Safety Protocols

Mission Statement:

"Champlain College is committed to creating a safe and healthy environment for its students, faculty staff and guests. Safety must be a part of every operation and the responsibility of everyone. The College demonstrates this commitment, in part, through the work of the Safety Committee. The Committee meets throughout the year to discuss potential health and safety issues, recommend improvements to policies and procedures and to increase safety awareness on campus."

On this Web page, you will find an outline of appropriate responses to emergencies that could occur on campus. Click on one of the following scenarios to read recommended action steps.

Key phone numbers:

• Emergency Assistance: Dial 911
• Champlain College Public Safety: (802) 865-6465
  (from a campus phone dial extension 6465 or 7 - 865-6465)

Safety Protocols:

• Bomb threat
  
• Disruptive individual
  
• Explosions
  
• Hazardous spills
  
• Injury / serious illness
  
• Power failure
  
• Shooting
  
• Suspicious individuals
  
• Weapons

Bomb threat protocol

1. If you receive a bomb threat by telephone try to ascertain from the caller the following information:
   
   

   · When is the bomb going to explode?

   • Where is it located?
   

   · What does it look like?

   · What kind of bomb is it?

   • What will cause it to explode?
   

   · Did you place the bomb?

   • What is your name and address?
   Note the caller's sex, age, voice, accents, and any background noises.
   
2. Immediately call 911 from a campus phone. DO NOT USE A HAND-HELD RADIO OR CELL PHONE TO REPORT THE THREAT, as these devices could trigger an explosion of a nearby device.
   
3. Call Campus Public Safety at (802) 865-6465.
   
4. Public Safety will notify campus affiliates to empty a given building if necessary.
   
5. If an evacuation is necessary please conduct a cursory review of your area as you exit looking for unusual or suspicious packages or objects and report this information to Public Safety as soon as possible.
   
6. DO NOT TURN LIGHTS ON OR OFF. Leave doors and windows open.
   
7. Building Monitors should do a headcount to determine everyone exited safely.
   
8. NO re-entry into the building is permitted until authorized by the Police or the Fire Department.

Disruptive individual protocol

• Call 911 if:
  • An individual makes threats of physical harm to you, others, or themselves.
  • The individual has a weapon. Refer to weapons protocol.
  • An individual behaves in a bizarre manner or exhibits unstable behavior patterns.
  • The individual appears to be intoxicated or under the influence of a controlled substance.
  
• Contact Campus Public Safety at extension 6465 or by cell phone (802) 865-6465. Give your name and campus location with a brief explanation of the situation. Take note of the individual's age, personal appearance, clothing, vehicle or any other information that would help primary responders to identify the individual.
  
• Until Help arrives:
  • Maintain a constant voice volume -- not too loud
  • Observe the individuals personal space -- do not stand too close
  • Do not touch the person
  · Do not slouch, glare or sigh at the individual
• Advise co-workers of the potential problem if possible
  • Call for aid immediately if you sense the situation is getting out of hand

Explosions protocol

Explosion prevention

1. If a gas leak or toxic fumes are detected in the building, evacuate the affected area immediately.
2. Ventilate the area by opening a window, even slightly, when inclement weather exists.
3. Immediately call Public Safety at x 6465 or by cell phone (802) 865-6465.
4. Upon evacuation, the Building Monitors will perform headcounts to determine if everyone exited safely.

Explosion in building

1. Report any explosion immediately by dialing 911 from any campus phone or by calling Public Safety at extension 6465 or (802) 865-6465.
2. DO NOT USE A CELL PHONE OR HAND-HELD RADIO in case there is a bomb that could be detonated by the radio signal.
3. Close doors to reduce the spread of a fire but do not lock doors or touch the light switch.
4. Evacuate the building and do not re-enter until cleared by the Fire Department or the Police Department. Maintain a minimum distance of 300 feet from the building.
5. Building Monitors will perform headcounts to determine if everyone exited safely.

Hazardous spills protocol

1. Any spill of a suspected hazardous substance should be reported immediately to Campus Public Safety at (802) 865-6465. The appropriate public safety departments will be notified and state and federal guidelines for the disposal of hazardous waste will be followed.
   
2. All students and staff should evacuate the area immediately while avoiding direct contact with the spill. If any student or staff has had direct contact with the hazardous substance on their footwear or clothing, the contaminated article should be removed as common sense and prudence dictates to avoid spreading the contaminant throughout the building. Close the door as you depart to contain the spill.
   
3. Pull the fire alarm if building evacuation is necessary because:
   

   · the spill is flowing out the room

   • a chemical reaction creates a fire
   
4. Never touch, taste or smell a suspected hazardous materials spill to try to identify it.
   
5. Persons who have been contaminated should inform a responsible party that medical attention is needed and identify their location. Avoid physical contact with others.
   
6. Full sets of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are maintained in the office of Campus Public Safety for referral in clean up and first-aid measures. All buildings on campus have a set of MSDS sheets located in the storage areas where the various chemicals are stored for reference in the event of a spill.

