XIX. UNK General Population Emergency Plan
- Reporting Emergencies: All emergencies and ongoing crimes should be reported directly to 911. “Emergency” phones are located throughout campus and dial directly to 911. Provide the dispatcher with the following information:
- Your name
- Your location (building, room number, etc.)
- Nature of the emergency (fire, medical, chemical spill, etc.) A thorough description of the incident will ensure the proper resources are dispatched
- Any other information requested by the dispatcher
- Do not hang up until the dispatcher tells you to do so
- If you feel you are in immediate danger, leave the area at once notifying people as you leave
- Medical Emergencies: (Life threatening or serious injuries)
- Call 911. Police & Parking Services will be dispatched along with other emergency personnel
- Give a brief description of the emergency, include name(s) of victim(s) if known
- Return to the victim and make them as comfortable as possible. Never move a seriously injured person unless there is a life threatening situation.
- Render first aid up to your trained ability
- If possible, have someone meet emergency personnel at the building entrance.
- Bomb Threats:
By phone
- Remain as calm as possible. Be courteous, listen and do not interrupt
- If the telephone has caller identification, note the phone number
- Note the date and time you received the call and when the call ended
- Write down the exact words of the threat
- Ask the caller the following questions:
-Where is the bomb located?
-When will the bomb explode?
- If at any time you perceive you are in immediate danger, leave the building at once pulling the fire alarm as you leave. Call 911 when you have reached a safe area.
- If you feel you are not in danger, have another person call Police and Parking Service to relay information and continue to ask the caller:
-What does it look like?
-What kind of bomb is it?
-What will cause it to explode?
-Why did you place the bomb?
-Who is this?
-Where are you calling from?
- As you are talking to the caller, try to answer the following questions:
-Gender of caller
-Age of caller
-Caller’s voice description:
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Background sounds: |
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__motor noises |
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By mail
- Do not handle the object.
- Do not use cell phones or 2 way radios within the area of the suspicious mail
- Contact Police & Parking Services at 627-4811 or 865-8517. Give them your name, location, nature of the emergency and other information requested
- If you should see a suspicious object or package, call Police & Parking Services. Do not touch, tamper, or move the object or package
- If instructed, evacuate the building. Do not re-enter until an All-clear is issued by emergency personnel
Suspicious Package
- Do not touch it or move it.
- Leave the room, close the door, and if possible lock the area to prevent others from entering. Warn others on our way out.
- Do not use cell phones or 2 way radios within the area of the suspicious package
- Once away from the package call 911
- Fire:
At the sound of the Emergency Alarm, it is the responsibility of all building occupants to evacuate immediately and proceed to predetermined assembly points, away from the building.
Building occupants are also responsible for ensuring that their visitors/customers follow the evacuation procedure described herein, and leave the building along with all other occupants.
Faculty are responsible for dismissing their classes and directing students to leave the building by the nearest exit upon hearing the alarm or being notified of an emergency.
Designated essential personnel needed to continue or shut down critical operations while an evacuation is underway are responsible for recognizing and/or determining when to abandon the operation and evacuate themselves.
Contract workers will be made familiar with the procedure outlined herein and are expected to leave the building when the alarm sounds.
Evacuation Instructions
Whenever you hear the building alarm or are informed of a general building emergency:
-Do not panic or ignore the alarm.
-Leave the building immediately, in an orderly fashion.
-Dismiss classes in session and direct students to leave the building immediately, in an orderly fashion and go to the buildings evacuation site.
-Follow the quickest evacuation route from where you are
- Do not go back to your office or classroom area for any reason
- Keep low to the floor if smoke is in your room
- Before opening the door:
- Feel the door knob. If it is hot, do not open the door
- If the knob is not hot, brace yourself against the door and open slightly (fire can create pressure strong enough to push a door open if it is not held firmly.) If heat or heavy smoke is present in the corridor, close the door and stay in the room.
