EMERGENCY
ACTION PLAN

Incident Procedures

Campus Evacuation

Building Fire or Explosion with Damages and/or Injuries

Hostile Intruder Inside a Building

+ MORE

Laura A. Bayless, Ph.D.
Dean of Students

BASIC EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURE

In every emergency situation or incident, each student, faculty, and staff member should carry out the following seven (7) critical steps:

Remain Calm
Check official communication sources for information regarding the emergency
Follow instructions for next steps
Care for and be responsive to others who may be in need of assistance
Check in with concerned family and friends to let them know you are OK
Check official communication sources for periodic updates
Watch for the all clear signal

Remain Calm
The campus will be consulting with appropriate on- and off-campus resources to respond to the emergency. Your remaining calm will allow the Emergency Response Team and other direct responders to attend to the emergency rather than splitting their attention between the emergency situation and your reaction to it. Check official communication sources for information regarding the emergency

Check official communication sources for information regarding the emergency
The following communication channels will be used when a situation permits it to provide information and updates about an emergency situation: Note that the first communication about the emergency, likely an e-mail, will articulate the person who is designated the official contact for the emergency. This person will have the most accurate and up-to-date information about the situation. Other communications are not “official.”

Follow instructions for next steps
These communications will articulate next steps for the campus. Be sure to follow these instructions, which are designed to maximize the health and safety of those on campus.

Care for and be responsive to others who may be in need of assistance
Emergency situations on campus can evoke many powerful emotions. Be aware of those around you who may not be able to remain calm or who may need assistance. It is up to the entire community to ensure that we are all safe and cared for. If you discover someone that needs medical or other specialized attention, contact a staff member for assistance. Be cognizant of others with mobility and/or physical challenges (for example, visual- or hearing-impairments) and offer assistance. If someone appears to be having a difficult time coping with the situation or is behaving in a way that is unusual or different than they normally behave (for example, a student is crying uncontrollably for a prolonged period of time; talking to him/herself; displaying unusual anger, violence or abusive language, etc.)

• Try to be supportive, calm, and reassuring.
• If possible, offer emotional support.  This involves understanding, patience, and encouragement.
• Engage the person in conversation and listen carefully.
• Do not disparage feelings expressed, but point out realities and offer hope.
• You can acknowledge that things are bad now, and then promote the idea that things are going to get better.
• Emphasize the temporary nature of the situation. Explain that the crisis will pass.
• Encourage the student to follow-up at the Counseling Center after the crisis has been resolved if that seems appropriate (to try to avoid prolonged post-traumatic stress disorder).

Check in with concerned family and friends to let them know you are OK
If at all possible, let your family and friends off-campus know that you are OK. Taking this step will ease the minds of those who care about you and cut down on the communication the campus receives from those off-campus, freeing time, energy, and resources to respond to the emergency itself. Inform your family and friends that www.smcm.edu will be updated as new information comes available so that they can monitor the situation. Please keep your conversations short so that the communication channels coming in and out of St. Mary’s County can be as free as possible for official communication about the emergency.

Check official communication sources for periodic updates
As new information becomes available, the official communication sources will provide updates and further instructions.

Watch for all clear signal
The official communication sources will inform the campus when the emergency is no longer an immediate threat and campus can return to normal functioning.