Emergency Preparedness

The University’s Campus Safety Office is open and operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you discover an emergency on campus, you can report it in several ways:

• Dial 911 to contact the local Police Department (Lakeside/Crestview Hills Department).
• Dial 859-341-7233 to report the emergency to Campus Safety Office on campus.
• If phones are out of service, send a runner to Campus Safety Office located in the Saints Center, to the right of the Lobby.
• Be sure to provide your name, describe the emergency and its location.

What is a 911 Emergency?

• A 911 Emergency is any situation that requires immediate police, fire, or medical response to preserve life or property.
• Call 911 from an on-campus phone or a cell phone to report emergencies.
• The local Police Department will notify appropriate officials from the University.
• Do not use 911 inappropriately as it may delay responses to true emergencies.
• This Guide will help you to decide whether a situation requires an emergency response.

What are Non-Emergency Situations?

• A non-emergency situation does not require immediate attention to preserve life or property. Examples are minor vehicle accidents, missing property, excessive noise, and similar non-police-related matters.
• To report a non-emergency situation on the University campus, call the Campus Safety Office at 859-341-7233.

Shelter in Place and Lockdown:

Shelter in Place

Call 911 from an on-campus phone or your cell phone to report an emergency that needs immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel.

In emergency situations where the risk is outside (e.g., severe weather or airborne toxin), it will be important to minimize exposure to the risk and to deliver information to the Thomas More University Community quickly and efficiently. In these circumstances, a Shelter-in-Place order may be given.

Shelter-In-Place orders will be given by the Emergency Notification System. However, you may seek shelter and safety should you feel a situation warrants such action, then call the Office of Campus Safety at 859-341-7233 to report the incident and your location.

• Upon the Shelter-in-Place alert, students, faculty, and staff who are not already indoors should immediately enter the nearest building.
• If already indoors, remain in place and await further instructions by emergency officials.
• Faculty members who are conducting class should remain in their classroom and may continue teaching, but monitor information from emergency officials.

Lockdown

A lockdown may be preferable during situations such as the presence of a hostile or armed intruder inside a building. A lockdown requires locking doors (if possible), windows, and barricading oneself to block entry to a campus facility, a classroom, or to an office compound.
The following are general lockdown procedures:

• If you are in outdoor areas, you should immediately take cover.
• If you are in hallways during the emergency, seek shelter immediately in the nearest classroom or office compound.
• Lock or barricade classroom doors.
• Close windows and window treatments.
• Turn off the lights.
• Instruct everyone to remain silent and not to go into hallways.
• Crouch down in areas out of sight from doors and windows to conceal yourself as much as possible.

If the fire alarm sounds unexpectedly, during a lockdown, do not evacuate the building unless:

• you have firsthand knowledge that there is a fire in the building
• you are in imminent danger
• you have been advised by emergency personnel to evacuate the building

Call 911 from an on-campus phone or your cell phone to report an emergency that needs immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel. The Campus Safety Office should also be contacted as soon as possible at 859-341-7233.

Report the following information:

1. Your name and call back number
2. Nature of the injury/incident?
3. Location – building and room number?
4. Victim(s) conscious and/or breathing?
5. Number of people involved?
   • If possible, stay on the phone with the operator.
   • Render first aid or CPR, if appropriate, and ONLY IF you have been trained and feel comfortable doing so.

If possible, isolate the affected person(s), being careful not to move the person(s) until help arrives.

Call 911 from an on-campus phone or your cell phone to report an emergency that needs immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel. The Campus Safety Office should also be contacted as soon as possible at 859-341-7233.
Symptoms to look for that should cause you to be concerned include the following:

• The person is non-responsive.
• The person is incoherent.
• The person has cold, clammy skin.
• The person appears bluish or pale.
• The person has taken other drugs in addition to ingesting alcohol.
• The person has a head injury.
• Chest pain is possible and can be caused by heart or lung damage.
• Shortness of breath may occur. Breathing may get rapid, slow, deep, or shallow.
• Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are possible.
• Vomiting blood, or blood in bowel movements, can be life-threatening.

Do not allow someone who has had too much to drink or may have overdosed to “sleep it off.” Turn the person on the side in case they do vomit to avoid choking.

