09:14:00 Initial Emergency Incident Response

PURPOSE

To provide guidance for initial incident response as performed by the Campus Police Department, the College Emergency Response Management Team (CERMT), and the College Emergency Response Team (CERT).

POLICY

When an emergency incident occurs or threatens to occur, the director of Campus Police and Emergency Preparedness, his/her designee, or any members of the College Emergency Response Management Team (CERMT), or the College Emergency Response Team (CERT) have the authority, granted by the president of the College, to activate the Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP) or the Building Emergency Action Plan (BEAP) as the circumstances warrant. Emergency preparedness response includes administrative staff, Campus Police, designated building, floor and area coordinators, designees, and local emergency response agencies, if needed. 

The College Emergency Response Management Team (CERMT) and the College Emergency Response Team (CERT) will operate together with campus, local, state, and federal authorities as situations warrant. Activation of the Emergency Preparedness Plan relies on critical thinking skills and good judgment. Factors or criteria to be considered are:

1. Institutional operations, such as life safety, security, liability and infrastructure
2. Building specific responsibilities related to the incident at hand

An emergency incident is any event that occurs, or may occur, within the College community that:

1. Affects the life safety of employees, students and visitors
2. Results in disruption of some or all business operations
3. May be considered a crime
4. May have an impact on the overall reputation of the College

HOW TO CLEAR AN AREA/FLOOR/BUILDING

Those individuals assigned by a floor coordinator to serve in the capacity of area coordinators to check and clear assigned areas of a building should be prepared to:

1. Go room to room in assigned area
2. Knock to make presence known if door is locked
3. Check restrooms stall by stall
4. Report to floor coordinator/designee when area is cleared
5. Proceed to lead groups to designated outside evacuation area or inside relocation area

HOW TO ACCOUNT FOR CERT MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES

It is recommended that each building dean, building or floor coordinator/designees formulate a current personnel checklist according to the assignment of employees and College Emergency Response Team members in their building. When an incident occurs, the following process should be followed:

1. Using the recommended personnel checklist, the building dean or his/her designee is responsible for accounting for faculty and staff scheduled to teach/work in their buildings.
2. Using the recommended personnel checklist, department heads are responsible for accounting for all employees in their department. Department heads should report anyone who cannot be accounted for to the building dean or his/her designee.
3. The building dean should report any absences, if known, to the primary building coordinator.
4. Using the recommended personnel checklist, primary building coordinators are responsible for accounting for all campus emergency response members assigned to their building.
5. Using the recommended personnel checklist, floor coordinators are responsible for accounting for all secondary coordinators and designees and area coordinator and designees.
6. Once the primary building coordinator has compiled a list of those who cannot be accounted for, this information should be communicated or presented to Campus Police.
7. Campus Police will provide this information to rescue personnel and the College Emergency Response Management Team.
8. The College Emergency Response Management Team will consult with employee supervisors and the Human Resource office to determine if the employee was on campus during the event.
9. Employee status will be communicated to Campus Police so that rescue efforts may be appropriately directed or redirected.

USE OF STAIRWELLS OR RAMPS

Any stairwell, ramp or interior room that does not contain windows or glass walls may be utilized as emergency relocation shelter if time does not permit advancement to the primary designated relocation area. In addition, stairwells may be used to exit the building providing the stairwell be not directly affected by the occurring event. After exiting the building during evacuation via any stairway, proceed to the designated rally point. Please refer to posted evacuation routes located in the corridors of each building for locations of stairwells. 

10/19