Tenant ERT

Tenant Emergency Response Team

The following is a brief description of the responsibilities of each team member. Tenant management personnel should make each member of the team aware of his/her responsibilities. Each tenant should also assign an individual to back up each member of their team in the event of vacation or absence. Since each floor of the building may contain more than one Tenant, the Tenants should share the staffing responsibilities amongst themselves, so that no one tenant is providing all of the emergency team members and in case smaller tenants do not have the number of employees to fulfill the emergency team roles.

The City of Chicago has designated the following primary positions:

• Fire Warden
• Floor Leader/Assistant Fire Warden
• Searcher
• Stairwell Monitor
• Elevator Monitor
• Evacuation Assistants

Fire Warden

Responsibility

This position has responsibility for emergency coordination and reporting of any potential or actual emergency conditions to the building management. They are responsible for organizing the emergency evacuation team and ensuring emergency procedures are carried out.

Duties

• Direct emergency evacuation and drills from his/her assigned floor.
• Listen for instructions over the public address system and wait for an Evacuation Order.
• Know location of all exits leading from occupied area.
• Know the floor layout and locations of all fire extinguishers and how they operate.
• Train evacuation team members in all procedures.
• Appoint personnel to the emergency evacuation team.
• Maintain an updated roster of all team members.
• Alert key personnel of potential emergencies.
• Inform and train emergency team personnel and all occupants in emergency procedures.
• Pre-plan the handling of self-identified employees who need assistance during evacuation.
• Evacuation of occupancy personnel.
• Notify the elevator monitor to evacuate when all employees are out of their respective suites.
• Notify the Building’s Fire Safety Director, in person, that your floor or suite has been evacuated.
• Conduct a role call to account for the safety of all your employees at the designated meeting place. Notify the Building’s Fire Safety Director if anyone is missing.

Floor Leader / Assistant Fire Warden

Responsibility

Assists the Fire Warden and is responsible for the control of occupants in his/her area and the safe evacuation of personnel in that area during a fire or other emergency.

Duties

• Know location of all exits leading from occupied areas.
• Responsible for the orderly evacuation of all personnel in his/her area during emergency evacuation or drills.
• Remains with the group throughout the evacuation process and leads them to a pre-determined safe location.
• Assists in the training of employees in his/her area.

Searcher

Responsibility

The searcher is to help the fire (floor) warden find and evacuate all personnel from a specific area of the building, especially from remote areas, such as storerooms, fire rooms, computer rooms, etc. If the emergency is on his/her floor, it is essential that the searcher know how to direct personnel away from danger. The size of the floor or office will determine how many searchers are needed.

Duties

• Check all rooms, including washrooms, conference rooms, computer rooms and remote areas on the floor.
• Advise any remaining persons on the floor, whether employees or visitors, of the emergency and insist on their evacuation.
• As each office or space is checked, close but do not lock all doors to reduce the flow of air, which may feed a fire.
• To let fire fighters know that an area has been searched, place a “post it” on doors and cubicles. These notes should be placed no more than 2 feet above the bottom of the door.
• Starting at a designated point, searchers proceed toward the nearest stairwell and advise all personnel to evacuate to the nearest emergency exit. In small offices where there is only one searcher, start from the rear and move toward the exit. Remember the calm voice and demeanor of a trained individual can minimize fear and panic. Coordinate the evacuation of co-workers who may need assistance with the floor warden.
• If time and safety permit, turn off lights, coffeepots, office equipment, etc.
• Know building and fire department emergency procedures.
• Know the location of stairwells on the floor. DO NOT USE THE ELEVATORS.
• Know the floor layout and locations of all fire extinguishers and how they operate.

Stairwell Monitor

Responsibility

Stairwell monitors are responsible for the orderly and safe evacuation of all employees located on the floor. There will be one stairwell monitor at each stairwell entrance.

Duties

• When orders are received to evacuate, report to your designated post.
• Check stairwell landing, making sure immediate vicinity is not obstructed or filled with smoke. If any problems arise, immediately report it to the floor warden.
• Stop anyone from using an obstructed or smoke filled stairwell and direct people to the alternate stairwell. When the primary stairwell is obstructed, direct people to the alternate stairwell.
• Maintain an orderly evacuation down the stairwell. People should stay on the right side since emergency personnel will be coming up on the left side of the stairwell.
• Keep people moving safely and quietly down the right side of the stairwell.
• Quiet is necessary to hear additional instructions which may be issued by the fire chief or building management.
• Remain at the designated post until instructed to evacuate or all employees have evacuated the floor.

Elevator Monitor

Responsibility

Elevator monitors are responsible for stopping a person from using the elevators and directing people coming off of an elevator or people in the elevator to the nearest stairwell.