Call 911 from an on-campus phone or your cell phone to report an emergency that needs immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel. The Campus Safety Office should also be contacted as soon as possible at 859-341-7233.
If you discover a fire:

• Manually activate the building’s fire alarm system as you make your way toward the exit; pull stations are located near exits.
  • Pull Alarm Stations are located near every exit and spaced around each building.
• Fire extinguishers should be used only if you have been trained; they are only to be used on small fires, (the size of a small trash can).
• IMMEDIATELY EVACUATE the building notifying building occupants as you exit. Leave all belongings behind.
• Close all windows and doors behind you as you exit your office or classroom.
• DO NOT USE ELEVATORS DURING A FIRE EMERGENCY
• If you are able, help those who may need special assistance in evacuating the building. If you are not able to do so exit immediately and advise emergency responders of the person’s location.
• Once you are safe, call 911 or 859-341-7233 to report the fire and building location.
• If known, give the operator/officer a description of the fire and how it may have started.

Once the fire alarm is activated:

• IMMEDIATELY EVACUATE the building notifying building occupants as you exit. Leave all belongings behind.
• DO NOT USE ELEVATORS DURING A FIRE EMERGENCY
• If you encounter smoke, STAY LOW AND GO!
• Feel closed doors with the back of your hand. Do not open if they are hot.
• Use a shirt or towel to breathe through to filter the smoke.
• If you are able, help those who may need special assistance in evacuating the building. If you are not able to do so exit immediately and advise emergency responders of the person’s location.
• Gather at least 500 feet away from the building and wait for instructions from emergency response personnel.

Evacuation of Persons with Disabilities:

Visual Impairments: Inform the person of the nature of the emergency and offer to guide the person to the nearest exit.

Hearing Impairments: Alert the person that there is an emergency situation by using hand gestures or by turning the light switch on and off. Verbalize or mouth instructions, or provide the person with a short note containing instructions.

Mobility Impairments: Since elevators should not be used, individuals who can walk may be able to evacuate with some assistance. For individuals unable to walk: if there is no immediate danger, escort the individual to a safe place to await rescue personnel. Whenever possible, someone should remain with the person while another individual exits the building and notifies rescue personnel of the person’s exact location. Only in extreme situations should you try to evacuate a person in a wheelchair yourself. The mobility-impaired person is the best authority on how he/she should be moved. Ask before you move someone. While it is best to let rescue personnel conduct the evacuation, the person can be carried by two people who have interlocked their arms to form a “chair,” or the person can be carried in a sturdy office chair.

IF YOU WERE EVACUATED FROM A BUILDING, DO NOT RE-ENTER THE BUILDING UNTIL IT HAS BEEN DECLARED SAFE BY THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE COMMANDER OR DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS SAFETY.

IN CASE OF FIRE OR VISIBLE SMOKE SET OFF THE NEAREST FIRE ALARM PULL STATION

All residents and guests must immediately evacuate the building once the fire alarm sounds

If the fire is in your room…Immediately get out into the corridor. Be certain that the last person out closes your room door. This is very important! This will confine the fire and restrict the smoke to one room, preventing it from spreading throughout the entire residence hall.

If you are in the corridor…DO NOT RETURN TO YOUR ROOM. Instead, immediately, calmly and quietly evacuate the building by using the stairs. NEVER USE THE ELEVATOR!

If you are in a room that is not on fire…First, check the temperature of the inner surface of your room door by gently placing your hand against the door.

Then:

If the door is cool, you can leave the room. Be sure to:

• Put on a pair of shoes. The corridor and stairs may be hot.
• Carry a towel with you to cover your face should you encounter smoke.
• Close all doors behind you, including room & fire doors.
• Take your cell phone if easy to obtain to be able to call for safety upon exiting.
• Use the stairs. DO NOT USE THE ELEVATOR.