- If you cannot leave the room:
- Open the windows. If your windows are the type that can be raised and lowered, open the top to let out heat and smoke, open the bottom to let in fresh air
- Seal cracks around the door with towels or bed clothing to keep out smoke
- To attract attention if you are trapped, hang an object out the window, such as a sheet, jacket, shirt, or anything that will attract attention. Shout for help.
- If you leave the room:
- Close all doors behind you as you exit. This will retard the spread of smoke and lessen damage
- Go to the nearest exit or stairway. DO NOT USE AN ELEVATOR
- If the nearest exit is blocked by smoke, heat or fire, go to an alternate exit
- If all exits from a floor are blocked, go back to your room, close the door, open the windows and follow the procedure described above in step c.
- After leaving the building, stand clear and follow directions from emergency personnel. Proceed to the designated emergency assembly point for your area.
- If the designated assembly point/area is unsafe or blocked due to the emergency, proceed to the alternate assembly point.
- Call 911 if a fire exists
- If no fire exists, notify Police and Parking Services
- Report to your Work Area Rep or instructor at the assembly point to be checked off as having evacuated safely; also report any knowledge you may have of missing persons.
- Stand clear and follow directions from emergency personnel
- Return to the building only after emergency officials or building monitors give the all-clear signal. Silencing the alarm does not mean the emergency is over.
- Helping individuals with physical disabilities:
Any person unable or who needs assistance to evacuate should proceed to the nearest stairwell. If it is unsafe to do so remain in your office/classroom/ residence. Notify emergency response and rescue personnel that you have taken refuge there.
Supervisory personnel and course instructors are responsible for identifying and escorting individuals with disabilities located in their offices/classrooms to safety if possible. If they are not able to evacuate the individual they need to at a minimum get them to a stairwell and then notify rescue personnel.
If you are on a building floor WITHOUT exit that go directly to the outside, and you hear a fire alarm, or are informed of an evacuation.
- Go to a stairwell immediately.
- Inform or ask someone, a building occupant or a floor monitor in particular, to alert the first arriving emergency responders of your presence and location.
- Call 911 to ensure rescue personnel are notified of your location and your need for assistance to evacuate.
- Provide operator with your exact location, building name, floor and room numbers;
- Give phone number you are calling from;
- If possible remain by phone, police have radio contact with officers at scene and will keep you informed of the situation.
- The information you provide to the emergency operator will be relayed to emergency and rescue personnel arriving at the scene, who will assist in your safe evacuation, if circumstances warrant.
Use of Exits and Exit Access:
- To ensure that fire equipment is in operating condition at all times, the use of fire extinguishers etc. should be immediately reported to Facilities at 865- 8533.
- Exit access shall be the corridors and stairwells provided in the building. The exit itself is the door or other means provided between the exit access and a place of safety from fire and smoke
- Exits or exit access shall not be obstructed at any time in any manner with furniture, storage, displays, vending machines, etc.
- Fire doors on stairwells, unless arranged to close automatically in the event of fire, shall be maintained in the closed position at all times
- Exit signs shall be properly illuminated at all times. Such signs shall not be obstructed or blocked from view at any time
- Exits and exit access doors shall not be locked at any time unless equipped with panic hardware or other approved means to permit emergency egress by building occupants
- Evacuation
- Campus Evacuation Responsibility for issuing evacuation orders rests with the Chancellor or by direction of the City of Kearney. When there is an immediate need to protect lives and provide for public safety, the on-scene commander can make the decision to evacuate. Individual responsibility should be taken by all faculty, staff, students and guests to ensure for their own safety.
Public Notification
Persons to be evacuated should be given as much warning time as possible. On slow moving events, pre-evacuation notice will be given to affected residents. All warning modes will be utilized to direct the affected population to evacuate campus. This will include use of the UNKAlert! system to notify individuals by phone, e-mail and text message. The University will also post information on the University Web page and use the television scrolling system. Wherever possible, the University building evacuation plans will be implemented and work area reps and floor monitors will walk through buildings going door-to-door to notify occupants.
