In the event of a fire or building-related emergency, MMC wants you to be prepared for what could happen in such an emergency. 

We don’t want you to think of those dramatized movies where despite how much everyone thinks the building is stable, something happens that makes it not safe at all, making you think that emergency procedures do not help at all when they are there to help and could save your life. Take the 2018 film Skyscraper, for instance, where actor Dwayne Johson once again uses his uncanny ability to survive the most outrageous and dangerous survival situations thrown at him. In this movie he saves his family trapped in a new high-tech apartment building with a state of the art fire prevention system built by himself. He doesn’t know there are “bad” people who want to destroy that building so in doing so those bad guys trap his family in a building that is supposed to keep them safe from fires to the worst place to be if you are in a fire. Despite showing the proper emergency procedures on how to protect yourself during a fire or emergency incident in the building they are trapped, but if they weren’t show them they wouldn’t have known a different way to exit the building despite java floors above and below the family on fire while bad guys are trying to kidnap them. 

Here are some tips found on the MMC website to keep ready in these situations: 

“Building evacuations don’t happen often, but when they do, MMC wants you to be safe and needs you to be prepared.In the event of fire or other emergency every second counts! Please be responsible and familiar with all College emergency protocols. Your cooperation is essential in keeping everyone safe.”

Building Assembly Areas

In the event of a building evacuation, building occupants should report to an identified assembly area and await instructions from College authority or emergency responders. These are initial locations and subject to change dependent upon conditions. When evacuating, keep away from the building and stay out of the street.

Carson Hall, Nugent and Faculty Center Townhouse

71st and 72nd Streets, corners of 2nd and 3rd Avenues

Martha Graham Studio

2nd Avenue and East 63rd Street

55th Street Residence Hall

55th Street at the corners of 2nd and 3rd Avenues

Building Evacuations

Always treat any fire alarm seriously and be familiar with the buildings you work or reside in; know how to get out safely during an emergency. A building evacuation will occur if the fire alarm system activates or if a decision is made to evacuate due to another safety related incident or concern. Act promptly for everyone’s safety.

If you ever see fire, smoke, or smell smoke — do not hesitate to pull the nearest fire alarm.

Call 911 if possible.

Do not try to fight a fire.

It’s important that you familiarize yourself with all applicable fire safety procedures. In the event of a fire or other emergency, notify security immediately. In the event the building fire alarm is activated in –

Main Campus, Faculty Center, and Martha Graham Dance Studio

-Evacuation of the building is mandatory by all occupants.

-Stay calm and remain alert for instructions.

-Do not rush or panic. Do not use the elevators.

-Gather personal belongings if it is safe to do so.

-Take prescription medications, keys, ID, purse, glasses, etc. if possible.

-Close, but don’t lock office doors when exiting.

-Use the nearest safe stairway to proceed to an exit.

-Proceed to the designated Evacuation Assembly Area as directed by Security Officers.

-Assist those who may require help in evacuating.

-Wait for instructions from emergency responders or Campus Safety personnel.

-Do not re-enter the building until instructed to do so by Campus Safety.

55th Street Residence Hall

-Listen for instructions from building security or emergency responders. In the event of an alarm, initially only the floor of the alarm and the one above it will be evacuated. If you need to evacuate the building-

-Stay calm and remain alert for instructions.

-Do not rush or panic. Do not use the elevators.

-Gather personal belongings if it is safe to do so.

-Take prescription medications, keys, ID, purse, glasses, etc. if possible.

-Use the nearest safe stairway to proceed to an exit.

-Proceed to the designated Evacuation Assembly Area and await instruction.

-Assist those who may require help in evacuating.

-Do not re-enter the building until instructed to do so by emergency responders.

200 East 6th Street Residence Hall

-Evacuation Assembly Area – E 6th Street and Cooper Square Park

If there is a Fire in Your Room

-Stay calm and remain alert for instructions.

-Do not rush or panic. Do not use the elevators.

-Gather personal belongings if it is safe to do so.

-Quickly grab your prescription medications, keys, ID, purse, glasses, etc., if possible.

-Use the nearest safe stairway to proceed to an exit.

-Proceed to the designated Evacuation Assembly Area and await instruction.

-Assist those who may require help in evacuating.

-Do not re-enter the building until instructed to do so by emergency responders.

-If you cannot safely exit your apartment or the building, call 911 and building security – tell them your address, floor, apartment number and the number of people in your apartment.

If the Fire is Not in Your Room

-If you cannot safely exit your room or building, call 911 and provide them with appropriate information (name, address, room number, etc.).

Stay in your room; listen for instructions unless conditions become dangerous.

-If you must exit your room, first feel your room door and doorknob for heat. If they are not hot, open the door slightly and check the hallway for smoke, heat or fire.

-If you can exit your apartment safely, follow the instructions above for a fire in a room.

-If you are unable to safely leave your apartment, seal the floor in your room with wet towels or sheets and seal air ducts or other openings where smoke may enter.

-Open windows a few inches unless flames and smoke are coming from below.

-Do not break any windows.

-If conditions in the room appear life threatening, open a window and wave a towel or sheet to attract the attention of firefighters.

In the Event of a Fire Drill

“Residents must follow all instructions given by emergency staff via the PA system. Floor plans and diagrams for emergency staircases and exits are posted in public areas on all floors as well as the back of every room door. Residents should familiarize themselves with these maps to be able to exit promptly during fire drills or actual emergencies.”

Safety is a priority for everyone here at MMC and being prepared for emergency situations by simply knowing these procedures could help save you or someone else in the future, but simply having this knowledge makes you better equipped.