If the door is hot, do not leave the room:

• Leave the door closed and the lights on. DO NOT TRY TO OPEN THE DOOR!
• Call 911 & report the fire. Identify yourself as a Thomas More student, provide the name of the building & the number of the room you are in. Call Campus Safety at 859-341-7233.
• Wedge cloth/towels around the cracks in the door.
• Open your window. Attract the attention of firefighters by visibly waving a sheet or towel & await rescue. Firefighters will be there as soon as possible

EMERGENCY SHELTER AND RALLY POINTS FOR RESIDENCE HALLS

Call 911 from an on-campus phone or your cell phone to report an emergency that needs immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel. The Campus Safety Office should also be contacted as soon as possible at 859-341-7233.
If you are ordered to evacuate the building:

• IMMEDIATELY EVACUATE the building notifying building occupants as you exit. Leave all belongings behind.
• Close all windows and doors behind you as you exit your office or classroom.
• DO NOT USE ELEVATORS DURING AN EVACUATION EMERGENCY
• If you are able, help those who may need special assistance in evacuating the building. If you are not able to do so exit immediately and advise emergency responders of the person’s location.
• Once you are safe, call 911 or 859-341-7233 to report.
• If known, give the operator/officer a description of what is going on in the building.
• Get at least 500 feet away from the building and wait for instructions from emergency response personnel.

DO NOT RE-ENTER THE BUILDING UNTIL IT HAS BEEN DECLARED SAFE BY THE FIRE CHIEF OR DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS SAFETY

Although fire is the most likely cause for evacuation, malicious or terrorist attacks might also necessitate an evacuation of your building. Governmental authorities cannot reliably estimate the likelihood of a terrorist attack in any American community, and university campuses are just as vulnerable to attacks without warning as are other areas within their respective communities.

We also know that those who perpetrate violent attacks use various weapons, including but not limited to explosions, bomb threats or suspicious packages, and chemical or biological agents.

If the response to a crisis on campus requires an emergency evacuation of your building, you will be notified via the University’s Emergency Notification System, which includes the fire alarm system. Whether the evacuation is due to a fire or some other circumstance.

Evacuation of Persons with Disabilities:

Visual Impairments: Inform the person of the nature of the emergency and offer to guide the person to the nearest exit.

Hearing Impairments: Alert the person that there is an emergency situation by using hand gestures or by turning the light switch on and off. Verbalize or mouth instructions, or provide the person with a short note containing instructions.

Mobility Impairments: Since elevators should not be used, individuals who can walk may be able to evacuate with some assistance. For individuals unable to walk: if there is no immediate danger, escort the individual to a safe place to await rescue personnel. Whenever possible, someone should remain with the person while another individual exits the building and notifies rescue personnel of the person’s exact location. Only in extreme situations should you try to evacuate a person in a wheelchair yourself. The mobility-impaired person is the best authority on how he/she should be moved. Ask before you move someone. While it is best to let rescue personnel conduct the evacuation, the person can be carried by two people who have interlocked their arms to form a “chair,” or the person can be carried in a sturdy office chair.

NON-RESIDENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING EVACUATION LOCATIONS:
During ALL non-resident and administrative building evacuations take the following steps:

• Evacuate the building immediately and remain 500 feet away from the building.
• Check-in with faculty or supervisor. Report anyone unable to evacuate and their location.
• Students/Employees check in with Faculty/Supervisors so they know you have evacuated the building.
• Faculty/Supervisors should ensure those they are responsible for are accounted for, as best you can.
• Await instructions from campus emergency response officials.

Call 911 from an on-campus phone or your cell phone to report an emergency that needs immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel. The Campus Safety Office should also be contacted as soon as possible at 859-341-7233.

When an armed hostile person(s) is actively causing death or serious physical injury or the threat of imminent death or serious physical injury to person(s) on the campus, we recommend the following procedures be considered and should not be thought to be sequential. Select the best course of action according to the situation in which you find yourself.

Click here to watch a video about how to respond to an active shooter incident.

