(revised September, 2007)
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This document is a summary of the Randolph-Macon College Emergency Preparedness & Response Plan. It is designed to inform the R-MC Community of the essential concepts presented in the formal plan and the actions that may be required during an emergency. This document is not intended as a substitute for the College’s formal Emergency Preparedness & Response Plan.
Randolph-Macon College has a mission of “developing the minds and character of its students.” To meet this goal effectively, it is imperative to provide a safe and healthy environment for students and employees. Randolph-Macon College continually strives to provide such an environment. As part of the Environmental Health & Safety program, the Emergency Response Overview has been established to address emergency situations.
This document is designed to keep you safe during an emergency. Please be familiar with the information presented here.
Goals:
A. To ensure a safe and healthy environment for students and employees and to foster and enhance the safety of Randolph-Macon College (R-MC).
B. To ensure readiness for various emergency situations.
C. To establish a framework of decision-making, planning and response procedures to be implemented during emergency situations.
D. To establish able leadership during emergencies, capable of providing direction consistent with College policies.
E. To promote cooperation between R-MC and local, state and/or federal emergency response organizations.
F. To communicate crisis management information clearly to the community.
Direction and Control:
A. The Crisis Policy Committee makes recommendations to the President of the College for actions required to ensure the safety of the students and employees of the College.
B. The Emergency Response Team is the core group of R-MC staff members who possess senior administration and/or essential technical duties. This quick-response team is led by the Dean of Students.
C. The ERT Leader will be notified immediately during an emergency and will direct the notification of and assembly of all necessary personnel.
D. The decision to notify students and employees will be taken by the ERT leader.
E. The College will delegate incident command to local, state or federal law enforcement when appropriate.
Emergency Notification Procedures:
R-MC will use every appropriate method to notify the R-MC community of an emergency event including:
Evacuations and sheltering:
R-MC’s evacuation plan is designed to provide all members of the R-MC community a clear and efficient procedure to escape or shelter from imminent danger. The College will employ the most conservative approach consistent with safeguarding the community and reducing potential confusion and panic.
A. Sheltering in Place: During severe weather, domestic terror or hostile intruder events, students, faculty and staff may be directed to:
1. remain in their current room or building,
2. return to their residences or offices,
3. immediately seek shelter in the nearest appropriate building or facility.
B. Shelter Management: R-MC follows Red Cross guidelines for sheltering. The senior faculty or staff member will be in charge of a room or building being used for shelter.
C. Area Evacuation: When an emergency renders a specific area, room, or rooms unsafe, an employee of the College, Residence Life staff, or other designated person may order an area evacuation. It may not be necessary to call Campus Safety for an Area Evacuation. At the assembly area, head counts will be taken when appropriate.
D. Building Evacuation: When an emergency renders an entire building unsafe, an employee of the College, Residence Life staff, or other designated person may order a Building Evacuation.
4. One individual should be designated to notify Campus Safety during a building Evacuation.
5. An assembly area will be designated and head counts taken, if appropriate.
E. An Emergency Campus Evacuation is ordered when an emergency situation presents imminent danger to the safety of students and employees across campus and requires immediate evacuation on foot. Students and employees will be directed to proceed to a designated assembly area. Specific directions and routes will be communicated.
F. Precautionary Evacuation: The risk to the safety or health of students and employees is distant, but all students and employees are directed to an assembly area for group transportation, or an orderly individual evacuation by foot or by private vehicle. The main assembly area on campus is Day Field.
G. Designated off-campus assembly areas: In the event of an emergency campus evacuation, all students and employees will be guided or transported to:
6. Primary location: Ukrop’s parking lot, Ashland-Hanover Shopping Center, Routes 1 & 54, Ashland.
7. First alternate: Patrick Henry High School, 12449 W. Patrick Henry Road.
Public information:
A. The release of any information to the public, representatives of the media or statements to outside organizations will be coordinated through R-MC’s Director of Marketing & Communications or the Media and Communications Specialist.
B. R-MC will work cooperatively with the Hanover County Emergency Communications Center and regional law enforcement.
C. If an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is established by local, state or federal agencies, R-MC will provide a liaison. All public information will be conveyed directly to the EOC to be disseminated by the EOC.
Responsibilities:
A. All R-MC students and employees have the responsibility to report any emergency or suspected emergency to Campus Safety immediately and clearly and to sound any appropriate alarms. It is not always necessary to call 9-911, but it may be appropriate.
B. All R-MC students and employees who receive directions or commands from emergency response personnel during emergency situations must comply. This may include:
8. Following evacuation / sheltering orders.
9. Passing emergency information on to others.
10. Assisting with evacuation / sheltering.
C. R-MC Employees and students who have been assigned to the following groups or have been delegated other specific responsibilities must keep all appropriate documentation readily available and current:
1. Emergency Response Team,
2. Campus Safety Office,
3. Residence Life staff and para-professionals,
4. Crisis Policy Committee,
5. Sweep teams
Training:
The College will conduct training sessions and emergency preparedness drills annually according to the following guidelines:
A. Attendance and participation is expected of all employees and students who have emergency response duties. These community members should fulfill their emergency response roles during any emergency preparedness drills.
B. An emergency preparedness exercise should be carried out as if it were an actual emergency. No calls to 911 are required and no fire alarms should be activated, but all other procedures and directions should be followed, unless specifically stated otherwise.
C. Campus evacuation / sheltering exercises, when planned, are an essential part of these exercises. Participation in these drills is mandatory for employees and students who are designated as part of an emergency response team or group.
D. Participation in evacuation / sheltering drills is strongly encouraged for all other employees and students; however supervisors or faculty may exempt employees or students from participation. Also, any non-College groups using campus facilities may be exempt from participation.
Re-entry Plan:
A. Return of R-MC students and employees will be determined according to the best available information from emergency personnel.
B. The Director of Residence Life will direct student re-entry to campus.
C. Only those buildings cleared by emergency personnel will be authorized for re-entry. This includes fraternities and sororities.
After-action:
A. Temporary Housing will be provided by R-MC when appropriate. Accommodations will be based on the number of displaced students and the scope of the property loss.
B. Emergency supplies will be provided to students if necessary.
C. Counseling services will be made available to students through R-MC’s Center for Counseling and Career Planning as well as the Chaplain’s Office. Additional, large-scale services may be provided after an emergency, based on need.
D. The ERT will convene and file an after-action report to the President of the College within 30 days of the event.
Questions and/or comments about this document may be directed to:
Craig C. Collins
Environmental Health & Safety Coordinator
Randolph-Macon College
Ashland, Virginia
office phone: (804) 752-7247
E-mail: ccollins@rmc.edu