Passenger Safety and Emergency Evacuation Procedures
Prepare before you need it
Know the location and operation of every exit: service door, emergency door, side windows (push-out or break-glass), and roof hatches. Brief passengers on exit locations at the start of a trip when appropriate. Keep aisles clear and confirm the fire extinguisher and first aid kit are present and serviceable.
Evacuation decision
Evacuate when staying inside is more dangerous than leaving - fire, smoke, hazardous material release, or a vehicle in a hazardous position such as on railroad tracks or near a fuel spill. Otherwise, keeping passengers aboard may be safer, particularly on a busy roadway. If you evacuate, stop the engine, set the brake, and if time allows use the radio to notify dispatch.
Conducting the evacuation
Give clear, calm directions. Use the exit farthest from the hazard. Assist passengers with disabilities and children first, and designate helpers. Move evacuees well clear of traffic and upwind of smoke or spills, then account for everyone. Carry the emergency kit and reflectors if time permits.
Traps
A frequent trap is choosing the nearest exit rather than the one away from the hazard. Another is assuming roof hatches are for ventilation only - they are escape routes. Questions also test that you should not evacuate onto a freeway travel lane when a safer assembly point exists.
Rule of thumb
Evacuate away from danger, not toward the door - pick the exit and assembly area that put the hazard behind the passengers.