Reporting Emergencies

• The #1 priority is to get yourself out of danger.
• Have an escape route and plan.  If there is an escape path, attempt to leave immediately.  Be decisive about it. 
• Leave belongings behind.
• Evacuate regardless if others agree to do so or not (don't let others slow you)
• Help others if possible.
• Prevent others from entering the area. 
• Keep hands visible.
• Call SFCCPD or 911 when you are safe.

• If evacuating is not possible, find a place to hide immediately.
• Move quickly and quietly.
• Hide in an area out of the shooter’s view.  Look for a place with a hard covering or structuring, such as a brick wall, parked vehicle, tree, or any other object that may stop bullets.  
• If you hide in a room, closet, or office, lock the door or block the entry to the hiding place, turn off the lights, close window shades, silence your cell phone, and remain quiet.
• If you can't find a room, closet, or office-hide behind large objects that conceal you.
• Don't restrict yourself from being able to move or RUN to a safer location.
• If the situation arises, be ready to FIGHT!

• As a last resort and only when your life is in immediate danger, whether alone or in a group-FIGHT!
• Attempt to incapacitate the shooter(s).
• Act with as much physical aggression as possible.
• Improvise weapons like chairs, fire extinguishers, or any other hard object you can use or throw at the active shooter. 
• Commit to your actions….your life depends on it.
• Don't freeze....react and survive.

In some emergency cases, it may be necessary to evacuate the building.  When evacuating, do so effectively, quickly, quietly, and calmly.

• If the building alarm sounds or when asked to evacuate by a member of the Building Emergency Team or Emergency Responder, walk quickly and calmly to the nearest safe exit.
• Use stairs. Do not use elevators.
• Ask persons who may be disabled, if they require assistance. Provide reasonable aid. Station disabled persons in the stairway landing. If you are unable to safely evacuate someone who is disabled, immediately notify Police and/or Fire personnel and the Building Coordinator of their location. If possible, have someone stay with the person.
• Evacu-Track chairs are available to assist in the evacuation of disabled persons.

Earthquakes may happen anytime and almost anywhere. Most injuries caused by earthquakes are from falling or flying objects. It is important to practice how to be safe.

When you feel earthquake shaking, receive an earthquake alert, or during an earthquake drill, do the following:

• DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees.
• COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand. Then crawl underneath the table or desk for additional shelter. Stay on your knees and bend forward to protect vital organs.
• HOLD ON to your shelter with one hand. Keep covering your head/neck with your other hand.
• Avoid windows (face away from glass), tall furniture, and overhead hazards.
• If possible, take cover under a sturdy desk or table or seek refuge along an interior wall and cover your head.
• Do not immediately evacuate. Wait for the shaking to stop and check for hazards before exiting.

At the first sign of fire, evacuate the building or area, activate the fire alarm as you leave, notify campus police.

• Do not use elevators, use stairs.
• Feel closed doors with the back of your hand. If hot, do not open doors; find another escape route.
• If trapped in the building, hang an article of clothing, towel, sheet, etc. from a window to signal Emergency Responders. Stay close to the floor. Shout at regular intervals to alert Emergency Personnel.
• Portable fire extinguishers should be attempted to be used, if needed.

Hazardous Materials are anything flammable, toxic, corrosive, reactive, oxygenic, cryogenic, or radioactive. If you suspect a Hazardous Materials release, exposure, or danger-immediately notify Campus Police.

• Evacuate the affected area and seal it off, if possible.
• Provide the appearance of the released material – solid, liquid, odor, color, etc.
• Provide time of release and information regarding the area of contamination, any hazards inside or outside the room or buildings, and information as to the materials involved or stored in the affected area.
• If you have been exposed to the material, immediately notify emergency personnel. Remain in the immediate area, but away from the contamination. Avoid contact with others.
• If toxic materials come in contact with your skin, immediately flush the affected area with clear water for at least 15 minutes. Use chemical showers if available.
• NOTE: Lab instructors or supervisors - isolate contaminated persons, obtain names and notify emergency personnel.

If you observe a suspicious package, potential bomb, or you receive a phone call indicating a bomb or explosive device has been placed on campus, do the following;

• Scan your work area for unfamiliar items.
• Do not touch suspicious packages/items.
• Notify Campus Police.
• Take personal belongings, if instructed to evacuate.
• If you receive a telephone threat - try to keep the caller talking and ask:
  • When is the bomb going to explode?
  • Where is the bomb?
  • What does the bomb look like?
  • Why did you place the bomb?

NOTE: Anything that may aid in identification, such as background sounds, accents, etc.

