Community Safety

Reed College Emergency Response Plan

working document, fall 2009

Overview

Purpose

The Reed College Emergency Response Plan (ERP) provides direction in the event of an emergency.  It is the goal and purpose of this plan to protect the safety and security of those associated with Reed College should an emergency occur.  The effective use of this plan will help:

  • Protect life and safety.
  • Reduce property and environmental damage.
  • Minimize disruption and economic losses.
  • Shorten the recovery period.

To ensure effective implementation of this plan, all personnel designated to carry out specific responsibilities are expected to know and understand the policies and procedures outlined in this document and other associated supporting documents.

The College's response to a major crisis will be conducted within the framework of this plan except when directed otherwise by the president or the president’s appointed representative. The plan includes a chain of command that establishes decision-making authority during an emergency.

Scope and Definition

An emergency is defined as a sudden state of danger that occurs unexpectedly and that demands immediate action to protect the health and safety of individuals within the institution.  The following are examples of emergency situations:

  • Bomb threat
  • Earthquake
  • Explosion
  • Fire
  • Hazardous materials spill/release
  • Hostage situation
  • Campus shooting
  • Terrorist incident

Specific information about Reed's response plan for a potential outbreak of flu-like illness (including H1N1) can be found here.  Other emergency proccedures can be found here.

Crisis Management Response Structure

In the event of an emergency, the director of community safety or designee will contact the Executive Team, consisting of the president and vice presidents of the college, to report the emergency.

The Executive Team will convene (via conference call if necessary) and decide whether to declare a state of emergency, start the process of notifying the community and media if necessary, and review and discharge responsibilities as detailed in the plan (below).  The president will convene the Emergency Response Team (ERT) and activate the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) if necessary to participate in the execution of the plan. The ERT consists of representatives from community safety, computer and information services, environmental health and safety, facilities services, public affairs, student services, residence life, health and counseling, human resources, conference and events planning, and food services.

Update and Drill

The ERT and designees will review and update this plan each June or more frequently, as needed.  ERT members will practice emergency procedures on a regular basis and will obtain training or re-training as needed.

 

EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES

The manner in which college personnel and equipment are utilized during an emergency will be determined by the ERT under the direction of the Director of Community Safety or his/her designee. The ERP will remain in effect until the president or his/her designee deems the college ready to return to normal operation.

 

EMERGENCY LEVEL DEFINITIONS AND RESPONSES

In all types of emergencies, once outside agencies arrive on the scene (i.e., Police Department, Fire Bureau, Emergency Management Agency personnel, etc.) these agencies will assume control of the operations. The Reed ERT and EOC will act as resources to these responders.

The following definitions of emergency levels determine the type of response:

Level 1 Emergency 

(least serious)

Characteristics

  • may involve threat of incident rather than actual incident
  • may be addressed with college personnel and resources
  • outside assistance may be called upon
  • may be limited to small area of campus
  • potential impact on health, safety, or property
  • may interrupt classes and college operations for limited time (up to half a day)


Examples

  • unplanned power outage
  • approaching blizzard, tornado, or other natural event
  • water pipe break
  • unidentified odor
  • injured, missing, or deceased individual
  • mild pandemic outbreak


Response Profile

  • Dispatcher notifies Director of Community Safety & Chief Technology Officer
  • Director of Community Safety notifies Executive Team
  • Executive Team & Director of Community Safety decides whether or not to activate ERT & EOC
  • Assess extent of incident impact on health, safety, property
  • Decide whether evacuation is required; initiate as needed
  • Decide whether medical or other outside assistance is required; contact as needed
  • Decide on notification to Reed community; send message(s); update web site as needed
  • Account for students, personnel, and visitors involved in incident
  • Decide on continuity of classes and college operations; notify community
  • Update community on progress and final resolution of incident
  • Determine incident follow-up plan

 

Level 2 Emergency

Characteristics

  • requires outside assistance, primarily from local services
  • may involve large portions or all of campus
  • potential loss of life
  • potential serious impact on health, safety, or property
  • will interrupt classes and college operations for more than half a day
  • pandemic outbreak


Examples

  • ice storm, blizzard, or other weather event 
  • earthquake (minimal structural damage)
  • bomb threat
  • hazardous materials release/spill
  • widespread/prolonged power outage
  • violence or civil disturbance


