Evacuating an OR is a complex process: who does what?

It became necessary, following the relocation of the entire Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre Adult OR department in 2007 and in consideration of fire code regulations, to re-evaluate and modify the existing evacuation plan and to simulate, and test, these modifications in the new environment. Planning a fire evacuation simulation for a large tertiary OR is a very complex process and involves a great deal of planning and attention to detail. It requires a multidisciplinary approach as it involves many departments. Learning about one site's experiences may benefit others. The goal of this article is to provide some planning examples and guidelines for use by sites that are beginning to undertake this important process.