The Office of Communication will ensure emergency and evacuation information is disseminated to the media on a timely manner. Instructions to the public such as traffic routes to be followed, location of temporary reception centers, and situation updates will be issued as information becomes available.
Movement
It is anticipated that the primary evacuation mode will be in private vehicle. Evacuation routes will be selected by law enforcement officials at the time of the evacuation decision. If at all possible, two-way traffic will be maintained on all evacuation routes to allow continued access for emergency vehicles. Movement instructions will be part of the warning and subsequent public information releases.
Transportation
The Emergency Management Coordinator will determine the need for special transportation, coordinate the use of transportation resources to support the evacuation and announce convenient centralized locations as assembly areas. There could be cases where elderly, infirm or handicapped persons in the evacuation area will not be able to get to the assembly point or would need a special type of transportation. Provisions will be made for vehicles to transport these individuals. The public will be instructed how to notify EOC of any special transportation problems. The University Child Development Center will take priority when assessing transportation needs.
Access Control
During times of evacuation University buildings will be locked down. In certain situations buildings will be pinned so that only authorized emergency personnel have access. A perimeter would be established and enforced by Police and Parking Services. An access pass system would be established.
Re-entry
The re-entry decision and order will be made by the Chancellor after the threat has passed and the evacuated area has been inspected by all necessary safety personnel.
- Building EvacuationAt the sound of the Emergency Alarm, it is the responsibility of all building occupants to evacuate immediately and proceed to predetermined assembly points, away from the building.
Building occupants are also responsible for ensuring that their visitors/customers follow the evacuation procedure described herein, and leave the building along with all other occupants.
Faculty are responsible for dismissing their classes and directing students to leave the building by the nearest exit upon hearing the alarm or being notified of an emergency.
Designated essential personnel needed to continue or shut down critical operations while an evacuation is underway are responsible for recognizing and/or determining when to abandon the operation and evacuate themselves.
Contract workers will be made familiar with the procedure outlined herein and are expected to leave the building when the alarm sounds.
Evacuation Instructions
Whenever you hear the building alarm or are informed of a general building emergency:
-Do not panic.
-Do not ignore the alarm.
-Leave the building immediately, in an orderly fashion.
-Do not use the elevators.
-Dismiss classes in session and direct students to leave.
-Follow the quickest evacuation route from where you are
-Do not go back to your office or classroom area for any reason
-Proceed to the designated emergency assembly point for your area. If the designated assembly point/area is unsafe or blocked due to the emergency, proceed to the alternate assembly point.
-Report to your Work Area Rep or Instructor at the assembly point to be checked off as having evacuated safely; also report any knowledge you may have of missing persons.
-Return to the building only after emergency officials or building monitors give the all-clear signal. Silencing the alarm does not mean the emergency is over.
Any person unable or who needs assistance to evacuate should proceed to the nearest stairwell. If it is unsafe to do so remain in your office/classroom/ residence. Notify emergency response and rescue personnel that you have taken refuge there.
Supervisory personnel and course instructors are responsible for identifying and escorting individuals with disabilities located in their offices/classrooms to safety if possible. If they are not able to evacuate the individual they need to at a minimum get them to a stairwell and then notify rescue personnel.
In any emergency requiring evacuation, do not panic, proceed as follows:
If you are on a building floor WITHOUT exit doorways, and you hear a fire alarm, or are informed of an evacuation.
- Go to a stairwell immediately.
- Inform or ask someone, a building occupant or a floor monitor in particular, to alert the first arriving emergency responders of your presence and location.
- Call 911 to ensure rescue personnel are notified of your location and your need for assistance to evacuate.
- Provide operator with your exact location, building name, floor and room numbers;
- Give phone number you are calling from;
- If possible remain by phone, police have radio contact with officers at scene and will keep you informed of the situation.
The information you provide to the emergency operator will be relayed to emergency and rescue personnel arriving at the scene, who will assist in your safe evacuation, if circumstances warrant.
