• A. Upon discovering a fire
    1. Immediately sound building fire alarm. The nearest fire alarm pull box is shown on the building maps at the back of this Guide. All Faculty and Staff should familiarize themselves with emergency equipment locations in your building.
  • B. Upon activation of any fire alarm, the building will be evacuated.
  • C. Call 911
    1. Give your name, location, telephone number and location of fire/explosion.
    2. If a personal injury has occurred, indicate to the responder the location of the injured individual(s) and type of injuries (burns, cuts, internal, etc.) sustained so that emergency personnel will have proper equipment.
  • D. When you evacuate, DO NOT walk through or stand in a smoke cloud. Crawl under the smoke and use a wet cloth, if available, to cover your face.
  • E. When you evacuate, DO NOT stop for personal belongings or records. Leave immediately, using exit stairways. DO NOT USE ELEVATORS.
  • F. If personal injury has resulted from an explosion and no additional threats exists for the injured, try to make the injured individual(s) as comfortable as possible until emergency first aid personnel or a local rescue squad arrives.
  • G. Evacuate to a distance of at least 500 feet upwind from the building and out of the way of emergency personnel and equipment. DO NOT return to the building until instructed to do so by authorized personnel.
  • H. Notify Chesapeake College Department of Public Safety Campus Public Safety/ firefighters on the scene if you suspect someone may be trapped inside the building.
  • I. If the fire is small in nature sound the fire alarm and then attempt to put the fire out by extinguishing it with a fire extinguisher. If the fire grows or does not go out after the extinguisher is empty evacuate.
  • J. Using a fire extinguisher
    1. PULL… Pull the pin. This will also break the tamper seal.
    2. AIM… Aim low, pointing the extinguisher nozzle (or its horn or hose) at the base of the fire. NOTE: Do not touch the plastic discharge horn on CO2 extinguishers, it gets very cold and may damage skin.
    3. SQUEEZE… Squeeze the handle to release the extinguishing agent.
    4. SWEEP… Sweep from side to side at the base of the fire until it appears to be out. Watch the area. If the fire re-ignites, repeat steps 2 -4.

  • Call Campus Police immediately.
  • Do not attempt to move the individual.
  • Call 911.
  • Provide comfort & support.
  • Avoid contact with blood or body fluids.

In the event of an exceptional weather event:

  • Earthquake- Although Earthquakes do not frequently occur on the Eastern Shore, they do occur. Since we have experienced earthquakes in the past and there is always a possibility of another the following guidelines are recommended.
    1. If an earthquake occurs while inside a room or building, DROP, COVER, and HOLD-ON.
    2. DROP to the ground.
    3. Take COVER under a sturdy desk/table. If no desks/tables are nearby, crawl away from windows and exterior walls. COVER your head, neck and face. Crouch into a ball to make yourself as small as possible. Do not go in a doorway. Do not run outside.
    4. HOLD-ON to your desk/table until the shaking stops. Be prepared to move with your cover. e.
    5. After shaking completely stops, turn off computers/electrical equipment if possible. If possible, proceed to designated evacuation area.
    6. Use stairs, do not use elevators. Evacuate via nearest safe exit.
    7. Stay away from buildings, glass, walls, power lines, gas pipes, and trees.
    8. Be prepared for aftershocks.
    9. Call 9-1-1 or the Chesapeake College Department of Public Safety to report serious injuries and hazards.
    10. Do not return to the building until advised by emergency personnel.
    11. If trapped inside a building, knock on solid material to attract attention of the rescue parties. Avoid shouting to prevent inhalation of dust or dangerous particles.
    12. If an earthquake occurs while you are outside of a building, move to an open area away from buildings, power lines and/or trees.
    13. If driving on or near campus, pull to the side of the roadway, apply your emergency brake, and avoid overpasses or bridges.
  • Tornados- A violent, highly destructive whirling wind up to 200 mph, accompanied by a funnel shaped cloud that progresses in a narrow path over land and occurs with little or no warning.
    • If an underground or designated shelter is not available, move to an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor and get beside a sturdy piece of furniture. (This is the TRIANGLE OF LIFE. It requires taking refuge next to large solid objects in case of structural failure; providing best possible space for survival from a building collapse or fire).
    • Stay away from windows. DO NOT open windows. Leave the windows alone; instead, immediately go to a safe place.
    • Any fire doors in hallways should be closed.
    • Get out of automobiles. Do not try to outrun a tornado in your car; instead, leave it immediately. If caught outside or in a vehicle, lie flat in a nearby ditch or depression.
    • Remain in the safe area until all danger has passed.
    • If the facility is damaged, evacuate after storm passes and stay clear of damaged area. Beware of fallen debris, downed power lines and gas leaks.
    • Follow the directives of Emergency Personnel and/ or Chesapeake College Department of Public Safety
  • Flooding
    1. If driving do not drive through flooded areas. You do not know how deep the water is or how strong the roadway is underneath the water. Running water often erodes the soil underneath the road and can cause a large enough sink hole to cause a vehicle to become submerged.