Injury / serious illness protocol

1. If the medical condition appears to be an emergency, dial 911 or call Campus Public Safety at extension 6465 or by cell phone (802) 865-6465. Do not leave the person alone unless absolutely necessary.
   
2. During the school year, contact the college nurse at the Student Health Services Office at extension 2711 to report minor injury/illness.
   
3. If the Health Services Office is not staffed, call Timberlane Pediatrics at (802) 864-0521.
   
4. Personal safety is the first priority for those coming in contact with the injured party. Use personal protective equipment (latex or rubber gloves) if coming in contact with the victim's body fluids or blood. Emergency blood spill kits are available at the Public Safety Office.
   
5. An Incident Report will be filed by Campus Public Safety with the Director of Finance.
   
6. The individual is to fill out the First Report of Injury form within 72 hours and forward to the Director of Finance.

Power failure protocol

1. If the power fails in your building, please contact Physical Plant at (802) 860-2705. If it is after hours or on a weekend, contact Public Safety at (802) 865-6465.
   
2. Never attempt to reset a tripped breaker in an electrical panel yourself.
   
3. As information about the expected length of the outage becomes available, the Physical Plant will inform the community by e-mail and voice mail.
   
4. The decision to close the College in the face of an extended power failure rests with the President or the designee of the President.
   
5. If power lines are on the ground, contact Public Safety immediately at (802) 865-6465 to secure the area.

Shooting protocol

1. If you witness any armed individual on campus at any time, or If the individual is acting in a hostile or belligerent manner, immediately call 911 followed by contacting Public Safety at (802) 865-6465.
2. If an armed shooter is outside a campus building:
   
   • Turn off all the lights and close and lock all windows and doors.
   • If you can do so safely, get all personnel on the floor and out of the line of fire.
   • Move to a core area of the building if safe to do so and remain there until an "all clear" instruction is given by the presence of a uniformed police officer.
   • No staff or students should leave a protected area without instructions from a uniformed police officer.

• Unknown or unfamiliar voices may be false and designed to give false assurances.

1. If the shooter is inside the building:
   
   • If it is possible to flee the area safely and avoid danger, do so.
   • Contact 911 and Public Safety (802) 865-6465 with your location if possible.
   • If flight is impossible, lock all doors and secure yourself in your space.
   • Get down on the floor or under a desk and remain silent.
   • Get students on the floor and out of the line of fire.
   

   · Wait for the "all clear" instruction by a uniformed police officer.

2. If the shooter comes into your class or office:
   
   • There is no one procedure the authorities can recommend in this situation.
   • Attempt to get the word out to other staff if possible, and call 911 if practical.
   • Use common sense. If hiding or flight is impossible, attempt to negotiate with the individual.
   • Attempting to overcome the individual with force is a last resort that should only be initiated in the most extreme circumstances.
   • Remember, there may be more than one active shooter.
   

   · Wait for the "all clear" instruction by a uniformed police officer.

   • In a shooting situation, the primary responding uniformed police officers are in charge until the emergency situation is under control.
   • Be careful not to make any changes to the scene of the incident since law enforcement authorities will investigate the area later.
   • In case you must flee, do not go to the normal gathering site for your building. Get as far away from the shooting scene as possible and then contact authorities.

Suspicious individuals protocol

1. Report a suspicious looking individual or activity to the Public Safety Office at (802) 865-6465. Give your location, name and reason for calling. Be ready to supply a physical description of the individual: age, weight, hair color and length, clothing, facial hair and any other distinguishing features. If the individual is in a vehicle, attempt to get the vehicle make, model and color as well as the license plate number, if possible.
   
2. If you suspect the person is armed or see a weapon, contact Public Safety and report the situation. If the individual is acting disruptive refer to the Disruptive Individual protocol on the following page.
   
3. Do not approach a suspect individual yourself. Contact Public Safety as quickly as possible while monitoring the location of the person if feasible.

Weapons protocol

1. A "weapon" means any objects, devices or instruments designed or capable of producing bodily harm or that may be used to inflict self-injury. Weapons of all type and description are prohibited from the Champlain College campus.
   
   Items defined as weapons include but are not limited to:
   • Firearms, whether loaded or unloaded, pellet guns, BB guns, air guns and stun guns -- this includes antique and curio weapons
   • Ammunition; poisons; chains; arrows
   • Knives, blades, clubs, metal knuckles, numchucks, throwing stars, bayonets, swords or other double-edged weapons
   • Explosives, fireworks, mace and other propellants
   • Any object that has been modified to serve as a weapon
   
2. Any student or staff member should immediately notify Public Safety if they become aware of the presence of a weapon on campus.
   
3. If a weapon is found unattended, immediately contact Public Safety. Do not attempt to pick up or handle any firearm as it could be loaded and discharge unexpectedly. If possible stay with the weapon until Public Safety can respond.
   
4. No student or staff member should use, possess or distribute any object or device that has the appearance of a weapon or any device that is a facsimile of a real weapon.
   
5. Any firearm found or confiscated on campus will be referred to the Burlington Police Department to perform a serial number check to determine if the weapon is stolen or was involved in a felony.