Emergency Response Guide

In the event that a situation arises that represents a significant emergency or dangerous condition involving an immediate threat to the health and safety of members of the college community, an Emergency Alert Notification (EAN) will be made. An EAN may consist of any combination of: PA announcements, electronic signs, voice messages, emergency text alerts, and emails.

As appropriate, an EAN may be targeted at only a segment or segments of the college community that is at risk, and the method and content of the notification will be dictated by the circumstances surrounding the threat to the college community.

An EAN will be made without unnecessary delay, unless making a notification will, in the professional judgment of responsible authorities, compromise efforts to assist a victim or to contain, respond to or otherwise mitigate the emergency.

Westchester Community College’s policy is to issue timely warnings to the campus community upon the confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to health and safety; and for certain crimes that are reported to campus security authorities or local police agencies that are considered to represent a threat to students and employees, unless issuing a notification will compromise efforts to contain the emergency.

Warnings may be issued by any of the following means: campus wide emails, notices placed on external doors on all buildings, voicemails, test messages, Intranet website postings, electronic signs, and the Viking News. Westchester Community College uses an electronic emergency alert system that can send text messages, emails, and voice messages. Students, faculty and staff are automatically enrolled in the system using the contact information in their employee/student records. This system is available only to students and employees of Westchester Community College. All personal information will be kept confidential, and the system will only be activated in the event of an applicable emergency or other important campus safety announcement.

In case of fire, pull the nearest alarm. This will activate an audible and visual alarm within the building that rings directly to a central dispatch center that will notify the local fire department to respond.

When a fire alarm sounds:

• Evacuate the building immediately.
• Walk, do not run.
• Do not use elevators.
• Close doors to classrooms and offices, leaving lights on, and exit from the nearest enclosed stairwell.
• Take your belongings with you.
• Do not try to fight the fire.

If you are wheelchair-bound, exit the building. If above or below ground level, ask someone to escort you to the nearest enclosed stairwell landing and close the door. The escort will tell firefighters the location of the stairwell in which you are located. Fire department professionals will then evacuate you.

Everyone who has exited the building should stay at least 100 feet away from building entrances until the fire department has announced an “all clear.”

Report all classroom accidents to the professor immediately.

Report all college emergencies (accident and medical) by dialing extension 6911 from college phones or 914-606-6911 from any non-college phone to notify College Security of the medical emergency.

911 can be called directly as well.

If you should witness a medical emergency, call for assistance and then stay with the victim until professional help arrives.

Do not move the victim unless there is immediate danger to yourself or the victim.

When calling to report an emergency, speak clearly and calmly.

Give your name, phone number and location of the victim.

Stay on the line until you are told to hang up.

One message you may receive by Emergency Alert Notification is to evacuate.

To evacuate is to leave an area or building that is, or is about to be, negatively affected and move to a safe area.

Evacuation requires all college community members to exit a building or area, and in some instances, the campus property.

One primary factor in determining evacuation (versus sheltering-in-place) is whether evacuation can be facilitated without jeopardizing the life and safety of the evacuees. There may be cases where evacuation is not an option. Rather, circumstances may arise where there is a campuswide or community-wide disaster of such magnitude that evacuation is rendered unsafe, and sheltering-in-place is a better option or even a requirement.

In the event of a building evacuation, the Westchester Community College Security Department has primary responsibility to initiate and coordinate an appropriate response, including notification of emergency services and the college administration.  Security Officers will be dispatched to assist in effecting an orderly and efficient evacuation and will provide specific instructions to building evacuees as appropriate.  Additionally, there are Fire Marshals throughout the campus who have received specific training in how to assist in the event of a fire or evacuation.  Any responding Fire Marshals may be identified by the orange safety vest they will wear in the event of an emergency.  You must comply with instructions given by Security Officers and Fire Marshals.

Conditions That May Require Evacuation

• Fire
• Hazardous materials / environmental contaminants
• Explosion
• Bomb threat
• Impending severe weather (e.g., lightning, tornado, high winds)
• Water supply failure or damage
• Dangerous condition within a building

Evacuation Guidelines

• When a notice to evacuate is received, prepare to evacuate immediately.
• Quickly grab important personal items such as cellphones, keys, coat, etc.
• Identify possible exit locations.
• Close doors behind you.
• Walk, do not run.
• Evacuation must be quick and orderly.
• Do not use elevators. Occupants should exit by way of accessible stairwells.
• If safe to do so, assist people with special needs/ disabilities. Contact the Security Department at 914-606-6911 or 6911 from any campus phone for assistance if you encounter any individual who is unable to evacuate for any reason.
• Once outside, move to a designated assembly point at least 100 feet from the building or another safe location as conditions dictate. Be sure to allow room for first responder vehicles to access the scene.
• The Student Center cafeteria area will be designated as the primary location for members of the campus community to respond to in the event they are unable to evacuate and/or need shelter.
• The Gateway Center will serve as a secondary location only if circumstances are such that the Student Center is not a viable location.
• The Virginia Marx Children’s Center will remain open until all children are picked up unless the building is deemed unsafe. If such circumstance exists, occupants will be relocated to the designated main campus primary shelter location.
• Listen for further instructions from first responders, the mass notification PA system and/or watch for emergency mobile alerts (text and email).

Wheelchair persons, or others who may require assistance, must be escorted to the nearest unaffected stairwell for evacuation by emergency personnel. The escort must stay with the individual until emergency personnel arrive.

One message you may receive by Emergency Alert Notification is to shelter-in-place.

Sheltering-in-place is used when there is not time to evacuate or when certain conditions render it unsafe to do so.

Sheltering-in-place means to remain in, or immediately move to the nearest building, and await further instructions.

Certain shelter-in-place emergencies, such as an active threat incident or severe weather, may require you to seek shelter locations within a building that are able to be secured, have no/minimal windows, or are located in an internal space away from exterior walls.

No matter where you are, the basic steps of shelter-in-place will generally remain the same. Should a need ever arise; follow these guidelines, unless instructed otherwise by the Campus Security Department or other first responders.

Conditions That May Require Sheltering-in-Place

• Hazardous materials incident (outdoors)
• Severe weather (e.g., lightning, tornado, high winds)
• Active threat situation
• Hostage situation
• Hostile or violent intruder
• Road, traffic, and/or transportation shutdown

Shelter-in-Place Guidelines

• Stop what you are doing immediately.
• If safe to do so, collect any emergency shelter- in-place supplies, such as a cellphone, charging cables, water, and medication(s).
• If you are outdoors, proceed into the closest and safest building or seek a place of cover.
• Take immediate shelter indoors and isolate yourself away from the threat.
• Locate an interior room or space without windows or with the least number of windows.
• If there is a large group of people, several locations may be necessary.
• Shut and lock and/or barricade doors.
• Turn off lights.
• Silence cellphones.
• Stay low, away from the door, and out of sight from windows.

Once sheltered-in-place, should a fire alarm sound, do not evacuate unless:

• You have first-hand knowledge of a fire in the building
• You have been advised to evacuate by a reliable source, such as first responders, the mass notification PA system or emergency mobile alerts (text and email).
• You observe an imminent danger in your immediate area.

Await further instructions from first responders, the mass notification PA system and/or watch for emergency mobile alerts (text and email).