Duties

• Direct all employees to the nearest stairwell.
• Prevent anyone from using the elevator to exit the floor.
• Stay at designated post until instructed to evacuate.
• Know building and fire department emergency procedures.
• Know locations of stairwells. DO NOT USE ELEVATORS.
• Know locations of all fire extinguishers and how they work.
• Remain at designated post until instructed to evacuate or all employees have evacuated the floor.

Evacuation Assistants

Responsibility

Evacuation assistants are responsible for ensuring that any self-identified occupants are evacuated.

Duties

• Maintains an up-to-date list of self-identified employees requiring assistance and their location for assistance by the fire department if necessary.
• Notifies Office of the Building of any changes.
• If possible, implements a “buddy system” to assist in the evacuation.
• Fire department personnel will assist in the evacuation of these people. However, if there is danger from smoke or fire, handicap aides should see that handicapped persons are carried to the nearest safe floor or designated point of rescue.
• Know building and fire department emergency procedures.
• Know location of stairwells. DO NOT USE ELEVATORS.
• Know location of all fire extinguishers and how they operate.

Emergency Evacuations

This building has an onsite property manager during business hours and building engineer 24 hours on business days. Upon notification of an emergency, through the Annunciator Panel or Evacuation Alarm, tenants are to evacuate their space according to the information provided from the command center.


Evacuation Plan Location(s)

Copies of this plan will be kept in:

• The building engineer’s office.
• The security desk first floor lobby.
• Building Management Office in suite 850.

Tenant Responsibilities

Each tenant is responsible for evacuating without the assistance of building personnel. Each tenant shall use the stairs closest to their location, if practicable, or use the alternate stairwell location. If the emergency is not a fire, the tenant may use the elevators, when practical. In a fire condition, they should be advised not to use the elevators. On floors of the building containing more than one Tenant, the Tenants should share the staffing responsibilities for Fire Warden and Evacuation Team Members, so that no-one tenant is providing all of the emergency team members. Fire Warden and Evacuation Team members are to be provided for full floor tenants.

• Provide Tenant Fire Wardens and Evacuation Team Members as described in the Tenants Evacuation Team Section.
• Provide a list of team members to building management on the form provided, as shown, in this section whenever a change occurs, but not less than every 6 months.
• Provide a list of employees needing assistance to building management whenever a change occurs on the form provided, as shown, in this section, but not less than every 6 months.
• Train such members.
• Ensure that all members of their company participate in fire drills and training, if required
• Evacuate their space in an orderly manner upon hearing the audio alarm, smelling smoke or notification of a building emergency and assembling at a location designated by the evacuation order.
• If directed, leave the building and assemble at a location outside of the building, not on the first floor or in the lobby.
• Assist employees or guests that may be physically impaired. Provide information to the first responders to the alarm or the Chicago Fire Department on the location of anyone unable to be evacuated.

Tenant Emergency Evacuation Information

• Call 9-1-1. State the address, floor, and the nature of the emergency (fire, ambulance, etc.)
• If you become aware of an emergency situation, alert your Fire Warden or members of the Evacuation Team of the need to evacuate.
• Call Building Security & the Office of the Building: (312) 930-9890

Evacuation Procedures

In the event of a fire or other emergency, it may become necessary to evacuate your office and floor.

• An announcement will be made over the public address system. STOP what you are doing, listen for instructions, and wait for an evacuation order. You may be asked to evacuate your floor or the building under certain situations. The public address announcement will detail what floor you should go to or if you should evacuate the building, and if the elevators can be used.
• Follow the instructions of your Fire Warden and Evacuation Team Members.
• Take your purse or wallet with you. You may not be allowed back in your office.
• Do not use the elevators (unless informed by the Fire Department that it is safe to use them) Elevators will be under the control of the Fire Department while the emergency exists. The elevator call buttons will not respond.
• Familiarize yourself with the location of both stairwells on the floor so that if the route to one is blocked, you may proceed to the alternate stairwell. See evacuation routes on the reverse side. When an alarm is triggered, all stairwell doors will automatically unlock to allow reentry on a “safe” floor.
• Use the right side of the stairwell so that emergency personnel can use the left side of the stairs. DO NOT RUN.
• Emergency phones are located in each stairwell on floors 5, 10, 15, and 20. These phones are connected to the building’s life safety panel on the first floor and may be used to call for instructions or assistance. The phones may also be used to alert rescue personnel of the locations of individuals who require evacuation assistance.
• If the building is evacuated, assemble at a designated area outside of the building until the Fire Department or building management issues further instructions. Each tenant is responsible for designating a meeting area.