  • Do NOT use cell phone or radio.
  • Call Campus Police immediately from a campus phone.
  • Move away from the package and clear the area of all people.
  • Do NOT touch or move the package.
  • In case of bomb threat – take as much information as possible; location of device, gender, accents, background noise, what kind of bomb, when is it set to explode.

Situations where one or more individuals attempt to use deadly force against many people are very fluid and changing. It is impossible to anticipate exactly how the situation will evolve; therefore, it is impossible to provide absolute guidelines. Taking the time to think through possible actions in advance can create an important advantage in the event an active shooter incident occurs. Active shooter incidents can happen at any location where people gather, and usually start quickly and without warning. If an active shooter incident occurs on campus, call 911 as soon as it is safe to do so. In the initial phases of an active shooter situation, individuals must make decisions based upon their assessment of the situation. The Chesapeake College Department of Public Safety recommends the use of Deliberation as it is described in CRASE (Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events) training.

Deliberation- Avoid, Deny, and Defend.

  • A. AVOID
    1. Pay attention to your surroundings.
    2. Know where the exits and safe rooms are in your building.
    3. Move away from the source of the threat as quickly as possible.
    4. Put as much distance and barriers as possible between you and the threat. Do not go toward the sound of gunfire to investigate and/or try to help. Get away from the area. It’s better to be a moving target than a non-moving target.
    5. Do not set off the fire alarm in a lockdown. People may become targets leaving the buildings and gathering outside.
    6. Call 911 only after you are in a safe place.
  • B. DENY If it is not possible to safely get out of the area, consider locking down. Lockdown may be the best option if the shooter(s) are some distance away. If a lockdown becomes necessary, try to keep people from coming in contact with the shooter(s) or violent person(s) by going to places that can be secured.
    1. Lock the doors: Check to see if your door is locked when you close it. When possible, Public Safety will leave the door in a locked setting so all you have to do is close it. Verify this daily by checking the door at the beginning of your class. Consider closing your door once the class has started.
    2. Lights out: If an incident occurs and you must shelter in place turn out the lights, this includes cell phones.
    3. Remain out of sight: Stay away from any windows that the offender can look in through.
    4. Remain silent: Total silence, the idea is to give the impression that the room is vacant.
    5. Barricade the door: If your door opens in. Use desks or anything that is heavy enough to keep the door from opening. If your door swings out use a rope, extension cord, belt or any other like material to tie the door shut.
    6. If a fire alarm goes off while you are in lockdown or sheltering in a safe room, assess the situation before leaving shelter. Consider the possibility that the alarm may have been set off by the shooter(s). If smoke or fire is present, exit the area.
  • C. DEFEND This should be your last option however you must be prepared to react to an active shooter before law enforcement arrive on scene.
    1. Quietly discuss a plan with others in the room to respond if the shooter or violent person enters the room. If that happens, don’t “duck for cover,” which creates a partially exposed, passive target.
    2. Position yourself next to the doorway out of view so that when the offender enters into the room you could surprise them.
    3. Once committed to fight, then fight with everything that you have. There is no such thing as a clean or fair fight when you are fighting for your life. Nearly everything in a room could be used as a weapon (fire extinguisher, chair, etc.)
    4. Do whatever it takes to survive.
  • D. LAW ENFORCEMENT ARRIVAL ON SCENE
    1. Initial response of law enforcement is NOT to evacuate or treat any victims. Their primary goal is to stop the suspect from injuring anyone else.
    2. Remain calm and follow any instructions that you are given.
    3. Keep your hands visible at all times.
    4. Avoid pointing or yelling.
    5. Know that help for the injured is on its way.

  • Call Campus Police immediately.
  • Leave the area or lock the door to separate self from the suspicious/violent person.
  • Remain in a secure space until arrival of police.
  • Do NOT confront or attempt to stop any person from leaving the area.
  • Warn others to avoid dangerous person.

  • Suspected gas leaks or suspicious odors should be reported to Chesapeake College Department of Public Safety
    1. Give your name
    2. Telephone number
    3. Department, and location of emergency
  • B. If safe to do so, stand by and assist responding personnel by identifying the location of the leak or odor.
  • C. Do not touch or remove any cylinders. Isolate area and keep people away from the scene.
  • D. A member of the maintenance department or a member of the Chesapeake College Department of Public Safety will shut off the gas valve for the building.
  • E. Evacuate immediately if ordered to. Leave all possessions.
  • F. DO NOT stand or walk through any smoke clouds or visible mist. Crawl under the smoke and use a wet cloth, if available, to cover your face.
  • G. If a gas cylinder begins leaking and it presents any danger to the building occupants, the following steps should be taken:
    1. If immediate danger sound the fire alarm
    2. Evacuate to a safe area at least 500 feet upwind from the building. Notify anyone that seems confused that there is an emergency and that this is not a drill.
    3. Do Not return to the building until instructed by authorized personnel.

  • Contact Campus Police.
  • Intervene or distract the perpetrator if safe to do so.
  • Contact the Title IX Coordinator at 410-827-5811.