540-338-1776

Campus Safety

Emergency: ext. 8888 or 540-441-8888

Evacuation Procedures

In the event that an emergency should occur requiring a portion of campus to be evacuated, the following procedures shall be followed by campus patrons unless directed differently by Campus Safety.

Building Evacuation

All occupants of a building shall evacuate when an alarm sounds or upon notification by Campus Safety. When the building evacuation alarm is activated, leave by the nearest marked exit and alert others to do the same.

Department heads, supervisors, resident assistants, and faculty who are actively teaching a class at the time of an emergency are required to begin evacuation of the building whenever the fire alarm is sounded. Failure to do so may result in harm to individuals. Advise the people to:

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  • Remain calm. Do not run, panic, or cause others to panic.
  • Quickly gather in small groups of 3-4 people when seeking protective shelter or evacuating the building.
  • Quickly, and in an orderly manner, go to the nearest exit. Do Not Use Elevators!
  • Stay together and exit the building to the assembly area.
  • Identify the designated assembly area for occupants to meet, according to the following schedule:
    • Founders Hall—flag pole
    • Hodel Center—tennis court
    • Red Hill—flag pole
    • Mount Vernon—eastern edge of Hodel Center loading dock apron
    • Monticello—eastern edge of Hodel Center loading dock apron
    • Montpelier—eastern edge of Hodel Center loading dock apron
    • Oak Hill—outdoor basketball court
    • Trailers—gravel parking lot

Department heads, supervisors, resident assistants, and faculty who are actively teaching a class at the time of an emergency shall take additional care to ensure that individuals with known mobility, hearing, visual disability, or other concerns are assisted to the nearest exit. Department heads, supervisors, resident assistants, and faculty who are actively teaching a class at the time of an emergency should be the last to leave their area.

Campus Safety should be called immediately from the nearest telephone away from emergency incident if anyone needs assistance to evacuate or seek shelter. This includes assisting individuals with disabilities that cannot otherwise be easily assisted in safely evacuating or seeking protective shelter.

Shut off equipment, close windows and doors, only if it can be done without risk or eminent physical harm. Examples include shutting down lab experiments, lock/secure cash or other valuables, secure hazardous areas, i.e. chemical storage rooms.

Once you have safely evacuated the building, promptly proceed to your building’s assigned assembly area. Keep streets, fire lanes, hydrant areas and walkways clear for emergency vehicles and personnel. The department heads, supervisors, resident assistants, and faculty who are actively teaching a class at the time of an emergency will, to the best of their ability, account for occupants, and will notify Campus Safety of persons that are not accounted for.

It is important that individuals do not walk away from the assembly areas until they are accounted for and then officially released by the Incident Commander. First responders may place themselves in unnecessary danger in an attempt to search for and rescue persons that are not accounted for.

Do not return to the evacuated building unless directed to do so by the Public Safety Director or designee. Follow the directions of the Public Safety Director or designee when leaving the assembly area.

Campus Evacuation

Evacuation of all or part of the campus will be announced by the Public Safety Director or designee. Persons are to immediately vacate the area in question and relocate to another area, as directed by the Public Safety Director or designee. Follow the Building Evacuation procedures outlined above when vacating buildings. The  Public Safety Director or designee will notify people when it is safe to return to the campus.

Seek Shelter

Should the Public Safety Director or designee issue the directive for the campus community to “seek shelter”during a severe weather emergency, campus patrons shall:

  • Immediately move to the interior spaces of the closest basement away from exterior windows and doors. Then stay put and await further instructions from the Public Safety Director or designee.
  • Not seek shelter in a parked vehicle.

Campus Closings/Class Cancellations

Campus Closings and/or Class Cancellations due to severe weather, snow, ice, flooding, utility failure, or other emergency conditions, are determined by the President. The decision to close the campus will be communicated to the campus community by the following methods:

  • An up-to-date message will be available on the campus operations hotline (540-441-8995) indicating the status of the campus closing.
  • An e-mail/telephone/text-messaging mass notification system will be used to announce the status of the campus closing. In certain circumstances, staff, faculty, and/or students may be actively notified by telephone.

 

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