Shelter-in-place refers to finding a safe location indoors and staying there. This can be due to everything from hazardous, chemical, biological, radiological material releases to fires or explosions. In addition, emergency situations such as an active shooter on campus may call for shelter-in-place procedures. If a shelter-in-place order is given, employees and students should follow the below procedures to ensure their safety:

• Remain in place, wherever you are on campus.
• Do not drive or walk outside.
• Quickly lock exterior doors, close windows, and air vents.
• If possible, notify your emergency contact of your location and that you are safe.
• Close window shades, blinds, or curtains.
• Await instructions from SFCCPD or local law enforcement agencies.

If a power outage occurs during daylight hours:

• Call Police immediately.
• Advise the dispatcher of any additional locations that are without power.
• The dispatcher will immediately notify maintenance of the outage
• Assist other individuals in your immediate area.
• Secure files, turn off computers, unplug electronic equipment, and lock windows and doors prior to leaving your office.
• Evacuate students to an area with lights.
• If the campus is totally without power, classes will be dismissed or temporarily dismissed depending on the problem that caused the power outage.
• If you are in an unlit area, proceed cautiously to an area that has lights or sunlight.
• If you’re trapped in an elevator, use the emergency call box.
• Stand by for instruction from your instructor, supervisor, or Campus Police.
• All special events, performances, and indoor athletic events will be stopped and evacuated

Terrorist incidences usually occur with little to no warning.. Protective measures to implement during and following a terrorist incident:

• Distance yourself from the location of the incident and seek shelter as soon as possible.
• Follow instructions from Police or emergency personnel.
• If exposed to a chemical agent or if you have trouble breathing, use your clothing as a simple filter by covering your face and breathing through your clothing.
• If exposed to a chemical, biological, or radioactive agent, change out of any contaminated clothing, shower, put on clean clothing, and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
• Seek medical attention as soon as possible for any injuries, if you have trouble breathing, or believe you were exposed to a contaminating agent.

Serious water damage can occur from a number of sources: broken pipes, clogged drains, broken skylights or windows, construction oversights, or inclement weather.

• Call SFCCPD immediately.
• Advise the dispatcher of the location and severity of the flood or leak.
• If there are electrical appliances or electrical outlets near the leak, use extreme caution.
• If there is any possible danger, evacuate the area.
• If evacuation is not possible, find higher ground.
• If you know the source of the water and are confident of your ability to stop it (i.e., unclog the drain, turn off the water, etc.), do so cautiously.
• Be prepared to assist, as directed, in protecting college and personal property that is in jeopardy.
• Take only those steps that are needed to avoid or reduce immediate water danger.
  • Carefully move small or light objects out of the emergency area.

While college campuses are generally safe in nature, there are events that may cause the need for an emergency response by campus members and Public Safety. These events may include but are not limited to; a violent intruder or active shooter. If an incident threatens the safety at a campus and/or center, it may trigger a Lockdown.

A Lockdown is to eliminate or minimize personal injury to college constituents. A campus/building lockdown can serve several functions during an emergency, including the following:

• Removing students, teachers, and others from the threat;
• Isolating the dangerous situation from much of the school;
• Allowing for an accurate accounting of students within each room; and
• Depending on the situation, facilitating an organized evacuation away from the dangerous area.
• In general, there are two main lockdown situations:
  • Lockdown with a warning: The threat is outside the school building.
  • Lockdown with intruder: The threat or intruder is inside the school building.

    
    

An emergency situation requiring that occupants of a building must shelter and secure in place, when a normal evacuation would put occupants at risk.

Initial response is to flee to an area of safety away, from the attacker(s)/danger.

If and when safe to do so, call 911 immediately or use other means available (i.e. safety apps.) to contact emergency responders. When notifying emergency responders be prepared to provide the following information: 

• your location
• your name and contact number 
• any injuries, and the number of individuals with you
• suspect/attacker information. 
• Follow any directions given by police
• Shelter in place if the area is secure and use any locking device or other means to secure door(s).
• Turn off lights, cover windows, silence cell phones, and move away from doors and windows.
• Keep in tune with mass email/text notifications or listen for loudspeakers for updated information. 
• Wait for directions from police or other emergency personnel for rescue or an all clear signals. This may be via electronic notification or in-person by emergency responders.
• * Note for safety reasons police and public safety officers may not initially greet you with familiarity. Follow directions. Do not be offended.
• * If you are not sure of any person requesting you to open any door, ask for additional information such as: name, badge number, or wait for a call from 911 or call police yourself and get directions on how to proceed.