Proposal for an Evacuation Procedure for People on the Autism Spectrum at the Scene of an Emergency Operation

Abstract

This article presents issues related to the action of rescuers when dealing with people on theautism spectrum during a rescue operation requiring evacuation.. The study aims to compilea list of behaviours that responders may encounter in their operations and to propose a procedurefor effective handling of individuals with special needs within this group. The research processcomprised an analysis of the literature on the subject and interviews in writing conducted withemployees of educational institutions. Findings of the research were then used to create a graphicdepicting the strength of the symptoms and a table of behaviours that a firefighter may face ina rescue situation. Those findings clearly indicate the difficulty of communicating with people onthe spectrum and the variety of behaviours and reactions a firefighter may encounter. Based onthe information received during the interviews, a procedure for dealing with evacuation situationsis proposed. It is illustrative in nature, as functioning on the spectrum is characterised by anextensive set of behaviours. However, it provides some sort of foundation on which basic rescueoperations can be based.