Emergency Procedures

For all medical emergencies:

• Assess scene safety – is it safe to approach the patient?
• Is the person breathing? Can he/she talk or cough?
• Call 9 1 1.
• If possible, take the phone to where the patient is located.
• Follow the emergency medical instructions provided by the dispatcher.
• If others are available, have them assist in giving aide, helping first responders find the patient, etc.

There are a wide variety of medical emergencies that may arise. These may include (but are not limited to): animal bites, insect stings, allergic reactions, bleeding, falls, heat and cold emergencies, seizures and heart attacks.

If someone is in need of medical assistance, always start with calling 911 in order to get emergency medical services responding as quickly as possible. These professionals will bring the appropriate equipment and medications that can be used to help the person and get them as quickly as possible to a hospital.

In addition, the emergency dispatcher can provide callers with directions over the phone on what can be done until responders arrive. This includes the gathering of critical information, instructions on how to assess the patient, and information on how to perform life-saving techniques like CPR. First Aid Kits and AEDs are available on each floor.

Before something happens, consider taking a First Aid and CPR course. These courses provide the opportunity to learn and practice emergency techniques. In the event of an emergency, you will then be more confident in your abilities.

As soon as possible:

• Call Campus Security (674-2299).
• Provide as much information as possible about the person, including clothing description, height, build, hair color, eye color, jewelry, vehicle description, license plate number, etc.
• If possible, take a picture with a cell phone or other camera.
• Notify supervisors so they can take any action necessary to improve security in the office/work environment.

Virtually everyone has seen someone they thought did not belong in an area, or was doing something that didn’t quite seem right. In some cases, these suspicious people have been reported and found to be terrorists conducting surveillance on a location. In these cases, many lives were saved. In other cases, it has been determined that the person was not actually doing anything wrong. In both cases, the decision to report the suspicious behavior was appropriate.

When people are planning on committing a crime, they frequently “test” the environment to see what they can get away with and the ease with which they will be able to commit their eventual crime. They often begin by doing things that are not proper, but not necessarily illegal. This may include trying door knobs to see if any are left open, looking closely at door latches to see if they might be able to jam them in the open position, taking pictures of the area (especially of sight lines,
camera locations, alarm panels, doors, windows, and equipment), sitting and watching the habits and patterns of the people who work there, etc.

If something or someone doesn’t feel quite right, it is always best to take the safe approach and report it to the proper police or security authorities so it can be checked out. Don’t feel bad if the person ends up being innocent, as the next time the suspicious person might be up to no good.

Small Chemical Spill:

• Follow established laboratory or workplace procedures for spill management.
• Notify Supervisor.
• Properly dispose of materials.

Large Chemical spill / Gas Leak:

• Evacuate the area.
• Call 911.

Chemical Ingestion:

• Contact Poison Control Center: 1-800-222-1222.
• If needed – Call 911.
  
  

Chemicals are part of the everyday lives of virtually everyone in the United States. As such, they are familiar items to most people. This familiarity can sometimes result in the chemicals being handled in a manner that is less cautious than it should be. In addition, some accidents can occur as the result of slips and falls. Either of these can lead to a chemical being spilled into the environment.

Since chemicals vary greatly in the type and amount of danger they present, the nature of the specific chemical involved in a spill needs to be taken into consideration during an incident. Chemicals that present an inhalation hazard may need to be handled quite differently from those that only present a contact danger. Because of this, all employees who may be exposed to chemicals in the workplace need to be properly trained about the chemicals and where they can find the Material Safety Data Sheets, along with any specific departmental or laboratory procedures for spills that might exist.

In order to reduce the danger of spills, there are several steps that can be taken, including:

• Keep chemicals in their original containers.
• Have MSDS and departmental procedures clearly posted.
• Have annual training with all employees regarding chemical hazards in their workplace.
• Call 911 for any spill that is larger than the department is trained and equipped to handle.
• Make sure any cleaned-up chemicals are properly contained.
• Never pour chemicals down a sink – call Chemical Hygiene Officer – (575) 674-1761 for guidance on how to properly dispose of chemicals