In advance, sign up for Alert-U at http://www.vvc.edu. Enter your cell phone number in the spaces provided. Next, check your cell phone and reply Y to the message. Your cell phone will be automatically entered into VVC's Alert-U emergency text alert system (standard messaging rates apply).
Administrative Procedure : Inclimate Weather - College Closing
The question of whether or not the college will be closed due to dangerous conditions shall follow the following steps:
Indications of dangerous weather conditions should be determined by campus police/security and maintenance staff of the college, who either, during regular school hours, after school hours and weekends assess a threat to campus safety.
The concerns shall be conveyed to the Police Chief and/or the Director of Maintenance.
The Chief of Police shall notify the President of his/her designee.
The President or his/her designee may consult with cabinet members and decided whether or not to close the facility.
If the decision is to stay open, the situation will be closely monitored from the President's office for any changes.
If the decision is made to close, the President will inform the Board of Trustees and will instruct the Public Information Officer to contact press, radio, TV outlets and the campus web page. The President or designee and the Police Chief shall send an Alert-U message and campus police will post appropriate notices at campus entrances as necessary.
The Campus message board shall reflect any decision to close or stay open.
Any evacuation of the campus deemed necessary shall be organized by campus police/security.
Indicators
Area School Districts close
Weather authorities recommend closure
Presence of ice on campus and surrounding thoroughfares
Direction from County Superintendent of Schools
Concerns for the safety of students, staff and campus visitors
If you are outside, stay outside. Move quickly to an open area away from buildings, trees, power lines and roadways.
If you are inside a building, stay inside. Do not evacuate or go outside; falling debris could cause injury.
Take cover beneath a desk or table or shelter in a doorway. PROTECT YOUR HEAD AND NECK.
Keep away from overhead fixtures, windows, filing cabinets, bookcases, and other objects that could fall on you.
Assist any disabled persons in the area and find a safe place for them.
If you are in an elevator during an earthquake:
Remain calm. You are probably better protected than others. The elevator will not fall down the shaft, and nothing heavy can fall on you.
If the power fails, the elevator will stop and the lights will go off. Emergency personnel will respond as quickly as possible and advise you how rescue will occur. Follow emergency personnel directions.
After the earthquake:
Check for injuries. Give or seek first aid. DO NOT MOVE INJURED PERSONS UNLESS NECESSARY.
Alert emergency responders (Police, Fire, Medical) to situations requiring their attention.
Assist any disabled persons in the area and find a safe place for them.
Try not to use phones, except to report fires or medical emergencies.
DO NOT USE ELEVATORS. DO NOT RUN.
Check doors for heat before opening. DO NOT OPEN IF HOT.
Assign at least two (2) persons to assist those with physical limitations.
Leave your classroom/building and go to your designated assembly area.
Instructors will account for all students, then report to their assigned disaster team. Students will stay together.
Wait for and follow instructions from your safety coordinator .
DO NOT RE-ENTER BUILDINGS UNTIL THEY HAVE BEEN CHECKED FOR STRUCTURAL SAFETY.
A flood watch means that conditions are favorable for flooding. Faculty & Staff need to be aware of a flood watch, but take no action.
A flood warning means that rising water threatens to close roads, wash out bridges and inundate property. Action should be taken to move to higher ground.
DURING A FLOOD WATCH OR WARNING:
If possible, listen to television or radio for weather information and instructions.
IF FLOODING IN YOUR AREA IS IMMINENT:
Turn off utilities. Disconnect electrical appliances, being careful not to touch any electrical equipment if your hands (or the floor) is wet or under water.
Retreat to higher ground.
Report to evacuation / assembly areas on upper campus.
Assist disabled persons during an evacuation.
Avoid traveling on lower campus.
Report broken utility lines and/or other facility damage to Maintenance, extension 2216 or Campus Police, extension 2555.
Stay in your assembly area until you receive further instructions from College Administrators or Law Enforcement Officials.
If you suspect an individual is carrying a weapon on campus:
Immediately contact Campus Police, extension 2555
Do not attempt to make contact with or restrain the person
Be prepared to implement lockdown procedures (below):
Note: Lockdown procedures include but are not limited to: remaining in an office or classroom and securing doors and windows to prevent an armed individual from gaining access.
At the first indications of a shooting...
...sound of gunfire, loud cracking, popping, banging noises, windows shattering, glass exploding in classrooms, or bullets ricocheting,
Immediately take shelter. Instruct others to drop to the ground, face down as flat as possible.
Contact law enforcement, (911) or Campus Police (x 2555). Stay on the phone if possible.
Move or crawl away from gunfire, utilizing obstructions. Remember, that obstructions may visually conceal you from gunfire but may not be bulletproof and may not protect you from gunfire.
When you reach a place of relative safety, stay down, do not peek or raise your head until the threat is passed.
Expect that witnesses will be gathered in one area for questioning by police. To protect the investigation, do not allow witnesses to talk about the incident.
If the suspect is outside your classroom:
Duck and Cover. Keep students inside the classroom and down on the floor. Move behind cover inside the classroom if possible.
Call law enforcement; 2555 or 911
Close and lock the outside door to the classroom if possible, close blinds, turn off lights and stay on the floor. DO NOT PEEK outdoors.
In the event offensive, unusual, noxious odors are detected; irritation to lungs, difficulty breathing, coughing or nausea, which are unrelated to a known illness; if strange colored clouds are observed; if chemical spills occur, follow the instructions of trained personnel and do the following:
Immediately report incidents to Campus Police, extension 2555 and to Maintenance Department, extension 2216.
Close and seal doors and windows to prevent escape or entry of odors or chemicals. Try to prevent spills from spreading or going down drains.
Stay upwind, upgrade or upstream of any spills, odors or colored clouds.
Be prepared to evacuate the building and report to a staging area for further instructions or treatment for exposure.
Assist others who are unable to help themselves.
Laboratory personnel should be prepared to assist in assessment of spills within their area following a major earthquake.
In the event of a serious illness or injury on campus, immediately call extension 2555 for Campus Police or 911. If you notice any jewelry with an inscription of medical information, tell the dispatcher. Give appropriate first aid until emergency personnel arrive. Do not move the victim until help arrives.
FIRST AID TIPS:
BLEEDING : Call 2555 or 911. Press directly on the wound with sterile gauze, sanitary napkin, clean cloth, absorbent paper or bare hands. Maintain steady pressure for 5 to 15 minutes. If bleeding from an arm or leg, elevate that limb. Have victim lie down and treat for shock until emergency personnel arrive.
CHOKING : Call 2555 or 911. Do nothing if the victim is moving air by coughing or gasping. If no air movement, apply four abdominal thrusts by grabbing the victim from behind with your hands over the navel area; quickly squeeze in and up.
SEIZURE : Call 2555 or 911. Protect victim from self-injury, avoid restraining if possible. Keep victim comfortable until emergency personnel arrive. Watch for vomiting.
SHOCK : Call 2555 or 911. Keep victim warm and calm, with legs slightly elevated, until emergency personnel arrive.
UNCONSCIOUS / UNRESPONSIVE : Call 2555 or 911. Check for breathing: If victim is not breathing, initiate rescue breathing.
RESCUE BREATHING : Gently tilt the head back to open the airway; watch chest and listen for air from mouth. If not breathing, pinch the nose and give 2 slow, full breaths. Watch the chest rise and fall during each breath. Breathe into the victim’s mouth once every 5 seconds until emergency personnel arrive.
CHECK FOR PULSE by pressing the side of the victim’s throat. If no pulse, and if an AED is available, open AED and apply. Administer CPR as required. If you don’t know CPR, continue rescue breathing.