Back ground: This briefing note provides relevant information that a crew requires during an

emergency evacuation.

Guidance: In any emergency, the captain must assess the situation and use good judgment to
determine the safest course of action. The EVACUATION Non Normal Checklist (NNC) should be
used in any situation where the Captain feels the potential for evacuation exists.

Evacuation is normally ordered by the Captain. However, if communication with the flight crew
is not possible and the situation in the cabin is judged by the senior cabin crew member to be
incompatible with any delay, then they are trained to make the evacuation order themselves
once the aircraft has come to a complete stop. In these circumstances, they are responsible for
assessing immediate danger such as external fire or engines still running before any exit is
opened. Cabin crew supervising exits must also secure the exit until the slide (if the exit is so
equipped) inflates and block the exit from use in the event of a slide malfunction. They are also
expected to motivate passengers using appropriate shouted commands and if necessary,
physical action, to exit quickly and to leave behind personal possessions, especially items in
overhead lockers or under seats. Normally, the Cabin Crew will be the last to leave their exit;
however, in practice they are trained to remain on board only to the point when they believe
that by staying any longer they are putting their own lives at risk. Once they are out of the
aircraft, they are trained to assist in moving passengers away from the aircraft to a position
where they can be safely grouped together.

Certification

As part of the certification process, aircraft manufacturers are required to demonstrate that an
aircraft, in maximum density configuration, can be completely evacuated within 90 seconds
using only half of the total number of emergency exits. Use of only half of the exits simulates
the potential for failed evacuation devices or exits blocked due to fire or structural damage.
Ninety seconds has been established as the maximum evacuation time because tests have
shown that, in a post-crash fire, conditions conducive to flashover are unlikely to occur within
that time span. However, the experience of actual evacuations, especially unexpected ones
from full aircraft where the abnormal situation occurs suddenly at or soon after landing,
indicates that evacuation times usually exceed durations demonstrated for certification
purposes.

Causes
Situations that may lead to an emergency evacuation include, but are not limited to: ‐
-All engine flameout, and/or emergency landing or ditching,
‐ Opaque smoke in the cabin/Fumes/Avionics Smoke/smoke in the cockpit.
‐ Uncontrollable Engine fire/APU fire/ Tailpipe fires
‐ Cargo Smoke/Fire,
‐ Brake Fire,
‐ Landing Gear collapse,
‐ Fuselage and/or fuel tank rupture, fuel spills
- Aircraft sabotage.
‐ A planned evacuation after in-flight emergency,
‐ Severe airframe damage,
‐ where any inextinguishable fire exists or there is an unresolved smoke warning, ‐ as a
precautionary procedure.
Considerations:

In some cases the application of the appropriate NNC will solve the problem ensuring
positively the safety. On Captain’s decision, if a condition potentially endangering life or
physical well-being of passengers and crew exists, the passenger evacuation NNC may be
performed without performing or completing another NNC. (i.e. confirmed fire).

At times, the crew may identify the problem but it may be difficult to assess the gravity of a
situation and judge if evacuation is necessary. In some cases, a confirmation of the emergency
situation could be performed through the ATC, ground vehicles or cabin report. The Captain
should communicate with whomever he feels may be able to offer information which will aid in
the evacuation decision, i.e., ATC, ground vehicles and cabin crew.

The captain has to choose between commanding an emergency evacuation using the
emergency escape slides or less urgent means such as deplaning using stairs, aero-bridges, or
other means. The following factors should be considered:

- The urgency of the situation, including the possibility of significant injury or loss of life if a
significant delay occurs
- The type of threat to the airplane, including structural damage, fire, reported bomb on board,
etc.
- The possibility of fire spreading rapidly from spilled fuel or other flammable materials
- The extent of damage to the airplane
- The possibility of passenger injury during an emergency evacuation using the escape slides.

Before initiating an Evacuation, the cockpit crew should evaluate the situation
carefully, with two options: one is to consider the situation as “safe”, the other is to decide the
immediate evacuation. Quick actions in a calm and methodical manner will improve the
chances for a successful evacuation. Time spent evaluating the situation should be kept to a
minimum to improve chances of survival if an evacuation is required. During the evaluation
period, the crew monitors the exit door lights and announces an unexpected door opening. If a
door opens unexpectedly, the Captain should immediately initiate the evacuation procedure.

The time available to prepare an aircraft for an emergency landing or ditching, prior to an
evacuation, can vary considerably. Whether the emergency is categorized as short notice time
available or time available depends very much on the time factor.