If an Active Shooter/Armed Hostile Person is near your building or inside your building:

• If a safe path is available, run away from the shooter! Encourage others to leave with you and try to prevent others from entering the danger zone. Keep hands visible to law enforcement. Call 911 as soon as you are in a safe zone.
• If you can’t escape the scene, proceed to a room that can be locked. The majority of classrooms at Thomas More can be locked from the inside.
• Close and lock all windows and doors
• Turn off the lights
• Hide if possible, get on the floor away from doors and windows.
• Make sure no one is visible from outside the room.
• Silence all cell phones and vibration modes.
• Barricade doors and windows if able to with furniture/objects.
• If safe to do so, one person in the room should call 911.
• If safe to do so, report incident to the Campus Safety Office by calling 859-341-7233
• Identify other methods of evacuating should the opportunity to escape occurs (other doors, stairwells, windows)
• Remain in place until police or a campus administrator provides an escort for safety.
• Once in a safe location, try to obtain any information that could assist the police, such as suspect’s description, weapons, current location, and actions.

If the Active Shooter/Armed Hostile Person enters the room you are in:

• Remain calm.
• Consider the following options: Run, Hide, Fight
• Hide and shelter in place.
• Run – escape.
• Negotiate with the shooter.
• Fight – overpower the shooter.
• If, the shooter leaves the area, proceed to a safer location.

Under all situations:

• If you decide to flee during an active shooter situation, make sure you have an escape route and plan.
• Do not carry anything while fleeing; move quickly, keep your hands visible and follow the instructions of any police officers you may encounter.
• Do not attempt to remove injured people; instead, leave wounded victims where they are and notify authorities of their location as soon as possible.
• Do not try to drive off campus until advised it is safe to do so by police or campus administrators.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM RESPONDING POLICE OFFICERS:

• Police officers responding to an active shooter are trained in a procedure known as “Rapid Deployment” and proceed immediately to the area in which shots were last heard or last known report of the location of the shooter. Their purpose is to stop the shooting as quickly as possible. The first Officers to arrive will not stop to aid injured people. Rescue Teams composed of other officers and emergency medical personnel will follow the first Officers after areas have been secured to treat and evacuate injured persons. Please understand that the police will be treating all those they encounter (including you) as possible suspects.
• When you encounter Remain Calm! Do as instructed. Put down any bags or packages you may be carrying. Keeps hands visible at all times.

Call 911 from an on-campus phone or your cell phone to report an emergency that needs immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel. The Campus Safety Office should also be contacted as soon as possible at 859-341-7233.

If you are aware of anyone bringing any type of weapon to campus, or storing any type of weapon on campus, you should immediately notify the Office of Campus Safety at 859-341-7233 or 911.

911 Operator or Campus Safety Officers will ask you to provide helpful information that includes:

1. The name or a description of the individual suspected of bringing the weapon?
2. Where the weapon is located & type of weapon (knife, handgun, rifle)?
3. Whether the suspect has threatened anyone?
4. Any other details that may prevent the suspect from hurting himself/herself or others.
   • If a faculty member suspects that a weapon is in the classroom, do not panic or abandon the classroom.
   • Find a way to discreetly notify someone.
   • If the suspect threatens you with a weapon, do not attempt to disarm him/her. Back away with your arms up. Try to remain calm.

Call 911 from an on-campus phone or your cell phone to report an emergency that needs immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel. The Campus Safety Office should also be contacted as soon as possible at 859-341-7233.
Hostage Situation in Progress:

• Call the Campus Safety Office at 859-341-7233 or call 911
• The officer or operator will ask you to provide helpful information that includes:

1. Location of incident?
2. Description of the subject(s)?
3. How many people being held, hostage?
4. Types of weapons and threats used?

• If the hostage taker is unaware of your presence, do not intervene; stay hidden.

If Taken Hostage:

• Follow the instructions of the hostage taker.
• Try not to panic. Calm other persons present.
• Treat the hostage taker as normally as possible. Make self-controlled eye contact.
• Be respectful to the hostage taker.
• Ask for permission to speak. Do not argue or make suggestions.

Do not take action against the hostage taker unless life-threatening circumstances present themselves

Call 911 from an on-campus phone or your cell phone to report an emergency that needs immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel. The Campus Safety Office should also be contacted as soon as possible at 859-341-7233.
Immediately report any demonstrations on University property that interfere with the educational function of the University and/or in which violence, property damage, or other unlawful behavior has occurred or is likely to occur.

• Call 859-341-7233 to notify the Office of Campus Safety.
• If possible and appropriate, lock doors to isolate yourself from the disturbance.

