The designation of assembly areas/zones in the event of a disaster or emergency is an essential part of the emergency action plan and successful evacuation. These areas should be designated at a distance or in a shelter where they will not be affected by the adverse consequences of emergencies, close to the building and in wide, safe areas where there are no other structures around them (e.g. school playgrounds).
The fundamental importance of assembly areas is to prevent personnel leaving the building after evacuation from being at risk, to protect them from secondary hazards such as aftershocks, to enable family members to find each other after the disaster, and to organise the necessary assistance for the injured (relevant officials will assist in the assembly area). Furthermore, assembly areas serve a vital function as logistical and crisis coordination points where disaster victims can remain until authorities call them to move, where their basic emergency needs will be met, and from where they will be directed to temporary shelter areas.
The assembly areas in Marmara Education Village, where our university is located, have been designated to serve this purpose, as shown in the map below.