Response Profile

  • Dispatcher notifies Director of Community Safety & Chief Technology Officer
  • Director of Community Safety notifies Executive Team
  • Director of Community Safety Activates ERT & EOC
  • Assess extent of incident impact on life, health, safety, property
  • Decide whether evacuation is required; initiate as needed
  • Decide whether medical or other outside assistance is required; contact as needed
  • Notification to Reed community; send message(s); update web site
  • Account for all students, personnel, and visitors
  • If no evacuation needed, ensure adequate food, water, heat, medical supplies, waste disposal, etc. for campus residents
  • Decide on continuity of classes and college operations; notify community
  • Establish media center; establish communication channels with relatives, government agencies, vendors, the public, etc.
  • Update community on progress and final resolution of incident
  • Determine incident follow-up plan

Level 3 Emergency

(most serious)

Characteristics

  • requires outside assistance from local, possibly state & federal services
  • involves all of campus
  • potential loss of life
  • severe impact on health, safety, or property
  • classes and college operations suspended for an extended period
  • long-term effects on the college


Examples

  • shooting
  • uncontained fire
  • tornado impact, other severe weather event
  • major earthquake (serious structural damage)
  • explosion
  • uncontained bio-, chemical-, or nuclear hazard
  • terrorist incident
  • pandemic outbreak


Response Profile

  • Contact emergency responders and assist them as needed
  • Dispatcher notifies Director of Community Safety & Chief Technology Officer
  • Director of Community Safety notifies Executive Team
  • Director of Community Safety Activates ERT & EOC
  • Assess extent of incident impact on life, health, safety, property
  • Decide whether evacuation is required; initiate as needed
  • Decide whether medical or other outside assistance is required; contact as needed
  • Notification to Reed community; send message(s); update web site
  • Activate emergency web site and other emergency communications channels as needed
  • Account for all students, personnel, and visitors
  • If no evacuation needed or possible, ensure adequate food, water, heat, medical supplies, waste disposal, etc. for campus residents
  • Decide on resumption of classes and college operations; notify community
  • Establish media center; establish communication channels with relatives, government agencies, vendors, the public, etc.
  • Update community on progress and final resolution of incident
  • Determine incident follow-up plan

 

EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS

AMERICAN RED CROSS    503/284-1234

COMMUNITY SAFETY    “0”  - X7533 - 503/777-7533

EASE (Employee Assistance Program)    503/228-3223 or 800/654-9778

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE (PORTLAND)
    Environmental: 503/823-7180
    Medical (if on campus dial 9 first): 911

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY COORD.    X7788 - 503/777-7788

FBI    503/224-4181

FIRE/POLICE/MEDICAL EMERGENCY    911

HEALTH SERVICES (from on campus)    X7281 - 503/777-7281

LEGAL COUNSEL (Stoel Rives)    503/294-9569

METRO CRISIS INTERVENTION    503/223-6161

NORTHWEST NATURAL GAS    800/882-3377

POISON CONTROL CENTER    800/222-1222

PORTLAND GENERAL ELECTRIC    503/464-7777   

PORTLAND POLICE:
Emergency (if on campus, dial 9 first)    911
Non-emergency    503/823-3333

PROVIDENCE HOSPITAL     (Milwaukie), 10150 SE 32d Ave, 503/513-8300

PROVIDENCE HOSPITAL    (Portland), 4805 NE Glisan Street, 503/215-1111

KAISER HOSPITAL    (Clackamas), 10180 SE Sunnyside Rd, 503/652-2880

OHSU    (Portland), 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, 503/494-8311

LEGACY EMMANUEL
BURN CENTER    (Portland), 3001 N. Gantenbein St., 503-413-4232

 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES/INFORMATION


There are a number of additional resources that are available regarding crisis response.  These include the following:

Federal Emergency Management Agency
www.fema.gov

Red Cross
www.redcross.org

The Office of Homeland Security
www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/

A Guide to Citizen Preparedness
Are You Ready:  A Guide to Citizen Preparedness brings together facts on disaster survival techniques, disaster-specific information, and how to prepare for and respond to both natural and human disasters.
www.fema.gov/areyouready/

DisasterHelp
The DisasterHelp website is an initiative of the federal government aimed at greatly enhancing disaster management on an interagency and intergovernmental basis. 
www.disasterhelp.gov

Also available as a resource are the responses to a PRNet query asking what campuses are doing to respond to heightened security alerts.  The responses to this query are available at:  www.naicu.edu/news/levelorangeresponses.html



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