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UWF Emergency Management

Are we ready?

UWF Emergency Management

Are we ready? Peter Robinson, Director

Environmental Health & Safety

Environmental Health and Safety

• Occupational Safety• Fire Safety• Indoor Air Quality• Environmental Compliance

• Chemical, Biomedical, Radioactive waste

• Stormwater

• Potable Water• Training• Emergency Management

• Hurricanes

• Pandemics

• Building Emergency Coordinators

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What We Try to Prevent

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Emergency Management

• The Keys to Success:

• Preparedness

• Response

• Recovery

• Mitigation

• Notification

• Drills & Exercises

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Emergency Communications

• Notification Types:

• The University of West Florida utilizes two different notification types, to differentiate between the severity of situations.

• Argo Alert (Imminent Danger) is a message that the University of West Florida utilizes to inform faculty, staff and students when a situation of imminent danger arises and requires a call for action. When an Argo Alert is sent, please take immediate action in obtaining safety & shelter.Example: Building evacuation due to a fire.

• UWF Notice (Non-Imminent Danger) is a message that the University of West Florida utilizes to inform faculty, staff and students when a less severe situation arises on campus. UWF Notice is typically distributed via email. When a UWF Notice is sent, please be sure to take note of the campus situation for future safety & precautionary measures. Example: Announcement of campus closure due to an impending hurricane that is days away from landfall.

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Emergency Communication Methods

• Text Messaging capabilities added to our emergency communications through Rave Systems Inc.

• Faculty, staff, and students will need to subscribe to the ArgoAlert service (in order to provide their mobile numbers).

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Emergency Communication Methods

• UWF Home Page• Email• Twitter• Facebook• WUWF 88.1 FM

Emergency Communication Methods

• Public Areas Siren System- Located near B-36, B-82, HLS and Ball Field- Sounds Westminster Chimes at Noon

• Internal Building Broadcast System• Desktop Alert System

Emergency Communication Methods

• NOAA Weather Radios• Electronic Outdoor Entrance Sign• Message Display System in Commons

• Lightning Prediction System• Sirens and Strobes located at Tennis Courts,

Intramural Field, Baseball Field, Softball Field and Track

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Emergency Communication Methods

• Blue Light System

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• UWF has achieved StormReady Certification from the National Weather Service• Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency

operations center;

• Have more than one method of receiving severe weather forecasts and warnings and alerting the public;

• Create a system that monitors local weather conditions;

• Promote the significance of public readiness through community seminars;

• Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding exercises.

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StormReady Ceremony

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Preparation-Response

• All of our Planning and Preparations get us ready to respond in a crisis. Emergency Procedures are a big part of the

Planning Process

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Emergency Procedures

• Fire Alarm – What to do• Immediately evacuate building

• Grab personal belongings only if immediately

accessible

• Close but do not lock your office door

• People with Disabilities

• As you are evacuating, inform others to leave

• If the corridor is filled with smoke stay low or crawl

• Once out of the building go to predetermined

meeting location

• Stay out of the way of emergency personnel and

vehicles

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Emergency Procedures

• Fire Alarm – What not to do

• Do not investigate to see if the alarm is real

or a false alarm. Always evacuate

• Do not take time to shut down your

computer

• Do not return to your office to retrieve

personnel belongings

• Do not attempt to fight the fire unless you

have been trained and the fire is small

• Do not re-enter the building until given the

all clear by emergency responders15

Emergency Procedures

• Bomb Threat• If you receive a communication that a bomb has

been placed on campus, get as much information as

possible

• Call the Police

• Police will conduct a search

and decide if an evacuation is warranted

• Suspicious Package• Do not handle the object

• Call the Police

• Police will decide if an evacuation is warranted

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Emergency Procedures

• Hazardous Materials Spills

• Chemical release from local industries - Shelter-in place

• Chemical release on campus- Evacuation or Shelter-in-place –

Depends on circumstances• Utility Failures

• Possible building or campus closure• Communicable Disease Outbreak

• Possible building or campus closure

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Emergency Procedures

• Tornado or Severe Weather

• Seek shelter immediately in designated areas.

• If you’re inside a building… - Go to the lowest level of the building, if possible. - Stay away from windows. - Go to an interior hallway. - Use arms to protect head and neck in a “drop and tuck” position.

• If there is no time to get inside… - Lie in a ditch or low-lying area or crouch near a strong building. - Be aware of potential for flooding and flying debris. - Use arms to protect head and neck in a “drop and tuck” position. - Use jacket, cap, backpack or any similar items, if available, to

protect face and eyes.

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Emergency Procedures

• Speaking of weather…

• Hurricanes- University & Departmental Plans- Building Emergency Coordinators

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Emergency Information Resources

• University Police Department Website

• http://uwf.edu/uwfpolice/

• Environmental Health and Safety Website

• http://uwf.edu/ermgt/

• Emergency Procedures Guide

• Building Emergency Coordinators

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Hope for Smooth Sailing

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Questions?

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