SITUATION 1: NO TIME AVAILABLE - Incidents following a rejected take-off or landing would

demand an immediate flight crew (both pilots and cabin crew) initiated evacuation
include:
a) an obvious self-sustaining major fire either inside or outside the aircraft
b) dense smoke in the cabin
c) an unusually exaggerated nose-down, tail-down or wing-down attitude, where remaining
on board could cause injury or death
d) sounds which would indicate the breaking up of the aircraft
e) ditching
f) the flight crew becoming incapacitated. In this last example, if there is no evacuation call
from the flight deck, the CIC must gain entry to the flight deck to check for pilot incapacitation
(using the emergency access code). If aircraft power has been lost, the door will unlock
automatically,
SITUATION 2: TIME AVAILABLE - If an evacuation is planned and time permits, a thorough
briefing and preparation of the crew and passengers will increase the chances of a successful
evacuation. Flight deck preparations should include a review of pertinent checklists and any
other actions to be accomplished, i.e. if evacuating due to fire in windy conditions, consider
positioning the airplane so the fire is on the downwind side. The “NITS Drill” will help the
captain to give accurate and codified information to the Cabin Crew.

The Captain (or the F/O if the Captain is incapacitated) will say over the PA « CIC TO THE FLIGHT
DECK IMMEDIATELY ». This will indicate that an emergency has arisen and the CIC will
immediately go to the cabin interphone and ask the Captain for NITS. The Captain at this time
may decide to unlock the flight deck door and allow the CIC to enter the flight deck for the NITS
drill or he may decide to keep the door locked and continue all communication via the
interphone. This is at Captain’s discretion.

Correct terminology fort initiating a NITS drill is « THIS IS A NITS DRILL PLEASE LISTEN
CAREFULLY ».
NATURE: Nature of the Emergency, i.e. engine fire, decompression, technical problem
INTENTION: Intention of the Captain, i.e. whether to make an emergency landing or ditching,
whether to divert, continue or return to base
TIME: Time remaining airborne, i.e. Time available or Time – Short Notice
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: Special instructions given by the Captain, i.e. any know factors
affecting evacuation and exits to be used.

In conducting the NITS, the Captain shall clearly state the individual components of the drill,
i.e. « THE NATURE OF THE ……. ». « MY INTENTIONS ARE ……. ». « THE TIME AVAILABLE IS …….
». « THE NATURE OF THE ……. ». « SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS……. ».
The CIC will acknowledge the Captain’s briefing by repeating back the NITS given and must ask
for clarification on anything not understood or omitted.
They must synchronize watches.

SITUATION 3: If the situation is considered safe, the captain will decide not to evacuate. In this
case, he/she will contact the CIC by the intercom advising her that the situation is normal. The
captain will not taxi until the Flight Attendants verify all passengers are seated and all doors /
exits are closed. He will normally make a brief PA reassuring customers and Flight Attendants
that the situation is under control and inform them of his intentions.

Common Evacuations Issues

Common safety deficiencies during the evacuation process are often associated with
communications, exit operation, passenger preparedness for evacuations, and the presence of
fire, smoke, and toxic fumes.

Communication: In an emergency evacuation, effective communications among the crew

members and with the passengers is essential for a timely, orderly, effective response. The
communication could be hindered by

 Inoperative Public Address (PA) systems - The cabin crew and/or passengers are
unable to hear the initial evacuation command and/or subsequent directions. PA
 systems could be rendered inoperable or non-deliberately switched off during
evacuations. In such a condition, megaphones should be used.
 Inadequate crew communication - Non-effective communication between the
cabin and the flight deck could in a significant delay of the evacuation. Flight crew
are required to use the SSOP commands verbatim.

Exit and Slide Operation: Problems in operating emergency exits and

deploying emergency slides delayed many evacuations, potentially
compromising the success of the evacuation. Cabin crew or passengers
could experience difficulty operating emergency exit doors. After
completion of their cockpit duties, the flight crew are required to assist the
evacuation process in the cabin

Passenger Preparedness: Passengers' lack of preparedness to act

appropriately during an evacuation is a serious issue during many
evacuations. Passengers might not perceive the danger they are in and
therefore could act in an inappropriate manner (e.g. being slow to respond
to cabin crew instructions, or even trying to open overhead compartment
storage to retrieve luggage). They should be commanded ‘Leave everything
behind’. and ‘No baggage’.

Fire Smoke and Fumes: The presence of fire, smoke, and/or toxic fumes
present the greatest risk to a successful evacuation by restricting visibility,
limiting communications, reducing the number of available exits, affecting
passenger behaviour, and decreasing occupants' mental and physical
capacities. Fire, smoke, and/or toxic fumes are identified as a serious
hazard during the evacuations. In case of the cabin being filled with smoke,
crew should

 Avoid inhalation of smoke as much as possible - keep head below

any obvious (visible) accumulation of smoke gases;
 Use the floor path lighting to find the nearest exits.
 Hold a piece of wet material over nose and mouth to filter out water
soluble gases during inhalation. As well as some irritant gases, this
will also be effective against one of the two immediately dangerous
gases, hydrogen cyanide;