- Hazardous/Infectious Material Spill:
- In cases of Imminent danger, health, property, or environment
- Isolate the area of the spill by shutting doors or uses of other means
- For indoor release/spills leave the area and pull the fire alarm to initiate a building evacuation. For outdoor release/spills if possible to do so safely (Without risk of overexposure) take action to stop the release and prevent or minimize release.
- Render appropriate first aid
- If hazardous materials came in contact with eyes or skin, immediately flush the affected area with large amounts of water
- In infectious materials (blood, body fluid, anthrax) cone in contact with your skin, immediately wash the affected area with soap and water.
- If the spill has contaminated individuals or is a danger to people have someone dial 911 as soon as possible.
- Severe Weather/School Closing:
- If severe weather affects our area, the Chancellor or his/her designee will make the decision to close campus. If this decision is made the announcement will be disseminated through the following means:
- The office of Media Relations will notify area news media of closings. UNK officials urge students to listen to radio and television announcements regarding closing and check media websites.
- An e-mail notification will be sent to all subscribers at UNK
- Notification will be placed on the UNK home page at HTTP://www.unk.edu
- The City of Kearney has designated Cable Channel 7 as the Kearney Government Information Channel and information on snow emergencies will be posted at this channel. The City of Kearney web site at www.cityofkearney.org also provides snow removal information.
- Tornado:
- Tornado Watch
- A watch means tornados could develop
- If a tornado watch is in effect, the Police & Parking Services Department will a campus wide e-mail
- Listen to local radio and television stations or weather alert for updates
- During non-business hours, the Police Officer on duty will activate the Emergency Notification System and send on alert to the afterhour’s weather group. They will proceed to as many buildings and classrooms as possible to make notifications.
- Tornado Warning:
- A warning means a tornado has been sighted in the general area. If the warning sirens sound, immediately proceed to the designated shelter area. Advise others on your way. Do not use the elevators. (See XX. Designated Shelter Locations)
- If time does not permit, get into the safest area of your building, classroom or office
- Avoid windows, auditoriums, gymnasiums or other structures with free-span roofs, boiler room areas or electrical switchgear areas
- Shelter may be taken underneath your desk or any heavy furniture available.
- Helping Individuals with Physical Disabilities:
- Building personnel and course instructors are responsible for identifying and escorting to safety all individuals who have disabilities or are otherwise physically unable to evacuate to their shelter.
- The elevators may be used to transport individuals with physical disabilities to tornado shelters, along with their escorts. Visually-impaired and hearing-impaired individuals may be escorted down the stairs to tornado shelters
- In the event of a power failure, individuals who are unable to use the stairs should move to an interior location without windows and call Police & Parking Services at (308) 627-4811 or 911. Police & Parking Services will notify the appropriate emergency personnel with the location.
- Flood:
- Notification
- The Police and Parking Services Department will activate the Emergency Notification System to notify the campus
- During non-business hours, the Police Officer on duty will activate the afterhours Emergency Notification System. They will proceed to as many buildings and classrooms as possible to make notifications.
- During a Flood
- Listen to local radio and television stations or weather alert system for updates
- Be aware of areas that tend to flood easily
- If at all possible, DO NOT travel
- If it is necessary to travel DO NOT walk through moving water or drive through flooded area (as little as 6 inches of moving water can make you fall if walking and can cause a vehicles to loses control).
- Evacuate as instructed by emergency personnel (if directed to do so) (See evacuation procedures)
- After a Flood
- Avoid flood waters as they may be contaminated with gas, oil and sewage waters.
- Be aware of areas where floodwaters have receded. Roads may have weakened and could collapse.
- Stay away from downed power lines and electrical wires. Do not drive over these lines either.
- Do not return to flooded areas until emergency personnel indicate it is safe to do so.
- Stay out of the buildings if flood waters remain around the building
- Be alert and report any hazard
- Earthquake:
- If inside:
- Take cover under a table or desk for protection
- If there is nothing available to provide protection then sit or stand against an inside wall. If possible, position yourself in a doorway.
