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Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Mission
Statement
- Introduction
- Definition
of an Emergency
- Procedures
A. Practiced Scenarios
- Generic
- Evacuation
- Fire
- Toxic
Spill
- Intruder
- Sexual
Assault
B. Additional Situations
• Bomb
Threat
• Lock
Down
- Notification
Mechanisms
A. Communication
- Telephones
- Berbee
Paging System
- AutoDialer
- Intercoms
- Public
Address System
- HCC
Web Page
1) Additional Means of Communication
• Voice
Enunciation
• HCC
E-Mail
• Public
Safety and Maintenance
• Emergency
Call Buttons
• Personal
Duress “Spider” Alarm System
B. Emergency Contact Information
C. Emergency Analog Phone Locations
Housatonic Community
College
INTRODUCTION
Background
The
Emergency Response Plan is a written document developed and implemented by
Housatonic Community College to provide procedures for events that are unusual
to the campus environment. These
procedures apply to all College employees (full-time, part-time, regular,
temporary) and students, as well as other community entities and individuals
who may be using or participating in college campus activities. The plan provides information for
handling emergency events and working towards the resumption of normal college
operations. Many incidents are
caused by circumstances beyond anyone’s control, but with proper preparation,
the impact to the campus population can be minimized.
Mission Statement
Our
purpose at Housatonic Community College is to empower all individuals to
develop to their full potential.
We are committed to lifelong learning for all. As a knowledgeable and dedicated faculty and staff, we work
together with students in a learner-centered, supportive, and stimulating
environment. We prepare students
to participate in, and contribute responsibly to our global society.
Critical Incident Response Team
In
order to provide for an organized response to major emergencies on campus, a Critical
Incident Response Team (CIRT) has been formed to assist the College in
responding to, managing, mitigating and recovering from the emergency. The CIRT will also be responsible for
interfacing with off-campus resources and agencies as needed such as local and
state governmental agencies and the media. The CIRT will meet when any member of the team decides that
a campus emergency has occurred or might occur. The CIRT will be under the direction of the President and
will be comprised of the following people:
Team Leader – President, Dean of Administration
Facilities/Security – Dean of Administration, Director of
Facilities, Building Superintendent, Director of Security, Security Afternoon
Supervisor, Information Technologies Director
Communications – Public Information Officer, Human Resources
Director
Students – Dean of Students, Head of Student Services
Academics – Academic Dean, Evening Division Coordinator,
Weekend Administrator
Medical – Health Services Director, Disabilities
Support Director
Global Overview – Outreach Dean
In
the absence of any of the above individuals, backups or designees shall be
called to serve in their place.
Others may be added to this group depending on the situation or the
need.
Command Center
The
person who calls the Team together will designate which command center will be
used for the emergency. All Team
members should report directly to this command center when called. The primary command center will be in
the Administrative Conference Room A201, with the backup meeting place at the Bridgeport
City Hall Annex
Emergency
Defined
An
emergency is defined as any unplanned event that can disrupt normal operations
of the college, can shut down the campus, cause physical or environmental harm
or can cause injury or death to employees, students or the public. These procedures do not cover every
condition that may occur and it may not always be possible to follow every
procedural step, but they form the context within which this college will seek
to deal effectively and efficiently with emergency situations.
PROCEDURES
Practiced
Scenarios
Generic
Team Leader
- Assume overall
command of the emergency with the goal of minimizing the effect on the
campus
- Insure that all Team
positions are covered and Team members carry out their responsibilities
and have adequate personnel and other resources to accomplish their tasks
- Contact legal council
and assume responsibility for employee issues
- Approve all financial
commitments of campus and off-campus resources to the emergency and notify
insurance companies and others as appropriate
- Plan rest breaks for
those working on the emergency
- If the leader is not
the President, represent the President
- Declare an end to the
emergency and after the emergency is over, conduct a review of the events
and lessons learned and issue a report so that emergency plans can be
improved
- Convene the Emergency
Response Team as appropriate during the year for training and plan reviews
Facilities/Security
- Function as the
initial incident commander or team leader until replaced by the Team
Leader or designee
- Assume responsibility
for the security of all campus life and property
- Provide field command
of life safety and fire issues
- Insure that the local
officials including Fire, Police, Medical and political are advised of the
situation and the needs of the college
- Insure that the
Emergency Response Team has adequate communications capabilities
- Insure that immediate
instructions are disseminated to all impacted campus residents, faculty,
staff, and visitors during the emergency and that these instructions are
obeyed
- Provide direction to
campus personnel relative to crowd and traffic control
- Provide search and
rescue assistance to the local emergency services as requested and to the
extent available.
