Evacuation Procedures
Staff reference for a full-building evacuation, from the first call to emergency services through the final building sweep.
Purpose
This SOP covers any situation where everyone, staff, dogs, and clients, needs to leave the building, fire, flood, or anything else. It runs in two moves: get everyone out safely, with one staff member on the phone to emergency services while another moves dogs, then confirm nobody, animal or human, got left behind with a full building sweep before anyone calls the evacuation over.
At a Glance
- Call the fire department, and police if needed, right away. Stay safe yourself first, you cannot help anyone if you are hurt.
- At least two staff members handle an evacuation together: one calls emergency services, the other starts moving dogs.
- All staff run at least one fire drill per year.
- Evacuated dogs go into outdoor enclosures or crates a safe distance from the building, with at least one staff member staying with them.
Immediate Actions
- Call the fire department, and police if the situation calls for it. If the building is on fire, stay as far from it as you can while still getting the animals out.
- Split the work between at least two staff members: one on the phone with emergency services, the other starting to move dogs.
- Evacuate every pet using slip leads and place them in enclosures a safe distance from the building.
- Move reactive dogs on leash or tethered at all times. Senior trainers handle the evacuation of any reactive dog.
Follow-Up Steps
- Load crates into the Dog School Bus and get dogs ready for transport. Staff cars can be used if more space is needed or the bus is not available.
- Contact every pet owner and their emergency contact as quickly as you can, so they know what is going on and can arrange to pick up their dog or send someone who can.
- Managers or senior staff sweep the building thoroughly for any dog or staff member left behind before anyone can call it clear.
Who to Ask
Senior trainers own the call on any reactive dog's evacuation, and managers or senior staff own the final building sweep.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often does this happen for real versus during a drill?
Every staff member goes through at least one fire drill a year, and the steps are identical whether it is a drill or the real thing, slip leads, enclosures, then the bus. Treating drills exactly like the real event is what makes the real event go smoothly.
Run it by the book every single drill and the order of operations becomes automatic, which is the whole point of practicing it before you ever need it for real.