Call 911 from an on-campus phone or your cell phone to report an emergency that needs immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel. The Campus Safety Office should also be contacted as soon as possible at 859-341-7233.

If you receive an emergency warning or weather alert via TV or radio notification:

• Move to a safe location normally, the basement or lowest level of the building.
• Stay away from windows and exterior doors.
• Interior hallways and bathrooms on the lowest level possible offer the best shelter.
• If you are not able to reach the basement, go to an interior room, hallway or bathroom with no windows, on the lowest floor possible.
• Share notification with others; assist persons with disabilities if possible.
• If you are in a vehicle, get out and seek indoor shelter. If a building is not available, lying in a depression such as a ditch or a ravine offers some protection. Be aware of flooding.
• Signs are posted in all buildings designating storm shelter locations

EARTHQUAKE

• If you are inside, remain inside and away from windows, doors, and items that could fall. If you are outside, move into the open, away from buildings, streetlights and utility wires.
• Once the initial shock has subsided, prepare to evacuate if required to do so by authorities. Stay away from windows, skylights, and items that could fall.
• Do not use elevators. Use stairways to leave the building if an evacuation is necessary; assist individuals who cannot evacuate by themselves.

FLOOD

• Move chemicals, research paperwork, and sensitive equipment to a secure location.
• Water-reactive chemicals should be removed and secured away from the immediate threat.
• Evacuate the building if/when directed to do so.
• Do not use elevators. Use stairways to leave the building if an evacuation is necessary; assist individuals who cannot evacuate by themselves.

TORNADO

• Bring all persons inside buildings. Close windows and blinds.
• Move to the basement level or small, interior rooms without windows on the lowest floor.
• Stay away from windows and doors.
• Faculty and Administration should take class rosters, residence hall rosters, and emergency contact lists and account for students and staff once in a safe area.
• Remain in a safe area until the warning expires or until an all-clear signal has been issued.

EMERGENCY SHELTER LOCATIONS:

 

 

WINTER WEATHER (snow, ice, and extreme temperatures)

Things you should do:

• Dress appropriately for cold weather any time you go anywhere, with multiple layers of clothing underneath a water-resistant coat; protect your extremities with a hat, gloves or mittens, and waterproof shoes with good traction; and protect your face and lungs with a scarf.
• Allow for more travel time during and after any winter precipitation; snow can melt and refreeze as ice on the road or sidewalk after a sunny day.
• Charge your phone fully before going anywhere.
• Check local weather conditions and for travel advisories before you head out.
• Have an emergency kit at home and in your car, and always have at least three days of food, water, and any other supplies you might need at home should you be stuck at home.

Don’t do these:

• Don’t go anywhere underdressed — your warm car may break down, your destination may be without power, so plan for the worst.
• Don’t use an oven to warm up your home, and if you must use a space heater, follow its instructions carefully.
• Don’t stock up at the last moment before a storm hits, be prepared days before.
• Don’t travel during a winter storm unless necessary.

For a complete description of the Snow Cancellation Policy at Thomas More University please click here.

Call 911 from an on-campus phone or your cell phone to report an emergency that needs immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel. The Campus Safety Office should also be contacted as soon as possible at 859-341-7233.
It is helpful to remain calm and avoid behaviors that may exacerbate the situation.

• Do not put yourself in danger of being harmed.
• Immediately call 911 from an on-campus phone and 911 from a cell phone if a person requires medical attention, if a person has a weapon, or if a person needs to be restrained.
• After you call 911, if you are on campus, immediately call the Campus Safety Office 859-341-7233 to have them send an officer over to be with you.
• Do your best to calm the suicidal person, if possible.
• Try to separate the suicidal person from others.
• If safe to do so, stay with the person until intervention arrives. Do not leave a suicidal person alone unless you are in danger.
• If you think a person might be suicidal, discuss your concerns with him or her. This kind of discussion can actually reduce the risk of harmful behavior while waiting for help.
• If a person is acting strangely, discuss your concerns with him or her, especially if the person’s behavior has recently changed. Early intervention can help prevent subsequent escalation.
• Take threats seriously. Most suicidal students or employees give some warning of their intentions.
• Encourage a referral to our campus Counselor, Dean of Student Affairs office, or one of the resources listed below.