- Provide buses or
other means of transporting people off campus if needed and other
vehicles, equipment and operators as required
- Provide field command
over the overall use and care of all campus structures and grounds
including utilities
- Insure that the local
utility company representatives know the campus situation and needs
- Provide initial
damage assessments of campus structures, roads, grounds and utilities
- Assist in making
decisions relative to the continued use and re-occupancy of campus
property
- Engage specialists as
needed to insure that structures are safe for occupancy
- Contract as necessary
for services to repair structures and utilities and determine the time
needed to restore buildings to normal occupancy
- Coordinate the
delivery and storage of supplies needed for both emergency and ongoing
operations
- Advise the Emergency
Response Team of the availability of material safety data sheets (MSDS)
and provide copies as requested
- Insure that
environmental impact assessments are made for hazardous materials
incidents and, if necessary, arrange for the services of a licensed
environmental cleanup contractor
- Assume responsibility
for the ongoing administrative support mission of the college and insure
that administrative and business records are accounted for and protected
- Insure that resources
are adequate to maintain health and sanitation
- Maintain telephone
lists and update them every six months
Communications
- Assume responsibility
for the collection and dissemination of information to the media, campus
and general public
- Insure that an
adequate telephone-answering network is established to handle incoming and
campus calls and that the Emergency Response Team is aware of concerns and
issues being voiced by incoming callers
- Serve the Emergency
Response Team as the college's spokesperson in press conferences and media
interviews
- Establish a media
briefing room with adequate space and facilities for use of the media
- Develop press
releases and prepared statements for the President and the Emergency
Response Team relative to the health, well-being and location of students
and staff
- Coordinate the
college's press releases with those of the local responder's Public
Information Officer
- Be the liaison with
special interest groups (trustees, parents, alums etc.)
- Handle electronic
communications including e-mail notices and the web and arrange for
photographic and audiovisual services
- Insure that the media
is advised of any special telephone numbers for off-campus callers to use
to obtain information about the emergency
- Insure that campus
residents and staff are aware of the designated telephone number to call
for an emergency situation
Students
- Assume responsibility
for student issues
- Provide "people
oriented" record keeping for students; i.e. missing persons,
attendance etc.
- Assign personnel to
be the college's representative with injured or involved students and
their families
- Make food and shelter
decisions for students and staff
- Decide when campus
student activities should be canceled
- Arrange alternate
sites for campus student activities
Medical
- Coordinate with local
emergency response services' personnel to create a system to triage,
transport and treat students, staff and visitors impacted by the emergency
- Create a tracking
system to insure that the Emergency Response Team is aware of the number,
type and severity of injuries and the disposition of all patients
transported off campus to medical facilities
- Serve as the
College’s liaison with the public health officials of the local and the
State and Federal governments
- Establish contact
with and provide emotional support to students and/or their families
during the incident
- Initiate process of
in-school identification, referral, evaluation of those in emotional
distress
- Hire, as appropriate,
critical incident briefing personnel
- Brief faculty on
signs of emotional distress
- Establish and staff a
“safe” place for students and faculty to congregate
- Monitor post-crisis
climate and individual needs
Academics
- Assume responsibility
for the ongoing academic mission of the College
- Provide "people
oriented" record keeping for faculty and staff; i.e. missing persons,
attendance etc.
