Emergency Procedures

 

Bomb Threat

Even though we know that most bomb threats are hoaxes, we cannot afford to ignore any of them. We must assume that each threat received constitutes a clear and present danger to our campus.

Please read and familiarize yourself with the following procedures. They will preserve order and safety should a threat be received.

Procedures

When a threat is received it should be reported immediately to the Campus Security office at 2020. Campus Security will then consult with the ranking officials present via the Dean of Students. Should the Dean not be available, the ranking senior officer will be contacted directly.

Should conditions or time not permit, the Director of Campus Security shall have the authority to act until a senior officer can be located and briefed.

The designated building safety committee member will be contacted by telephone or in person. They will be told exactly the following:

• This is Campus Security, and we have a condition - bomb threat. Please act accordingly and call 2020 when your search is complete.

Condition 1

QUIET SEARCH: conduct a quiet search of your assigned area. Try not to alarm anyone. If you need help ask a fellow faculty or staff member to assist. If anything unusual is found report it to Campus Security at once.

DO NOT TOUCH THE OBJECT – KEEP PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE AREA UNTIL CAMPUS SECURITY ARRIVES.

Condition 2

Notify everyone that we have received a threat, and they should leave the area. The decision, however, is theirs. Conduct a search of the area as in condition 1.

Condition 3

The building or buildings WILL be evacuated. Notice will be given verbally if time permits or the building fire alarm will be activated.

Campus access will be restricted – faculty and staff only – I.D. cards will be required.

Police and fire units will be summoned to stand by on campus.

 

Medical Emergency

During any given day we may encounter a situation that could be considered a medical emergency. While a medical emergency does not in and of itself constitute a need for a general campus alarm, the following procedures should be followed:

• CALL 911

Ask for the EMS dispatcher.

Tell the dispatcher:

• Your name

• Your exact location

• The nature of the emergency

• NOTIFY CAMPUS SECURITY AT 2020

Campus Security will send a first responder to your location and arrange to meet EMS.

• Send someone outside to direct EMS and Campus Security if possible.

• Keep onlookers away.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DO FIRST AID UNLESS YOU ARE TRAINED TO DO SO.

• The Campus Security officer on the scene will begin the notification procedures as soon as the patient is in the hands of the EMS team.

THE NOTIFICATION ORDER IS:

• The RLC on duty

• Director of Residence Life

• Dean of Students: The Dean will make the decision on calling parents, will establish liaison with the hospital and will handle notification of other school officials as necessary. 

 

General Fire Safety

In case of fire, the fire department should be notified immediately. Call 911

1. Pull the nearest fire alarm.

2. When calling 911 give exact location.

3. Then call 2020 and alert Campus Security.

4. Help clear the building.

• Know the locations of fire extinguishers, fire exits and alarm boxes in your area and know how to use them. Training and other information is available through Campus Security.

• If minor fires appear controllable, pull an alarm box , then get a fire extinguisher, aim it at the base of the flame and pull trigger

• If the fire is not out with one try, follow steps 2, 3 & 4 above.

• If the fire is already out of control, follow steps 1, 2, 3 & 4 above.

• Close all doors to help contain the fire and reduce oxygen.

DO NOT LOCK ANY DOORS

• When the building fire alarm sounds, assume an emergency exists.

Assist in clearing the building

Assist the handicapped to evacuate.

REMEMBER, DO NOT USE ELEVATORS DURING A FIRE

Once outside, move everyone to the safe areas.

• Before opening a door, feel it. DO NOT OPEN UNLESS IT IS COOL. Once you have opened it look both ways.

If there is little or no smoke, proceed to the nearest exit and get out.

If the door is hot or smoke is coming under it, stuff rags or wet towels around openings.

TAKE NO CHANCES. WHEN IN DOUBT, SOUND THE ALARM

CAUTION: Most building alarms only sound on campus. The fire department MUST be called by phone.

Residence hall fire safety:

• When you hear a fire alarm, prepare to leave the building immediately.

• Feel the door. If it is cool, open it and check both ways down the hall.

• If no smoke or only a little smoke is seen, proceed to the nearest stairwell and go to the first floor exit.

• Make sure you have shoes and something warm to wear or wrap up in.

• Shut your door, but leave it unlocked.

• Make your way to designated safe areas.

• Follow the instruction of residence life and campus security officials on the scene.

If the door is hot or if there is smoke coming from underneath:

• Wet some towels or rags and stuff them around the bottom of the door.

• First Floor persons should crawl out of the window and make their way to their designated safe area.

• Upper floor persons should go to their window and let someone know they are there.

• Hang a towel or anything outside the window as a sign that you are still inside.

• If smoke starts to get in, stay low and put a wet towel over your nose and mouth.

• Continue to make sure your towel is wet. 

Outside Fire Safe Areas

• Norris/Wingo Hall: Grassy area, south side of parking lot.
• Ashby/Jones Hall: Grassy area, south side of parking lot.
• Field House: Road, west side of field house.
• Women's South: Women's parking lot on the north side of the building as far away from the building as possible
• Women's North: Women's parking lot on the north side of the building as far away from the building as possible.
• Russell East: Thurmond Center parking lot on the north side of the building as far away from the building as possible
• Russell West: Thurmond Center parking lot on the north side of the building as far away from the building as possible.
• Learning Center: Thurmond Center parking lot on the north side of the building as far away from the building as possible.
• Quads: The large parking lot on the east side.
• Thurmond Center: Thurmond Center Parking lot as far away from the building as possible.
• Music building: Thurmond Center parking lot as far away from the building as possible.
• Chapel: Thurmond Center parking lot as far away from the building as possible
• Library: Field on the west side of the building
• Derry Patterson Wingo: Grassy area on the west side of the building.
• Whitfield Stadium Center: The gravel parking lot in front of the building
• Brewer Center: Women's Parking lot
• Whittington Hall: Thurmond Center parking lot. 

 

Lockdown Procedures

When a credible threat has been identified, the emergency alert system will be initiated and the campus will be placed on lockdown. When this occurs, the following steps will be taken:

a. All entrances and exits to the campus will be sealed off and no vehicle or pedestrian traffic will be permitted on or off campus for the duration of the lockdown.

b. Simultaneously with the emergency alert, Residence Life personnel will commence a door-to-door notification of every room in the residence halls that a campus emergency is in progress and that all persons should remain in their rooms until further advised.

c. University personnel will be dispatched to every building on campus that is open or occupied and notify the person in charge of that facility that the doors should be locked and no one should be permitted to enter or exit until the all-clear has been sounded.

d. Security personnel will advise any persons outside to immediately seek a safe place to stay for the duration of the crisis.

University personnel, the campus website, and the emergency alert system will be used to provide frequent notification to students, faculty, staff and parents regarding the status of the emergency. Once the senior official on scene has determined that the threat has been neutralized and the emergency is over, an emergency alert message will be sent to all registered users.

Another door-to-door notification will be accomplished to advise all residential students that the threat is over ,and they are free to move about at will. The occupants of all buildings previously secured will be advised to resume normal operations. All entrances and exits to the campus will be re-opened.