EMERGENCIES In the event of an emergency on campus, such as an earthquake, fire, or other disturbance, here are some basic procedures to follow. You can also access your campus Department of Safety and Security website by clicking on the campus links at the right.
While we all hope that such occurrences never happen, it has been shown time and time again that being prepared for emergencies is prudent. Please familiarize yourself with the contents of this document. In an emergency situation, it will serve as quick reference for effective action.
To respond to any emergency which may develop, the Department of Safety and Security has staff available whenever the building is open.
If you have any questions, comments or require assistance, contact your campus Department of Safety and Security.
Reports: Any student, staff or visitor injured on campus must submit an accident report as soon as possible, regardless of the severity of the injury. This may be done at the campus Department of Safety and Security - See phone number listed at upper right.
Accident: Applies to any personal injury. Accident reports are not required for illness on campus unless injuries result (e.g., a seizure causes the person to fall and strike an object).
Student/visitors: If the injury occurs to a student or visitor to the campus, an accident report should be submitted, but any medical expenses incurred must be paid for by the individual or their personal health insurance.
Employee: An accident occurring to an employee or a work study student during their working hours is covered by Washington State Industrial Insurance. An injured employee who requires medical attention must advise the physician or hospital of this coverage immediately so they may initiate an industrial insurance form. The health care provider will then forward this form to the employer. The campus Department of Safety and Security receives and completes these reports on behalf of the college and forwards the finalized copies to the Department of Labor and Industries in Olympia. Any verbal or written communications received by a divisional office with regards to an injured employee(s) should be immediately submitted to the Department of Safety and Security.
Accident Prevention Policy: SCCD believes in the dignity and importance of the individual employee and his or her right to derive personal satisfaction from their job. The prevention of occupational injuries and illnesses is given top priority at all times.
As per WAC 296-24-040, a college accident prevention program has been developed that emphasizes the integration of safety and health measures into each job task so that safety/health and job performance become inseparable. This will be accomplished through the cooperative efforts of managers, supervisors, and employees.
By accepting mutual responsibility to operate safely, we will contribute to the well being of all personnel.
Test the door with the back of your hand. If hot, use an alternate exit. If not, open the door carefully, being ready to close it if heat or smoke rush in.
Crawl low under smoke. Smoke rises while clean air stays low, near the floor. So crawl on the floor, maintaining contact with the walls as you go to the nearest exit. If you are unable to crawl, stay near the floor for clean air and protect yourself as if you were trapped.
Get out, stay out. Exit as quickly as you can. Go to the nearest phone and call the fire department. Do not go back inside.
If you are unable to evacuate or are trapped – remain calm. Close doors between you and the smoke. If there is a phone, call 911 and tell the dispatcher where you are located in the building. Stuff cracks and cover vents to keep smoke out. Wait at a window; signal the firefighters and wait to be rescued.
Stop, drop and roll. If your clothes catch on fire, stop where you are. Drop gently to the floor or ground. Cover your face with your hands to protect your face from flames, and roll over and over to smother the flames. If you cannot drop to the floor, smother the flames with a blanket or towel.
In the event of an emergency that requires evacuation, all persons should observe the following evacuation procedures:
NOTE: Wheelchair occupants or persons with mobility impairment are urged to prepare ahead of time by instructing classmates or their instructor on how to assist them in the event of an emergency. See EVACUATION OF MOBILITY IMPAIRED PERSONS
If an armed or threatening intruder comes on to Seattle Community College property, it is very important that faculty, staff and or students report it immediately and take protective actions.
Safety & Security recommends the following procedures. If you see an armed intruder and you are in an office or classroom:
If you are caught in an open or exposed area and you cannot get into a classroom or office, you must decide upon a course of action:
Hiding Look for a safe and secure hiding area. Once in place try to remain calm. Stay hidden until you can make contact with emergency personnel.
Running If you think you can safely make it out of the area, then do so. If you decide to run , do not run in a straight line. Attempt to keep objects (trees, vehicles, trash cans, etc.) between you and the hostile person. When away from immediate area of danger, summon help and warn others.
Playing Dead If the intruder is causing death or physical injury to others and you are unable to run or hide you may choose to assume a prone position and lay as still as possible.
Fighting Your last option if you are caught in the open and are in close proximity of the intruder is to fight back. This is dangerous and not recommended, but depending on your situation, this could be your last option.
If you are caught by the intruder and are not going to fight back, obey all commands and avoid eye contact.
Once emergency personnel have arrived and taken over the situation, obey all commands.
Safety & Security Procedures
As many as 500,000 products pose physical or health hazards and can be defined as hazardous materials. The best protection against injuries from hazardous materials is by using, storing, and disposing of all materials according to product labels in a safe and proper manner.
If a gas cylinder or other container should begin leaking and if, in the judgment of the person(s) responsible for such materials, it presents a danger to them or other building occupants, the following steps should be taken:
If for some reason you are unable to reach your campus Department of Safety and Security, call 911.
Any leaks or spills that affect or have the potential to affect outdoor ground, air or water sources, and you are unable to contact the Department of Safety and Security, call:
Earthquakes can cause buildings to collapse, can disrupt utilities, and can trigger landslides, avalanches, flash floods, fires, hazardous material spills, tsunamis and volcanoes. Approximately 1,000 earthquakes occur in Washington State every year, although most of them are not strong enough to be felt.
In an earthquake, “DROP, COVER AND HOLD”.
Communicable diseases are those that can be spread from one organism to another, often from one human to another. Some of these diseases include Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, and Tuberculosis. Additional information or assistance is available at the King County Public Health website www.metrokc.gov/health.
A large scale disaster is a major incident such as an earthquake, fire, chemical spill, flood, etc. which affects the entire college (or large segments of it), and endangers the life and well-being of all (or large segments) of the college community. It is a situation which requires the coordinated efforts of designated people to sustain a system of order and safety, and to restore normal operations. It may also require the assistance of outside emergency services.
Should a large-scale disaster occur, the college will operate under an Incident Command System. This system is described in thorough detail in each college’s Disaster Preparedness Plan.
Important components of Disaster Preparedness Plans are regular orientation, training and practice drills involving selected members of the college community. Periodically, such training/drills may involve the entire college community, as in the case of evacuation drills or similar simulations. Employees, students, and visitors are responsible for cooperating with such drills.
In the event of a large-scale disaster, all employees will be informed that the college is operating under the Incident Command System.
When the disaster has abated, employees will be informed when normal operations can be resumed. Do not resume normal operations until informed to do so.
There are some emergency circumstances where the safest course of action is to stay where you are. Examples of these circumstances could include, but are not limited to: gunfire, life threatening circumstances reported by campus authorities or police, or hazards outside the campus building(s) like a fire, hazardous spill or vapor cloud.
If you are notified by campus authorities or emergency personnel to shelter in place, or you determine that this is the safest course of action in an emergency, close and if possible, lock the doors and windows.
During an evacuation or other emergency, students, staff and visitors with disabilities may require special assistance from instructors, students and/or college staff. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to prepare for emergencies ahead of time by discussing their needs with appropriate personnel.
During an emergency, if assistance is not immediately available, individuals with disabilities should stay in an exit corridor or in a stairwell landing. He/she should continue to call for help until rescued. Individuals who cannot speak loudly should carry a whistle or have other means of attracting the attention of others. To assist such individuals, others should report their location to the campus Department of Safety and Security - see phone number listed at upper right, or other emergency personnel.
