St.

Thomas High School Evacuation Plan Study

2013-2014

Type Date Time All Out All In Notes
Fire 9/11/13 1:35 PM 2:03 7:59 Planned
LD 9/18/13 2:50 PM Planned
Fire 10/10/13 8:55 AM 2:20 10:00 Planned
Weather 10/24/14 2:50 PM Planned
Fire 11/14/13 F Period 2:08 11:00 Planned/Obstructed
Fire 11/14/13 2:45 2:35 10:00 Unplanned/Gym Sensor
Fire 12/4/13 9:45 2:18 9:00 Planned
Fire 1/24/14 D Period n/a n/a Icy Weather Postponed
Fire 2/25/14 10:32 1:51 8:00 Planned
Fire 3/11/14 2:25 1:45 11:05 Planned
Fire 4/12 8:40 1:58 10:00 Planned



This document was created at the request of the City of Houston Fire Marshall, following a
campus audit in the fall of 2013. An updated copy of this document must be kept in a notebook at the
front desk at all times, ready for a random check.
After two years of following the existing fire code, it became apparent that unless a drill was
planned, it took much longer to clear the building, evaluate the attendance and allow the students to
reenter. The previous system called for the student body to be split between the front of the school and
the baseball field. To conduct a successful drill, a golf cart was required to complete the task in a
suitable amount of time. The previous system called for each department to have a section leader.
Individual teachers notified the section leader and the administrator had to walk the groups to
determine the status of each section.
In the fall of 2013, a new system was put into place in which each teacher was asked to hold up
a red card or a green card depending on the status of the class attendance. This sped up the drill
greatly, but still the campus was split into two groups requiring a golf cart. The new system was
developed and will be implemented in the fall of 2014. In addition to the new muster system, a
system will be put in to place and practice for lunch emergencies or passing period emergencies in
which students and faculty muster on the football field.
Two tasks will need to be completed during the summer. The first is a single wooden gate will
need to be widened to a double gate for access purposes. The second task is the evacuation route
posters will need to be reconfigured, printed and laminated to show primary evacuation routes and
alternate routes. This will be an excellent summer task for when the pace of campus is slower.