Environmental Issues

A. SPECIFIC THREATS

Air pollution
This event could affect students and staff who are susceptible to respiratory problems. The following principles should be observed.

a. A file of students and staff who have or are susceptible to respiratory problems. The file should contain data on the location of such persons at different times during the day.

b. When notified from district via news media of a smog advisory, the principal shall inform all staff and notify those individuals in file to stay indoors and minimize physical activity.

c. Cancel all athletic competitions and practices and any other activities which require strenuous physical activity such as marching band, etc.

d. Cancel any events, which require the use of vehicles.

Bomb threats
In the event that the university receives a bomb threat, by letter or telephone, the following procedures will be accomplished.

a. If the bomb threat is in the form of a letter, note the manner in which it was delivered, who found it and where it was found. Take care while handling the message by immediately placing it in an envelope so that possible fingerprints may be detected.

b. If the bomb threat is a telephone call, keep the caller on the line. Delay the caller with statements such as I am sorry, I did not understand you. What did you say Note the time the call was received, manner of caller, background noises and what the caller is saying. Use the following guidelines that follow to assist you.

Immediately notify the police and fire departments (or designee) (call 911). If the caller is still on the phone, call the phone company to trace the call. Instruct staff and students to turn off any pagers, cellular phones or two-way radios. Do not use these devices during this threat. Caution students against picking up or touching any strange objects or packages. If the suspected bomb is in a corridor, modify evacuation routes to bypass the corridor. Evacuate students using primary and alternate routes. Take emergency backpack and student kits. Check to be sure all students have left the building. Upon arrival at the designated safe site, take roll. Notify the designee and emergency response personnel of any missing students. Does not return to the building until emergency response officials determine it is safe.

3. Chemical accident
Chemical accidents of a disaster magnitude could result from a transportation accident or an industrial accident. Should any such accidents endanger the students or staff, the following will be accomplished. An alert message will be broadcast over the school weather Radio and the safety siren may be heard.

The following should be observed
Have all students report to nearest designated building. Close all doors and windows, shut off ventilation, and listen to the radio (shelter-in-place). Take roll. Notify designee of any missing students. If necessary, use tape, rags, clothing or any other available material of seal air leaks. Continue to shelter in the place unless advised to do otherwise. Monitor and radio station for further instructions. If you believe that gas is entering the building, protect everyone with a wet cloth or towel over the mouth and nose. Have everyone breathe in short, quick shallow breaths. If evacuation orders are received, proceed with evacuation plan. Evacuate students. A check should be performed to be sure all students have been evacuated.

4. Threat of explosion
This incident could be the result of spilled cleaning chemicals within the school building, in the university lab, a material a student brings to university, or a broken gas main. Should any such accidents endanger the students or staff, take the following actions

Determine if evacuation is required. Notify appropriate local authorities of incident (call 911). If necessary, proceed with evacuation procedure using primary or alternate routes, avoiding exposure to the chemical fumes. Evacuate students from the building using primary andor alternate fire routes (p.14). Check to be sure all students have left the building. Students are to remain quiet during evacuation. Upon arrival at evacuation site, take roll and report attendance to designee immediately. Notify emergency response personnel of any missing students. Do not return to the building until emergency response personnel have determined it is safe.

5. Fire
This incident could occur if the school building is on fire should any such event endanger the students or staff, the following will be accomplished.

Notify the fire Department (call 911). Proceed to evacuate the school using the primary or alternate fire routes. An inspection will be performed to be sure all students and personnel have left the building. Evacuate students from the building using primary or alternate fire routes. Take emergency backpack and student kits. Maintain

Control of the students a safe distance from the fire and fire fighting equipment. Report any missing students to the designee and emergency response personnel. Do not return to the building until the Fire Department determines it is safe.

6. Earthquake

If indoors
   
Stay inside, move away from windows, shelves, heavy objects or furniture which may fall over. Take cover under a table or desk. Instruct the students to DUCK-COVER-HOLD.
   
In halls, stairways, or other areas where cover is not available, move to an interior wall.
   
In library, immediately move away from windows and bookshelves. Take appropriate cover.
 
In laboratories, all burners should be extinguished (if possible) before taking cover. Stay clear of hazardous chemicals, which may spill.
 
In the multi-use room, take cover under the tables or move close to the interior walls away from windows.

If outdoors
 
Move to an open space, away from buildings and overhead power lines. Lie down or crouch low to the ground (legs will not be steady). Keep looking around to be aware of dangers, which may demand movement.

7. Tornado
Severe weather can be accompanied by high winds. If this type of weather poses any risk to the staff or students the following shall be accomplished.

An alert message will be broadcast over the weather radio (WTTS, 92.3 FM is the local Emergency Alert System station for Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Lawrence and Monroe Counties.)Staff and students should take cover in the shielded areas within the building. Stay away from windows. Close all blinds and curtains. Avoid auditoriums, gymnasiums and other structures with large roof spans. Monitor weather radio and AM radio station. Notify utility companies of any break or suspected break in utility lines.

8. Threatening individual
This incident could occur if a belligerent person or armed person appeared at the school site. Should such an individual threaten the safety of students or staff, the following shall be accomplished.
Notify police (dial 911). Keep calm. If an individual is armed with any type of weapon, USE EXTREME
CAUTION. Do not attempt to remove the weapon from their possession, allow police to do so.

