFS trains for:

  • FIRE (other than an exercise drill): Notify the other building occupants and evacuate immediately. Once you are safely out of the building call 911. Clearly give the dispatcher the location – RFS, 1301 S. 46th Street, Richmond, CA, 94804 and the building number.
  • EARTHQUAKE: Duck, cover, and hold during an earthquake. If you are in the open, curl into a ball. Wait until the shaking stops, then gather your co-workers and emergency supplies and exit the building to the evacuation area
  • DO NOT RE-ENTER the building. Take the roll call and notify the RFS Emergency Manager with your status. Additional instructions will be given over the walkie-talkie.
  • CHEMICAL (Industrial) RELEASE: You will be notified of this situation by the Contra Costa Emergency Siren system. This system is made up of a number of sirens placed strategically around West Contra County. They are tested the first Wednesday of the month, at 11:00 am. If you hear this alarm any other time besides the first Wednesday of the month, then you should immediately head indoors and “shelter in place”. Turn on the emergency radio to receive updates from the RFS Command Center. No one should leave the building until the “all clear” signal is given. During a drill, once the emergency siren has sounded then you will receive the all clear to excuse your group back to their offices.

If you have any questions please contact RFS Operations, (510) 665-3401.

Thank you for keeping us safe!