Evacuations | Middlebury

General Evacuation Procedures

Everyone must evacuate a building when (a) a fire alarm is sounded, (b) the Department of Public Safety orders an evacuation, or (c) RAVE or MiddAlert, the College’s emergency notification systems, broadcasts a mass alert to evacuate.

Remain calm.
Leave the lights on.
DO NOT hesitate or try to save valuables.
Before opening any door, use the back of your hand to see if it is hot. Also check to see if the doorknob is hot. If either is hot, leave the door closed and stuff towels or clothes in the cracks. Try another exit if one is available.
If the door is not hot, open it slowly and be prepared to close it quickly if necessary.
In a smoke-filled area, keep low to the floor to escape the smoke.
If you encounter smoke in a hall or stairway, consider another exit.
If all exits are blocked, return to your room, close the door, and call 911 for help.
DO NOT use elevators. Elevators will automatically be recalled to the lobby floor or first floor with doors locked open for use at the discretion of the Fire Department.
Once out of the building, move to the designated Muster Points and wait for further instructions.
When it is safe, Public Safety, Fire Department, or Police will notify you that it is safe to re-enter the building. No one can re-enter an evacuated building until it is determined to be safe by the emergency service personnel. If the building remains closed and/or unsafe to enter, emergency service personnel will give instructions on how and where to relocate.
Community members who are familiar with the evacuation procedures should alert others in the building to follow the same procedures. Swift safe evacuation is your first concern. If others do not heed the warning do not hesitate. Note their location and relay location information to first responders.
Community members may need to assist others in exiting the building if this can be done in a safe and timely manner. Notify the Department of Public Safety, the Police, or the Fire Department of any occupants remaining inside who need assistance exiting because of limited mobility, injury, or incapacitation.

Muster Point locations are predetermined and can be found here. Since you may be away from your office when an emergency occurs, it is important to know the evacuation route for each floor from memory.

Evacuation for Residents Needing Assistance Due to a Disability or Injury

People who are physically unable to safely evacuate a building should “Defend in Place” and move to a “Defend in Place location” in the building when the alarm sounds. An office with a door and a phone or an enclosed stairway landing, if large enough, can be used for this purpose if there is not an “Area of Safe Refuge” available. Some buildings on campus have designated “Areas of Safe Refuge.” Elevators are not safe for use during fires. If you are evacuating and encounter a person who is not self-evacuating, inform the first arriving fire personnel or Public Safety Officer of that person’s location.

If you are remaining in the building instead of evacuating:

Call Middlebury College Department of Public Safety 802-443-5911 and/or call 911
- Report your name, location (room number or area of the building)
- If planning to go to an emergency exit/stairwell, give the exact location.
- Report on your situation – What assistance do you require? (e.g., Wheelchair, oxygen, first responder to assist with evacuation, etc.)
- Ask others as they leave the building to inform emergency responders of your name, location, and assistance needed.

Information provided to the Disability Resource Center on individuals that may need assistance with evacuating their residence hall is sent to the Department of Public Safety and entered in the fire alarm receiving station. When an alarm comes in, the Telecommunicator will then relay this information to the first responders so they can assist the person with evacuation if needed.

Campus Wide Evacuation

In the event that a campus wide evacuation is deemed necessary, notification and instructions for immediate actions will be communicated through the College’s Midd Alert system. When the decision to evacuate the campus is made, all persons (students, faculty, and staff) are to immediately vacate the campus as directed.

During an evacuation, students must implement their Personal Evacuation Plan. If they can not implement their plan, they must quickly create and implement another plan. Because the availability of resources can never be assured in a crisis, individuals must plan for their own transportation and housing needs. Once the College closes, students will not have access to their dorm or any services. Because the evacuation will be rapid, students will be able to leave non-essential personal belongings in their rooms and all dorms will be closed and locked.

If time permits, consider bringing the following essential items:

Driver’s license, passport, social security card, and College ID
Other important documentation
Medication and prescriptions
Money, checks, bank cards and credit cards
Cellphones, chargers and phone cards (in case cell coverage is down)
Keys, including keys for home
Minimal essential clothing and toiletries

Students are responsible for communicating their plan and present location to their families. Families should anticipate that the College will not be able to communicate the location or health status of their student. General updates regarding the incident will be shared on MiddAlert.net and via email.

The College President and Senior Leadership will determine the best method of continuing academic work and completing degrees during closure following an evacuation.

Reporting to campus for work may be temporarily suspended for some employees. The President and Vice President of Human Resources will determine staffing and benefits policies, and notify faculty and staff by a dedicated web page and mail when possible.

Pandemic Evacuation

Why is an evacuation necessary during a pandemic?

The College has concluded that the safest response during a pandemic, requiring physical distancing to reduce the risk of illness transmission, would be to close the College – ideally before the illness strikes Middlebury. Unlike short term closures that occur during scheduled breaks, a pandemic will warrant a complete closure and all students will be required to vacate the campus until it is deemed safe to return. The college campus environment does not adequately provide the physical distancing necessary to prevent the rapid transmission of illness. Staying on a residential campus with others might actually increase the likelihood of infection.

How does an evacuation work for those living on campus?

What role do students’ families have?

Students are responsible for communicating their plan and present location to their families. The College will communicate the overall status of the evacuation via a dedicated website and, where appropriate, a telephone voice-messaging system. Families should anticipate that the College will not be able to communicate the location or health status of their student.

In an extended campus closure, will students continue to work toward their degrees?

The College President and designated Deans will determine the best method of continuing academic work and completing degrees during closure following an evacuation.

Will College staff members continue their work during the evacuation?

Reporting to campus for work may be temporarily suspended for some employees. The President and the Director of Human Resources will determine staffing and benefits policies, and notify faculty and staff by a dedicated web page and mail when possible.