- Insure that academic
functions are ongoing
- Insure that academic
records are accounted for and protected
- Arrange alternate
sites for instructional space
Global Overview
- Manage the command
center and insure that a log of actions taken is started and kept up-to-date
- Assume responsibility
for the global overview of the emergency and advise the Emergency Response
Team of potential threats beyond the immediate crisis
- Be the liaison with
and represent the interests of the Early Childhood Center
Evacuation
In
the event the building has to be evacuated, notification will be made by
activating the college’s fire alarm system. All persons in classrooms/offices
should exit the building as quickly but efficiently as possible. It is
recommended that you:
• Be familiar of the
evacuation route from the classroom/office you are in. This can be accomplished by viewing the
maps and directions located above the door. It is very important to follow the listed evacuation route
as designated to avoid overloading any one spot.
• Make sure you are aware
of a secondary route should your primary route not be available.
• Do Not Use The
Elevator.
• Faculty/Staff should
assist students in evacuating the building and move across the street from the
college property.
• Assist any disabled or
challenged persons to the nearest stairwell. Stairwells are designated “areas of refuge” which are
fire rated for this purpose. Two way communications is available in all refuge
areas. Inform Security by using the intercom in the stairwell. Evacuation personnel will respond to
assist.
Once you have exited the building
• Proceed to the
designated area outside of the building at least across one of the streets from
the campus.
• Remain there until you
are notified as to the next course of action
Fire
Team
Leader
- Assume overall
command of the emergency with the goal of minimizing the effect on the
campus
- Insure that all Team
positions are covered and Team members carry out their responsibilities
and have adequate personnel and other resources to accomplish their tasks
- Use 911 to confirm
that the fire department has been told of the fire and provide additional
information (people trapped for example)
- Contact legal council
and assume responsibility for employee issues
- Approve all financial
commitments of campus and off-campus resources to the emergency and notify
insurance companies and others as appropriate
- Plan rest breaks for
those working on the emergency
- If the leader is not
the President, represent the President
- Declare an end to the
emergency and after the emergency is over, conduct a review of the events
and lessons learned and issue a report so that emergency plans can be
improved
Facilities/Security
- Function as the
initial incident commander or team leader until replaced by the Team
Leader or designee
- Assume responsibility
for the security of all campus life and property
- Provide field command
of life safety and fire issues
- Assign maintenance
people to meet the fire department at the main entrance to direct them to
the problem
- Provide direction to
campus personnel relative to crowd and traffic control (focus on keeping
the garage and entrances clear of traffic to allow emergency vehicle
access)
- Immediately shut down
all HVAC systems in the area of the fire
- Assign security
personnel to assist the Early Childhood Center evacuation
- Provide floor plans
and search and rescue assistance to the local emergency services as
requested and to the extent available
- Insure that the local
officials including Fire, Police, Medical and political are advised of the
situation and the needs of the college
- Insure that the
Emergency Response Team has adequate communications capabilities
- Insure that immediate
instructions are disseminated to all impacted campus residents, faculty,
staff, and visitors during the emergency and that these instructions are
obeyed
- Provide search and
rescue assistance to the local emergency services as requested and to the
extent available
- Provide field command
over the overall use and care of all campus structures and grounds
including utilities
- Insure that the local
utility company representatives know the campus situation and needs
- Provide initial
damage assessments of campus structures, roads, grounds and utilities
- Assist in making
decisions relative to the continued use and re-occupancy of campus
property
- Engage specialists as
needed to insure that structures are safe for occupancy
- Contract as necessary
for services to repair structures and utilities and determine the time
needed to restore buildings to normal occupancy
- Advise the Emergency
Response Team of the availability of material safety data sheets (MSDS)
and provide copies as requested
- Insure that
environmental impact assessments are made for hazardous materials
incidents and, if necessary, arrange for the services of a licensed
environmental cleanup contractor
- Assume responsibility
for the ongoing administrative support mission of the college and insure
that administrative and business records are accounted for and protected
Communications
- Assume responsibility
for the collection and dissemination of information to the media, campus
and general public
- Insure that an
adequate telephone-answering network is established to handle incoming and
campus calls and that the Emergency Response Team is aware of concerns and
issues being voiced by incoming callers
- Serve the Emergency
Response Team as the college's spokesperson in press conferences and media
interviews
- Initially during the
emergency, direct media questions to the Fire Department’s Public
Information Officer (PIO) as appropriate and coordinate the school's press
releases with the Fire PIO