- Stay away from windows, anything glass and items that are not fixed that could fall over on you
- If outside:
- Stay away from tall structures and trees
- Move away from power lines and street lights
- Crouch low to the ground and wait for the tremor to stop
- Keep looking around, remain aware of dangers that may demand you to move
- After the tremor:
- If the building has been damaged, evacuate the building. Do not use elevators. Open doors carefully watching for falling objects.
- Call 911 and report the incident
- Do not use plumbing or electricity until the building has been checked by facilities
- Do not use matches or lighters in case of gas leaks
- Be prepared for additional aftershocks.
- Bio-terrorism:
- Package has not leaked:
- Do not shake, open or empty the contents of suspected envelope or package
- Leave the room and immediately wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water. Keep your hands away from your face.
- Contact Police & Parking Services at 865-8517 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or 627-4811 anytime.
- Package has leaked:
- Stay in the area
- Remain calm and call Police & Parking Services. Identify yourself, your location and a brief description of the situation
- Wait for the arrival of Police & Parking Services.
- General provisions:
- Persons in the room at the time of the incident should remain in the area to be identified and questioned
- Do not touch other items if at all possible
- Close the doors to the contaminated area.
- Active Shooter
- Upon the first sighting or sounds of shots fired, individuals need to assess their surroundings and determine their safest response
- If shots are heard away from your location and you perceive you have a safe way to exit (in the opposite direction of the shots and the shooter) do so. Once out immediately call 911 and give them detail information about the situation
- If it is not safe or the only exit is towards the shots and the shooter immediately secure your area
- Lock and barricade doors
- Turn off lights
- Close blinds
- Block windows
- Turn off radios (anything that makes noise) and computer monitors
- Keep occupants calm, quiet and out of sight
- Keep yourself out of sight and take adequate cover/protection i.e. concert walls, thick desks, filing cabinet (cover may protect you from bullets)
- Silence cell phones
- If safe to do so as quietly as possible have one person call 911. Give detailed information about the situation.
- Stay alert and adjust your plan as the situation changes.
- Un-securing an area
- Do not un-secure the room you are in until law enforcement instruct you to do so.
- Remember, the shooter will typically not stop until they are engaged by an outside force or run out of ammunition.
- Attempt to rescue people should only be attempted if it can be accomplished without further endangering the persons inside your secured area.
- What to report
- Your specific location, building name and office/room number
- What specifically is happening
- Assailant(s) location, number of suspects, race/gender, clothing description, physical features, type of weapons (long gun or hand gun), backpack, shooters identify if known, separate explosions from gunfire, etc…
- Number of people at your specific location
- Injuries- number injured types of injuries.
- Be aware the 911 system may become overwhelmed.
- Program the Police & Parking Services cell number into your cell phone for emergency use.
- Shelter-in- Place
- Shelter-in-place order
- Shelter-in-place orders will be made by the Chancellor of the University or his/her designee or by the direction of the City of Kearney
- In situations where rapid deployment of shelter-in-place is critical to ensure the continued health and safety of the community, the on-scene command has authority to order the shelter-in-place
- Shelter-in-place area definition
- The definition of the area to be sheltered will be determined by those officials recommended or ordering the shelter-in-place based on the advice of appropriate advisory agencies.
- Public notification
- Shelter-in-Place Warning – All possible warning modes will be utilized to direct the affected population to shelter-in-place. This includes the use of UNKAlert! System to notify individuals by phone, e-mail and text message. The University will also post information on the University web page and television scrolling, if possible. Whenever possible, the university building evacuation personnel will walk through the building going door to door to notify occupants.
- Public Information- The office of Media Relations will ensure that emergency information is disseminated to the media in a timely manner. Instructions to the public and situation update will be issued as the information becomes available
- Building emergency personnel
- For the purpose of this plan, emergency personnel and their alternative have been selected to ensure that building sheltering is carried out as planned.
