Building Coordinator Procedures - Huntingdon College

Huntingdon College Building Coordinator Procedures

Building Coordinators have designated duties and responsibilities when there is an emergency situation on Campus. An emergency situation can occur anytime and anywhere. Building Coordinators must be prepared to lead situations involving a Shelter-In-Place, Secure-In-Place, Lockdown or an Evacuation of their building in an emergency situation. Emergency Situations involve a hazard such as a fire or chemical spill, an extreme weather event, or even a violent or terrorist attack involving an active shooter or bomb threat. As a Building Coordinator you should become familiar with the following guidelines applicable to emergencies:

General Guidelines

Building Coordinators will be issued entrance and exit door keys by the Director of Campus Safety. Check your exterior building door keys and locks monthly. Learn how the door locks work as lock mechanisms around the Campus vary. Report maintenance problems with doors and locks promptly through the Cayzu system. Building keys should be kept readily accessible in a location known only to the Building Coordinators.
If you are going to be absent from your assigned Campus building, communicate with the alternate Building Coordinator to ensure someone can act as Building Coordinator in your absence.
Become familiar with these guidelines and the differences between a Shelter-In-Place, Secure-In-Place, Lockdown, and Evacuation event.
Communicate and liaison with the Director of Campus Safety (334) 324-4965, Chief of Security (334) 320-0876, the 24 hour Security number (334) 324-6565 or Campus Command Post personnel during an emergency concerning your status and any problems encountered.
Review the following Shelter-In-Place, Secure-In-Place, Lockdown and Evacuation protocols with building occupants and other Building Coordinators assigned your location when possible, and ensure everyone is aware of the tornado safe area in the building and the assembly point (in case evacuation is required) at the Top Outdoor Stage on the Green (Main Campus buildings) or the middle of the football field (Cloverdale Campus buildings).
Participate in post incident evaluation to discuss lessons learned.

Shelter-In-Place

A Shelter-In-Place alert will be issued for a significant natural or technological hazard like a tornado warning, hurricane warning or other emergency like a chemical or hazardous material spill on or near the Campus. You, as the Building Coordinator, will have to lead, execute, and direct Shelter-In-Place protocols that keep you, staff, faculty, and students safe until the “All clear” is issued.
The Shelter-In-Place alert over the HAWK Alert emergency notification system will, if possible, describe the situation and provide instructions i.e., take shelter in your tornado safety location. Also initiate Shelter-In-Place procedures if you hear the city tornado sirens or are alerted ta tornado warning or other emergency on your portable electronic devices.
Building Coordinators will go floor to floor to ensure occupants have moved to the safe location.
Assist those with access and functional needs. Direct visitors to the designated safe location.
Quickly direct those outside your location inside and lock exterior doors and close windows.
If you are told there is danger of explosion, close the window shades, blinds, or curtains, Stay away from the windows.
Stay away from windows/doors during tornado warnings.
If during a tornado warning you must move your occupants from your designated tornado safety location find the most interior ground floor rooms without windows like bathrooms
or closets.
No one is to leave until the “All Clear” is issued.
If you are sheltering-In-Place from a chemical or hazardous material incident select interior room(s) above the ground floor, with the fewest windows or vents. The room(s) should have adequate space for everyone to be able to sit. Avoid overcrowding by selecting several rooms if necessary.
When the situation is deemed safe the “All Clear” will be issued over the Hawk Alert system. Ensure everyone is aware of the “All Clear.” Unlock doors.

Secure-In-Place

A Secure-in-Place alert will be issued for possible threats to campus safety originating in the surrounding community. These threats are not directly associated with the Huntingdon College Campus. This could result from a notification to Campus Security by public safety officials of criminal/illegal activity in the area that could affect Campus security. This is considered a “soft” lockdown as indoor campus activities and business will continue as normal.
The Secure-In-Place alert over the HAWKAlert emergency notification system will, if possible, describe the situation, the subjects and its location in the community.
Building Coordinators will LOCK all exterior doors. None should be allowed to leave unless there is an emergency i.e., fire is visible.
Direct any students, visitors or staff members in the hall back to their respective class or office as soon as possible. Building Coordinators will make a preliminary check of all floors/rooms and advise all persons of the Secure-In-Place alert.
Generally, the exterior doors after being secured/locked should not be opened and none should enter the building except for law enforcement and Campus Security personnel.
What if someone wants to enter the secured building?
- Based on the information provided you in the HAWK alert or other notification USE REASONABLE JUDGMENT before opening the door.
- Before opening the door consider the following:
  - Can you see the person or persons or area outside the door to determine they are not under duress or armed with a weapon? Think. Could this be a trap or ruse?
  - Do you know the person? If you know them, how do you know they aren’t the threat?
  - Does the person match the physical description of the subject(s) provided in the Hawk Alert? Consider similarities such as age, race, clothing description, height, weight, sex, and hair and eye color.
- If the decision is made to let a person in consider the following:
  - The person MUST leave anything he or she is carrying (a backpack, laptop case, package, etc.) on the ground, outside of the secure area.
  - The person MUST lift up or remove their shirt, coat, and/or jacket until the waistline is visible and rotate 360 degrees to see if they are concealing a weapon. If the person is wearing pants have them lift the cuffs of the
    pants up texpose their ankles tsee if they are concealing a weapon.
When the situation is deemed safe the “All Clear” will be issued over the Hawk Alert system. Ensure everyone is aware of the “All Clear.” Unlock doors.

