Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide For People with Disabilities

USE OF THE WAY

Can People Who are Blind or Have Low Vision Use the Circulation Path by Themselves?

A circulation path is considered a usable circulation path if it meets one of the following criteria:

• A person who is blind or has low vision is able to travel unassisted through it to a public way.

• A person who is blind or has low vision is able to travel unassisted through that portion of the usable circulation path necessary to reach an area of refuge.

An area of refuge serves as a temporary haven from the effects of a fire or other emergency. A person who is blind or has low vision must be able to travel from the area of refuge to the public way, although such travel might depend on the assistance of others. If elevation differences are involved, an elevator might be used, or the person might be led down the stairs.

Will a Person Who is Blind or Has Low Vision Require Assistance to Use the Circulation Path?

Not all people who are blind or have low vision are capable of navigating a usable circulation path. It is important to verify that a person who is blind or has low vision can travel unassisted through the exit access, the exit, and the exit discharge to a public way. If he or she cannot, then that person’s personal emergency evacuation plan will include a method for providing appropriate assistance.

Generally, only one person is necessary to assist a person who is blind or has low vision. A practical plan is to identify at least two, ideally more, people who are willing and able to provide assistance. Common sense tells us that a specific person may not be available at any given time due to illness, vacation, off-site meetings, and so on. The identification of multiple people who are likely to have different working and traveling schedules provides a much more reliable plan.