- Procedures
Upon notification of sheltering in place, emergency personnel will complete the job tasks listed above. It is the responsibility of all building occupants to follow any emergency directions and immediately proceed to a safe location within the building. Faculty are responsible for dismissing their classes and relaying all emergency directions to their students. University employees and students are responsible for relaying all emergency directions to their visitors/customers.
Contract workers will be made familiar with the procedure outlined herein and are expected to shelter upon notification.
Designated essential personnel needed to continue or shut down critical operations while a shelter-in-place is underway are responsible for recognizing and/or determining when to abandon the operation and shelter themselves.
- Sheltering Instructions By Types
- If sheltering for a tornado go to the predetermined tornado shelter in your building.
- If you are sheltering due to a civil disturbance/Hostage/Active shooter situation;
- Lock and barricade doors.
- Turn off lights, close the blinds and block any windows.
- Turn off or silence anything that makes noise radios, cell phones and computers.
- Keep yourself and occupants calm, quiet and out of sight. Take adequate cover/protection i.e. concrete walls, thick desks, filing cabinet (cover may protect you from bullets).
- As quietly as possible have one person call 911. Give detailed information about the situation.
- Stay alert and adjust your plan as the situation changes.
- If you are sheltering due to hazardous materials, harmful contaminants or weather conditions
- Close and lock all windows, exterior doors and any other opening to the outside.
- Close window shades, blinds or curtains.
- If possible seal gaps around doors and windows.
- Select an interior room above the ground floor, with the fewest windows or vents. Avoid overcrowding and avoid rooms with mechanical equipment.
- Close the interior door to the room you are sheltering in.
- Shut down all experiments.
- Consider having a room with a standard landline phone available in case radios or cell phones systems fail during the emergency.
- Anyone showing obvious symptoms of exposure to a contaminant must be separated from others. They should wash/shower with soap and water and place contaminated clothing in a sealed bag if possible.
- Disability Procedures
Any person unable to sheltering-in-place or who needs assistance
with sheltering-in-place should inform a building occupant or a floor monitor. Move to an interior room. If it is unsafe to do so, remain in your office/classroom/residence.
Supervisory personnel and course instructors are responsible for identifying and escorting to safety individuals with disabilities located in their offices/classrooms, if possible.
- Access Control
If possible building emergency personnel will lock all building outside doors to limit access to the building when necessary.
- Re-Entry
Remain indoors until “All Clear” message is received and then follow any directions given. If needed Facilities will inspect university buildings and property to ensure they are able to be utilized after a shelter-in-place event.
- Pandemic
- A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza A virus emerges for which there is little or no immunity in the human population, and the virus begins to cause serious illness, then spreads easily person-to-person worldwide.
- If a pandemic occurs, it is expected that it will have world-wide impact with an unpredictable timeline, comprising multiple fast spreading events or waves. Major disruptions are likely for health care, transportation, infrastructure, education, suppliers and other public services. Although physical facilities will not be damaged, human resources will be affected, with high levels of absences from the work site. An informed and prepared public can take appropriate actions to decrease their risk during a pandemic. To be prepared for such an emergency;
- Create a home emergency plan.
- Have necessary preparedness items on stock at home (food, water, medicines) A preparedness list can be found at http://www.tworiverspublichealth.com/documents/Preparednessbrochure.pdf
- Talk with your local public health officials and health care providers, who can supply information about the signs and symptoms of a specific disease outbreak and recommend prevention and control actions.
- Adopt business/school practices that encourage sick employees/students to stay home.
- Prioritize job duties to anticipate how to function with a significant decrease in your workforce.
- Develop guidelines to modify face-to-face contacts.
- Limit / discontinue travel for university business.
- Discontinue extracurricular events and large gatherings.
- Practice good health habits, including eating a balanced diet, exercising daily, and getting sufficient rest. In addition, take common-sense steps to stop the spread of germs, including frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes and staying away from others as much as possible when you are sick.
Campus Emergency Notification Map
Designated Shelter Locations
EOT Initiation Calling Tree