7.2 Evacuation Drills

7.2.1 General

1. Evacuations are emergency situations which crew members must effectively manage using their knowledge of procedures and the resources available to them. Skills are developed and maintained through practice
2. It is recognized that for aircraft with more than one crew member, an evacuation will likely involve multiple exits and crew members. Therefore, where a drill is performed on an aircraft with more than one crew member, the drill scenario shall involve a "typical" number of crew members. Where a cabin simulator is used to conduct the drills the number of crew members who could participate at any time shall be appropriate to the cabin simulator configuration.
3. Each participant shall perform the designated evacuation responsibilities for the assigned position. Where a double flight attendant seat is available and would normally be occupied by two crew members, the drill shall be conducted to reflect this reality.

7.2.2 Simulation Scenarios

1. An evacuation drill is a training and evaluation scenario which must portray an operational flight and include abnormal and emergency occurrences and interactions amongst flight attendants flight crew members and passengers.
2. A drill scenario must not incorporate excessive variables that would overload a trainee, but not be limited so that there is reduced value to the exercise. The variables should differ in sequence from one drill to the next and can include but are not limited to the following:
    
   1. Unserviceable exits;
   2. Inflation devices that fail or only partially inflate;
   3. Aircraft attitude which necessitates a decision to use the exit or redirect passengers;
   4. Poor visibility (e.g. darkness, smoke);
   5. Incapacitated crew members;
   6. Exits which become unusable during the evacuation;
   7. Passengers with a special need (e.g. elderly, person with a disability, etc.);
   8. Passengers in panic (e.g. positive, negative, false leadership);
   9. Failure of aircraft emergency systems (e.g. lighting, evacuation signal, communication, etc);
   10. Decompression; and
   11. Exits which require the use of non-standard "commands" (e.g. ramp with slide, tailcone, ventral stairs, etc.).

7.2.3 Unprepared Land and Inadvertent Water Contact Evacuation Drill Performance Criteria

1. Each crew member shall perform at least one land and one inadvertent water contact evacuation drill that incorporates the procedures pertinent to a specific exit or, provided the air operator establishes and maintains a method to record the type of drill performed by each crew member and the drill types are alternated annually, each crew member shall perform at least one land OR one inadvertent water contact evacuation drill that incorporates the procedures pertinent to a specific exit; and
2. Each crew member shall perform the following:
    
   1. Secure themselves in a flight attendant seat;
   2. Recognize that an emergency situation is developing and react appropriately to the drill scenario;
   3. Apply all applicable commands;
   4. Recognize when and how to initiate the evacuation, (e.g. commands, evacuation horn);
   5. Activate emergency lights, evacuation horn;
   6. Locate and don life preserver and command passengers as appropriate;
   7. Assess conditions inside and outside the exit to determine exit usability throughout the evacuation;
   8. Prepare and open the exit;
   9. Secure exit in fully open position or ensure correct stowage;
   10. Pull inflation handle(s) and verify deployment, inflation of ramp, slide;
   11. Access escape tapes or escape ropes;
   12. Assume appropriate protective position;
   13. Initiate passenger evacuation;
   14. Final cabin, lavatory and flight deck checks, and remove required emergency equipment;
   15. Evacuate aircraft/trainer correctly;
   16. Access release handle(s) (e.g. slide disconnect, ventral stairs, tailcone jettison, etc.); and
   17. Demonstrate post evacuation procedures.

7.2.4 Evaluation Criteria

1. Crew member performance shall be observed, rated and debriefed according to the following:
    
   1. Correct usage of the seat mechanism, restraint system, and brace position as appropriate for seat direction and location;
   2. Correct and timely reaction to emergency situations;
   3. Consistent usage of appropriate terminologies (e.g. commands, ABP briefings) with clear, positive, authoritative communication techniques, as appropriate for drill scenario;
   4. Activates emergency lights, evacuation horn;
   5. Selects appropriate exit for the evacuation scenario and the aircraft type;
   6. Assesses conditions inside and outside the exit to determine exit usability throughout evacuation (e.g. clear of obstruction, fire, aircraft attitude, flow rate, slide conditions, etc.);
   7. Preparation and correct operation of exit;
   8. Secures exit in the fully open position or ensures correct stowage;
   9. Pulls inflation handle(s) and verifies deployment, inflation of slide,
   10. Correctly accesses escape tapes or escape ropes;
   11. Assumes and maintains appropriate protective body and hand positions;
   12. Effective usage of able-bodied persons for special needs passengers (e.g. assisting outside aircraft and directing people away from the aircraft or onto flotation devices, crowd control, etc.);
   13. Adequacy of cabin checks, removal of equipment and additional supplies as scenario and air operator procedures dictate;
   14. Correctly accesses release handle(s) (e.g. slide disconnect, tailcone jettison, ventral stairs);
   15. Correct application of procedures as related to scenario;
   16. Correctly applies post evacuation procedures; and
   17. Consequences of error.

7.2.5 Crew Prepared Evacuation Drill Performance Criteria

1. Each crew member shall participate as a crew member in at least one prepared land evacuation drill and perform the following; or
2. Provided the air operator establishes and maintains a method to record the role performed (e.g. crew member or passenger), and roles are alternated annually, each crew member shall participate as a crew member or as a passenger in at least one prepared land evacuation drill and perform the following; and
3. Each trainee shall participate in a prepared ditching evacuation drill once every third annual training year and perform the following:
    
   1. Recognize the in-flight emergency signal from the flight deck and react according to procedures;
   2. Prepare passengers, cabin and self according to procedures and scenario;
   3. Select and brief able-bodied passengers to assist as required (e.g. opening non-crewed exits, crowd control, buddy-up with special needs passengers, assisting outside aircraft and directing people away from the aircraft or onto flotation devices, removal/launching rafts);
   4. Recognize the emergency brace and evacuation signals and react accordingly;
   5. Activate emergency lights, evacuation horn;
   6. Prepare and operate exits;
   7. Evacuate passengers;
   8. Final cabin, lavatory and flight deck checks, remove required emergency equipment; and
   9. Evacuate aircraft/trainer.

7.2.6 Evaluation Criteria

1. Crew member performance shall be observed, rated and debriefed according to the contents of 7.2.4 and the following:
    
   1. Correct application of emergency landing preparation procedures;
   2. Awareness of and appropriate response to passenger behaviour;
   3. Communication acknowledgement;
   4. Accuracy in briefing of ABPs; and
   5. Debrief shall include a discussion with all participants describing, in general terms, procedures and responsibilities which shall be completed following and as appropriate to evacuation scenarios (e.g. flotation devices, equipment, location, movement of passengers to a safe area, protection from the elements, first aid, etc.).