Campus Counselor	859-344-3521
Campus Health/Nurse	859-344-3529
Campus Ministry	859-344-3683
North Key Access Line (24-hour crisis assistance)	859-331-3292
Suicide Hotline	1-800-273-8255

Call 911 from an on-campus phone or cell phone to report an emergency that needs immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel. The Campus Safety Office should also be contacted as soon as possible at 859-341-7233.

If you witness violent, threatening or suspicious behavior, immediately:

• Move away from the area or threat if possible
• If possible, ensure the safety of the victim(s) and any other persons in the area.
• Call 911 to report the behavior and request assistance from police and rescue personnel.
• After you call 911, immediately notify Office of Campus Safety at 859-341-7233.
• Inform Officer of the location of the behavior; describe the alleged perpetrator(s); describe the circumstances; and state, if you know, whether the violence involved the use of threats or weapons.
• Remain with the victim until help arrives

Sexual Assault
Sexual assault is an extreme and criminal form of inappropriate sex-related behavior. It includes any sex-related physical violence or sexual intimacy where one party is not a consenting participant. Sexual Assault includes both forcible and non-forcible sexual behavior. Consent is clear, knowing and voluntary. Consent is active, not passive. Silence, in and of itself, cannot be interpreted as consent. Consent can be given by words or actions, as long as those words or actions create mutually understandable clear permission regarding willingness to engage in (and the conditions of) sexual behavior. Consent to any one form of sexual behavior cannot automatically imply consent to any other forms of sexual behavior. Previous relationships or prior consent cannot imply consent to future sexual behavior. Consent cannot be given by someone under the age of 16. Consent cannot be given by someone who is incapacitated.

• A complainant of sexual assault or inappropriate sexual advances should do the following:
  • Get medical attention immediately to check for physical injury, the presence of sexually transmitted disease or pregnancy. This information may also be required in a subsequent investigation.
  • Preserve all evidence of the incident. Don’t bathe or douche, save your clothing.
  • Report the incident to campus authorities and/or the police. Call Campus Safety at (859) 341-7233 or the local police at 911. For additional resources on and off-campus visit thomasmore.edu/sexualharassment.

For the complete Thomas More Sexual Misconduct Policy please click here.

If you receive a bomb threat phone call:

• Keep the caller online as long as possible, do not put the caller on hold or attempt to transfer the call.
• If possible, have someone else call 911
• Note the time that the call was made.
• Listen closely to the caller’s voice and speech patterns.
• Make note of the caller’s emotional state.
• Listen carefully for background noises around the call.
• Try to assess the caller’s approximate age, sex, and any unusual characteristics.

Note the exact time of the call and the caller’s exact words. During the call, if you can, note or ask the following:

• When is the bomb going to explode?
• Where is the bomb?
• What does it look like?
• What kind of bomb is it?
• What will cause it to explode?
• Did you place the bomb?
• If so, why?
• Where are you calling from?
• What is your name?
• What is your address?

Also, take note of the following qualities and characteristics of the caller’s voice:

• Calm, angry, excited, or stressed
• Slow or rapid
• Crying
• Slurred, stutter, or lisp
• Deep or high
• Loud or quiet
• Giggling
• An accent
• Sincere
• Squeaky
• Disguised
• Did the voice sound familiar? If so, who did it sound like?
• Any background noises (machinery, traffic, other voices, music, television, etc.)?

WHEN THE CALL HAS FINISHED, IMMEDIATELY CALL 911 and the Office of Campus Safety at 859-341-7233.

• DO NOT HANDLE THE OBJECT OR MATERIAL
• Isolate the damaged or suspicious mailpiece or package. Cordon off the immediate area.
• Call your local police department at 911 or the Office of Campus Safety at 859-341-7233.
  • Report the location and description of the object.
• Do not turn on/off electrical devices or switches (light switches, cell phones, radios, or any other kind of electrical device).
• Be alert for secondary explosive devices (bombs placed at the scene of an ongoing response meant to cause casualties among responders).
• Create a list of all persons who have touched the mailpiece. Include contact information and have this information available for the authorities.
• Place all items worn when in contact with the suspected mail piece in plastic bags and have them available for law enforcement agents.
• Ensure that all persons who have touched the mail piece wash their hands with soap and water.
• Shower with soap and water as soon as practical
• Call a Postal Inspector at 877-876-2455 or at the number provided by a Postal Inspector contact to report that you’ve received a letter or parcel in the mail that may contain harmful chemical, biological, or radiological substances.