B. CRITICAL REVIEW AND ANALYSIS

Operations  section
An emergency operations center team should be put in place. The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Team will coordinate the formation and actions of the other teams. They will communicate directly with Emergency Response personnel and the District Office. All activities from the other teams should be reported to the EOC. This team is responsible for personnel issues. This team should document any costs incurred during this emergency.

A minimum number of 4 staff or student volunteers should be developed to serve as the EOC Team. The  designee should head the team. One person on the team should be responsible for communications. One person on the team should be responsible for accounting for students and staff.

Emergency services section
This will include
The search and rescue team which will need to sweep quickly through the school buildings to identify location of trapped or injured students and staff. They will rescue the trapped and the injured and assist the First Aid Team in treating the injured. In addition, they should help suppress fires. Teams of 5 staff or student volunteers should be developed as needed. Custodians may not be a good choice for this team as they will be needed to assist with other urgent tasks such as shutting off utilities.
The First Aid team should establish the first aid treatment areas, triage, and provide first aid to people arriving at these areas. This team will need to coordinate with the Search and Rescue Team. Teams of staff or student volunteers should be developed. These individuals should be trained in First Aid and CPR.

Law enforcement
The following law provisions should be observed.
Title 24, California Code of Regulations prescribes standards for the design and construction of public schools. However, non-structural seismic safety elements receive limited attention. Non-structural elements include anything, which is not part of the columns, beams, and load-bearing walls these light fixtures, bookcases filing cabinets and windows can pose life safety threats during an earthquake.
Title 8, California General Industry Safety Orders, Section 3203 requires that every employer inaugurate and maintain an accident prevention program which shall include, but not be limited to, a training program to instruct employees in general safe work practices and specific instructions with respect to hazards unique to the employees job assignment and the scheduling of periodic inspections to identify and correct unsafe conditions and work practices which may be found.

Support section (human and infrastructure)
A team developed for the support activity should facilitate and coordinate food supplies, meal preparation, meal distribution, water distribution and sanitation set-up. the team should compose of staff and student volunteers. For instance before the earthquake, the following should be done
Inventory all food, water, cooking and sanitation supplies. Check expiration dates, replace out-dated supplies.

Determine the best location of food preparation, food service, and water distribution. In addition, determine a location for the sanitation tents or shelters away from the food preparation area.
Immediately after the earthquake Report to the Emergency Operations Center. Set up cooking area, water distribution area and sanitation areas. Do not allow waste from sanitation area to come within 200 feet of students or foodwater supplies. Set up sheltering tents as necessary to protect the students from the elements.

C. PERSONAL SAFETY
Preventing accidents from occurring in the first place is the best method of mitigating these disasters. Fires, chemical spills, technological and transportation accidents are all hazards that are essentially preventable. The focus of disaster mitigation for these human-made disasters is preventing the hazards from occurring or reducing their impact if they do.

Local capacity building measures seek to reduce human vulnerability by building and reinforcing a local  communitys skills, organizational systems and abilities and offering incentives to reduce risks. They also help communities prepare to respond effectively in case of disasters.

Since members of the local population of disaster-stricken areas are the first ones at the disaster siteperforming search and rescue activities as well as providing emergency treatment and relief to their families, friends and neighborsorganizations such as Red CrossRed Crescent Societies and the local Civil Defense can play an important role in improving the skills and knowledge of these spontaneous disaster responders. Offering education and training in preparedness measures, basic rescue techniques, and first aid and emergency treatment is an important component of risk reduction plans.
These organizations might also play a role in helping to organize local populations or settlements around specific risk reduction or mitigation activities. Local areas often have the technology or knowledge required to reduce their own vulnerability but may be missing some key local or social structure that prevents them from realizing the benefits of vulnerability reduction.

General risk reduction strategies
In case of earthquakes, the government can also ensure that important public sector buildings are constructed according to high engineering design standards.

Flood effects can be reduced by the use of hazard resistant designs such as raising living or working spaces high above the possible flood level.

Tornadoes can be delt with by ensuring a public that is well informed regarding the hazard and an effective warning system.

Chemical and industrial accidents can be reduced by improving safety standards in plant and equipment design, by anticipating possible hazards in plant design, by developing safe design and operating procedures, by safe and regulated disposal of hazardous materials, and through proper preparedness planning.

D. CONCLUSION
The following considerations should be observed in line with recommendations for improving the emergency and disaster plan for the university.

A qualified structural andor civil engineer should perform the hazard assessment of the university site where appropriate. The interior and exterior portions of the school buildings as well as the university grounds should be
assessed for potential hazards.

The hazard assessment should include evaluation of the following potential hazards to impact the school site, staff or students
 
Proximity of toxic, flammable, corrosive, chemically reactive or radioactive material, including proximity to industry and trucking and railroad routes.
Proximity of high voltage power lines.
Proximity to fault lines
Likelihood and possible effects of flooding, including proximity to dams in the event of their failure.
Likelihood and possible effects of a Wildland fire.
Likelihood and possible effects of severe weather.
Probable safety areas for evacuation, after earthquake or other disaster. Consider the proximity of gas, water and sewer lines locating these areas.
Locations of interior hanging fixtures on ceilings, etc. such as fluorescent lights.
Locations of windows, particularly those near doorways.
Stability of bookcases and shelving in classrooms as well as the objects on the shelves, cabinets and hanging on walls.
Stability of water heaters.
Security of AV equipment, computers, TV monitors, aquariums, etc. from motion during an earthquake.

An effort should be made to remove or correct the identified hazards to the school site if possible
to do so. This can be done by an independent risk manager.