How should staff respond to a fire alarm or other emergency evacuation?

• A. Follow evacuation routes, supervise inmates, perform headcounts, assemble at muster points, report to incident commander
• B. Hide and wait for further instructions
• C. Return to cell immediately
• D. Close doors and remain in place

Answer: (A)

In an emergency evacuation, the priority is to move everyone to safety quickly and in an organized way while keeping people accounted for and in touch with responders. The best approach is to use established evacuation routes to exit the building safely, supervise inmates to prevent panic, running, or interference, and conduct a headcount so you know exactly who is outside. Once outside, gather at designated muster points where you can confirm totals and communicate status. From there, report to the incident commander or the designated supervisor so the overall response can be coordinated and all needs are addressed.

Actions like hiding and waiting for further instructions, returning to a cell, or staying in place would delay evacuation, create unnecessary risk, and make it harder to account for everyone. Immediate, orderly movement to safety, followed by accountability and clear communication with the incident command, is what keeps people safe.