Lockdown

A Lockdown alert will be used only when there is an imminent adversarial or human caused threat to life on the Campus like an active shooter. Both exterior and interior rooms will be locked if safe to do so.
The lockdown announcement over the HAWK Alert emergency notification system will, if possible, describe the threat and its location, i.e., the building or Campus area affected.
Clear everyone from hallways into rooms. Direct any students, visitors or staff members in the hall into the nearest room immediately.
Assist those with access and functional needs.
Based on the information provided in the lockdown announcement Building Coordinators should make a decision on locking all exterior doors ONLY if safe to do so i.e., you know the whereabouts of the threat and there is NO imminent danger to you.
If you are the Building Coordinator WHERE THE THREAT IS PRESENT OR IMMINENT DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LOCK EXTERIOR DOORS THAT ARE UNLOCKED. Initiate the RUN, HIDE, FIGHT protocol.
Once the lockdown is announced and the respective building is secured, all Building Coordinators, if safe to do so, will make a preliminary check of all rooms to ensure they are locked, and advise all persons of the mandatory lockdown. None should be allowed to leave unless there is an emergency i.e., fire is visible.
Building Coordinators will inform everyone to stay in their locked classrooms or offices away from windows and doors (shut blinds if applicable), turn off lights and silence electronic devices. Building Coordinators will instruct classroom faculty to take roll of students.
NO one should be allowed to leave unless there is an emergency i.e., fire is visible.
Generally, the exterior doors after being secured/locked should not be opened and none should enter the building except for law enforcement and Campus Security personnel.
What if someone wants to enter the secured building?
- Your responsibility is to those in the locked/secured building and if there is ANY doubt about your safety or those you are protecting DO NOT OPEN the door. Allowing someone to enter your secure area could endanger you or others. USE REASONABLE JUDGMENT.
- Before opening the door consider the following:
  - Can you see the person or persons or area outside the door to determine they are not under duress or armed with a firearm? Think. Could this be a trap or ruse?
  - Do you know the person? If you know them, how do you know they aren’t the threat?
  - Does the person match the physical description of the subject given in the Hawk Alert? Consider similarities such as age, race, clothing description, height, weight, sex, and hair and eye color.
- If the decision is made to let a person in, the following is MANDATORY: The person MUST leave anything he or she is carrying (a backpack, laptop case, package, etc.) on the ground, outside of the secure area.
  - The person MUST lift up or remove their shirt, coat, and/or jacket until the waistline is visible and rotate 360 degrees to see if they are concealing a weapon. If the person is wearing pants have them lift the cuffs of the pants up to expose their ankles to see if they are concealing a weapon.
Building coordinators after completing their respective duties will lockdown in a secure room.
When the situation is deemed safe the “All Clear” will be issued over the Hawk Alert system. Ensure everyone is aware of the “All Clear.” Unlock doors.

Building Evacuation

A building evacuation will consist of the Building Coordinator evacuating all persons from their respective buildings due ta fire, fire alarm, bomb threat or other emergency.

Fire/Fire Alarm Protocol

After a fire is reported or detected (visible flames, smoke, or heat), Building Coordinators will do the following:
- Pull the fire alarm box/activator, if not already activated, in the building preferably on the floor where the fire is present. If the fire is small and controllable, use the closest fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire. The building coordinators will be shown where the fire extinguishers are located and how to use them by the Director of Campus Safety. Use REASONABLE JUDGMENT. BE SAFE!
- Call 911 to report the fire.
- Call Campus Security to report the fire.
Building Coordinators will begin the EVACUATION process and will do the following:
- Proceed to the ground floor and direct occupants to the nearest exit and safe assembly point (Main Campus: Top Outdoor Stage on the Green or Cloverdale Campus: Middle of football field).
- Assist those with access and functional needs. Alternate Building Coordinators can be assigned this task.
- If safe to do so, and in a rapid manner, Building Coordinators should go floor to floor (Do Not Use Elevators), room to room and visually check each office, classroom, restroom etc., to ensure evacuation of the premises to the safe assembly point.
- Advise 911 and Campus Security immediately of the location of anyone trapped in the building.
- After the building has safely been evacuated and you are confident no one else is present, Building Coordinators are to exit the building and proceed to the safe assembly point and take roll to account for all persons i.e., students, faculty, staff, and visitors present.
- Advise Campus Security of any concerns or problems.