Call 911 from an on-campus phone or cell phone to report an emergency that needs immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel. The Campus Safety Office should also be contacted as soon as possible at 859-341-7233.

UTILITY FAILURE:

In case of power outages during disaster situations:

• Call 859-341-7233 to notify the Office of Safety and Security of major problems related to power outages.
• Do not light matches or other flames inside buildings. Gas lines may be damaged and explosions or fire could occur.
• If you are trapped in an elevator, do not panic. Call for help. Personnel will arrive as soon as possible to assist you. Do not smoke in stalled elevators.
• Stay away from downed power lines and broken high-temperature waterlines and steam lines.

EARTHQUAKE

• If you are inside, remain inside and away from windows, doors, and items that could fall. If you are outside, move into the open, away from buildings, streetlights and utility wires.
• Once the initial shock has subsided, prepare to evacuate if required to do so by authorities. Stay away from windows, skylights, and items that could fall.
• Do not use elevators. Use stairways to leave the building if an evacuation is necessary; assist individuals who cannot evacuate by themselves.

IF YOU WERE EVACUATED FROM A BUILDING, DO NOT RE-ENTER THE BUILDING UNTIL IT HAS BEEN DECLARED SAFE BY THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE COMMANDER OR DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS SAFETY.

Call 911 from an on-campus phone or cell phone to report an emergency that needs immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel. The Campus Safety Office should also be contacted as soon as possible at 859-341-7233.

The following identify procedures for handling various hazardous spill emergencies in the laboratory and workplace. Chemical spills include liquid and solid spills. Fuel spills include all petroleum-based fuels/oils.

All injuries, however slight, must be reported immediately to the Campus Safety Office at 859-341-7233.

Hazardous Materials Spills:

Chemical Exposure to Skin:

• Immediately flush with cool water for at least 15 minutes.
• If there are no visible burns, remove all jewelry and soap area.
• Seek medical attention if a reaction occurs or if there is any doubt about possible problems.

Chemical Exposure to Skin – Serious:

• Remove all contaminated clothing.
• Locate the nearest emergency shower and soak for at least 15 minutes.
• Have someone contact the Campus Safety Office at 859-341-7233.
• Seek immediate medical attention.

Chemicals in Eyes:

• Irrigate eyes for at least 15 minutes with tempered water from emergency eyewash station.
• Remove contact lenses if possible.
• Notify the Campus Safety Office at 859-341-7233.
• Seek immediate medical attention.

Smoke and Fumes:

• Get out to fresh air.
• DO NOT ENTER a location where potentially dangerous fumes might place you at risk.
• If someone is down, contact emergency personnel and let them enter.
• Seek medical attention for exposure as soon as possible.

Clothing or Laboratory Coat on Fire (Stop, Drop and Roll):

• Extinguish burning clothing by:

STOP, DROP, ROLL

• Douse with cold water or use the emergency shower or fire blanket. If using a fire blanket, do not allow the person to remain standing.
• Remove contaminated clothing if possible.
• Cover injured person to prevent shock. Seek medical attention.

Chemical Spills

There is a wide range of chemicals present in a laboratory. The safe clean-up of a chemical spill requires some knowledge of the properties and hazards posed by the chemical, and any added dangers posed by the location of the spill.

If you believe a spill is beyond your capacity to clean up, do not attempt to do so. STOP and contact the Campus Safety Office at 859-341-7233.
Spill supplies, which may include absorbents such as spill pads or vermiculite, neutralizing agents, and personal protective equipment, are present in each laboratory.

Always consult the SDS of a spilled material, and print a copy of the SDS to send with emergency responders if someone has been exposed and is being taken to receive medical treatment.

