Emergency Response Capabilities of Institutions of Higher Education: A Case of a Developing Country

ABSTRACT The safety and resilience of higher education institutions depend on effective disaster risk governance, occupant self‐efficacy, and functional physical safety infrastructure. This study evaluated perceived emergency preparedness, occupant operational self‐efficacy, and physical building safety compliance across Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. A cross‐sectional mixed‐methods design was employed, combining a stratified quantitative survey of campus inhabitants () with a structured physical audit of major campus facilities evaluated against Ghana National Fire Service (L.I. 1697) standards. Statistical analyses were performed in SPSS (Version 28.0) using descriptive statistics and Pearson Chi‐Squared () tests of independence with Cramér's effect size metrics. Students comprised the primary demographic (). Severe human‐level readiness deficits were identified: had never attended formal hazard training, lacked certified first aid skills, were unaware of emergency contact lines, and were unaware of an official university hazard response plan. Furthermore, a significant disconnect emerged between visual recognition and operational capability; whereas of device observers noticed fire extinguishers, conditional analysis showed operational familiarity dropped dramatically for emergency exits (), fire alarms (), emergency assembly points (), and evacuation plans (). Chi‐Squared analysis revealed statistically significant associations between residential status and safety device observation (, , Cramér's ) and policy awareness (, , and Cramér's ). The physical audit revealed widespread regulatory non‐compliance: of structures contained portable extinguishers, but possessed automatic fire/smoke detection systems, 0% had designated assembly points, lacked posted evacuation plans, lacked dedicated emergency exit doors, and lacked universal disability accessibility provisions. Institutional preparedness cannot be inferred merely from basic hardware procurement. Strengthening campus resilience requires transitioning toward an ISO 45001‐aligned Occupational Health and Safety management system, establishing mandatory simulation‐based first aid training, retrofitting facilities with automated early warning systems, and expanding disability‐inclusive disaster risk reduction protocols.