Any spill that results in an accidental release to the sewer must be reported to Campus Safety Office at 859-341-7233.

Minor Spill:

• A minor spill is characterized by all of the following criteria:
• Hasn’t spread outside the laboratory;
• Can be contained, absorbed, and/or neutralized;
• Did not result in a fire or explosion, nor does it present a risk of fire or explosion; and
• Did not result in personnel requiring medical attention, nor does it present a risk to personal health and safety.

Minor Spill Clean Up:

• Alert people in the immediate area of the spill.
• Put on appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), (gloves, protective eyewear, and lab coat).
• Contain liquid spills with absorbent material such as spill pads or vermiculite.
• Sweep up solid spills. Avoid generating airborne dust.
• Completely clean area where the spill occurred.
• Place the absorbed/swept up spilled material in a suitable hazardous waste container. Contaminated PPE should be containerized with spilled material.
• Label the container with a hazardous waste label and place in a main accumulation area.

Major Spill:

A major spill is characterized by any of the following criteria:

• Requires evacuation of the area.
• Results in a fire or explosion, or presents a risk of fire or explosion.
• Results in personnel requiring medical attention.
• Presents a risk to personal health and safety, i.e., may result in exposure to toxic substances.
• Is not contained within a laboratory.

For a Major Spill or Leak:

• DO NOT attempt to clean up a major spill on your own. Leave it to the experts!
• Alert people in the immediate area of the spill.
• Contact the Campus Safety Office at 859-341-7233 and standby in a safe location.
• Only if it’s safe to do so, you may:
  • Remove any injured or contaminated persons.
  • Help any contaminated persons use the safety shower/eyewash.
• Seek medical attention if you have been exposed.

Mercury Spill:

For a large mercury spill, evacuate the area, call Security, and keep others clear of the area. For small spills (e.g, broken thermometers) notify the lab supervisor; the lab supervisor should take the following the steps:

• Provide maximum ventilation in the contaminated area.
• If the mercury is spilled in an oven or another heated device, turn off the unit, evacuate the area and call Campus Safety Office at 859-341-7233.
• Avoid contamination of shoes or other items in the area. Never sweep with a broom, as this breaks up the droplets and results in increased vaporization.
• Locate the nearest mercury spill kit.
• Push pools of mercury together. Pick up pools with a medicine dropper, mercury pump, or pipette with a closed bulb and transfer into a plastic bottle.
• Use mercury clean-up powder to form an amalgam of the residual that can then be picked up. All mercury and cleanup-up debris must be disposed of as hazardous waste.
• For assistance, contact Campus Safety Office at 859-341-7233.

Fuel and Oil Spills

Spill supplies are located in the Physical Plant hazardous waste bunker, the Power Plant, and various mechanical rooms throughout campus. In the event of a fuel (gasoline or diesel) or oil spill, follow these steps only if it is safe to do so:

• Stop the source of the leak.
• Contain the spill.
• Secure the area to prevent pedestrian or vehicular traffic through the area; notify the Campus Safety Office at 859-341-7233 to assist if necessary. Absorb the spill with spill supplies. Containerize the spilled debris, label it with a hazardous waste tag, and put it in the hazardous waste bunker.

If the spill can’t be stopped or contained, or it is not safe to do so, notify the Campus Safety Office at 859-341-7233 to isolate the area and emergency personnel will handle the cleanup effort.

Bloodborne Pathogen or Bodily Fluids Clean-up:

A (human) bloodborne pathogen is a microorganism (bacteria, virus, etc.) that lives in the bloodstream and can cause disease in humans. Often this may derive from a bodily fluid that is already diseased and can then be transferred to another human through direct contact.

Any Blood or other bodily fluids are spilled in a Campus Facility or anywhere on the grounds should be immediately reported to the Campus Safety Office at 859-341-7233:

• Do NOT TOUCH the spill or allow others to come into contact
• Move away and isolate the area.
• Secure the area as best as possible.
  • Using wet floor signs or caution tape.

Report:

• Exact location.
• Cause of the spill.
• Sickness or injury
• Area is safe to enter.
• Is there anyone injured or ill that needs assistance?
• Call 911 to request an ambulance to respond if needed.