Emergency Response Leadership
Leadership authority during an emergency shall flow through the following list of people:
- Ann McGray, Director of Safety
During an emergency, NDSCS will use the following means and methods of communication. Emergency notifications will be conducted through the Emergency Notification System using the following methods: Landline Telephones, Cell phones, Texting and Email
Inquiries from the media during or after an emergency will be addressed by a Public Information Officer. Refer the media to the office of College Relations and Marketing at 701-671-2245.
If someone is injured or becomes ill:
- Stay Calm.
- Do not move the injured person unless there is a life-threatening situation.
- Dial 911 and explain the type of emergency, the exact location, condition, and number of victims. They will also need your name and telephone number.
- Let the dispatcher know of any safety hazards - chemical spill, fire, fumes, etc.
- Do not hang up unless told to do so by the dispatcher.
- Render first-aid or CPR only if you have been trained.
- Do not leave the injured person except to summon help.
- Comfort the victim until emergency medical services arrive.
- Have someone stand outside the building to flag down the ambulance and Campus Police when they reach the vicinity.
- Activate the fire alarm system by pulling a fire alarm station on your way out of the building.
- If time permits, stabilize lab procedures, turn off stoves and ovens, and unplug or disable any device that could make a dangerous situation even worse.
- Leave the building via the nearest and safest exit. Warn others as you leave.
- Do not use elevators.
- Feel doors before opening; if door is hot do not open it.
- Close doors and windows are you leave if safe to do so.
- Report the fire to 911 once outside.
- If trapped, keep the doors closed and place clothes or towels under the door to keep the smoke out. Signal for help by hanging an object out of the window.
- Remain at least 100 feet from outside of the building and await further instructions. Keep roadways open and beware of approaching emergency vehicles. Notify emergency responders of anyone trapped, especially anyone with a physical disability who cannot evacuate.
- Do not go back in the building for any reason until an authorized university official deems it safe to re-enter.
Pre-planning is Important. If you need assistance evacuating in an emergency you should
pre-plan and contact Campus Police at 3-2233.
- Evaluate your need to identify yourself as someone who requires assistance during an evacuation. Some people who may need assistance have no visible disability.
- Master the skill of giving quick information on how best to assist you. Be clear and concise. If you have difficulty speaking, consider using a carry-with-you preprinted message.
- Establish a personal network consisting of people who are regularly in the same area as you. Do not depend on any one person as they may not always be available. Assess your own abilities and communicate your capabilities and limitations to those in your network.
- Determine your evacuation options and prioritize them.
- Attempt a rescue evacuation only when a physically disabled person is in immediate danger and cannot wait for professional assistance.
- Move the disabled person to the nearest stairwell or a room with the door shut which is well clear of any hazardous area.
- Ask others leaving the building to notify emergency responders that a physically disabled person needs assistance in evacuating. Give the specific location.
- Do not use elevators unless told to do so by emergency responders.
Minor or area flooding on campus could occur as a result of a water main break, loss of power to sump pumps, or major rainstorms. NDSCS monitors the National Weather Service, and other emergency advisory systems to stay abreast of weather and will alert related conditions and instructions should they be necessary.
If you receive a bomb threat, remain calm and:
- Obtain as much information as possible.
- Keep the bomb threat caller talking, and ask as many questions of the caller as you can.
- Call 911 immediately and then the Campus Police at 701-671-2233 (3-2233 from Campus phones).
- Complete a Bomb Threat Checklist form and have it ready, along with your notes from the call, for responding Officers. It is recommended to have a Bomb Threat Checklist form handy, and follow it while receiving the threat.
- Do not touch suspicious packages. Be sure to contact Campus Police of any suspicious packages, items or people in the area.
- Follow instructions from first responders in regards to evacuation assembly areas.
Quickly determine the best way to protect your life.
Evacuate If Possible
- Have an escape route and plan in mind.
- Leave your belongings behind.
- Keep your hands visible to responding police officers.
- Hide in an area out of the active aggressor’s view.
- Block entry to your hiding place and lock doors.
- Silence cell phones.
- As a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger.
- Attempt to incapacitate the aggressor.
- Act with physical aggression. Throw items at the aggressor if possible.
Call 911 when it is safe to do so.
An imminent threat of violence may be cause for a lockdown of all or part of campus. Most exterior doors will lock automatically. The goal is to limit exposure of students, faculty and staff to danger by preventing dangerous persons from entering campus buildings.
If a lockdown is ordered:
- Stay Inside! Do not leave the building unless an imminently dangerous situation arises inside. If outside, seek shelter in the nearest building.
- Take shelter in a lockable room if possible.
- Close windows, shades and blinds, and avoid being seen from outside the room if possible.
- Monitor the emergency notification system and email for updates and further instructions. Information on the event will be disseminated as soon as possible using these methods.
- Report any emergency or unusual condition to 911.
- Use extreme caution in admitting anyone into a secure building.
- Once in a secure location, do not leave until a police officer has allowed you to leave that area.
Shelter-in-place is designed to keep you safe while indoors if dangerous environmental
conditions exist, such as extreme weather or a hazardous materials release.
If a shelter-in-place is ordered:
- If outside, seek shelter in the nearest building, preferably in an interior room with few windows.
- Allow access to others seeking shelter. Remember: A Shelter-In-Place order means there are dangerous environmental conditions but NOT any known threat of violent behavior. Allowing others into the building will not jeopardize your safety.
- Close all exterior doors, windows and any other openings to the outside.
- Avoid overcrowding by selecting several rooms if necessary.
- Monitor the Emergency Notification System and email for further instructions.
- Report any emergency or unusual condition to Campus Police at 3-2233.
- Do not leave the building until receiving the “all clear” from a police officer or the Emergency Notification System.
The President or designee will review conditions with Campus Police and other local law
enforcement. The President or designee will act on the following conditions:
- Closure - means the college has closed all offices, classes and activities. Designated Emergency Personnel will report for work. Closure will be announced over ENS (emergency notification system), designated radio, TV stations and newspaper internet site.
- Cancellation - means regular classes and night classes are canceled due to inclement weather conditions, however offices will be open & employees will report for work. Cancellation will be announced over ENS (emergency notification system), designated radio, TV stations and newspaper internet site.
- When the campus is under winter storm emergency conditions employees and students will be notified by the use of our emergency notification system along with local radio and television stations.
A “Tornado Watch” means that tornadoes could potentially develop. A “Tornado Warning”
means a tornado has actually been sighted. If you see a tornado, report it immediately by calling 911, and seek shelter or safety:
- Monitor local TV and radio stations for severe weather updates.
- Be prepared to take shelter on the lowest level of your building or residential hall if a tornado warning is issued.
- Do not pull the fire alarm to alert others of a tornado warning.
- Stay away from windows and exterior doors.
- Move to an interior hallway for shelter.
- Wait for an all clear notification prior to returning to your work area, classroom, or living area.
- If out in the open:
- Cars -do not wait out the storm in a car; cars are not safe in tornadoes
- Move away from the path of the tornado at a right angle direction
- Lie flat in the nearest depression, ditch, or ravine if there is no time to escape
If you have any reason to believe that a letter or parcel is suspicious, DO NOT take a chance, call campus police immediately at 3-2233.
- DO NOT touch, tamper, move, or open the package or object.
- Keep others out of the area. Close off the area if possible.
- If possible, limit the use of two-way radios and cell phones near the suspicious item.
- If the package is leaking a substance or powder and you came into contact with the substance, keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, mouth, or any part of your face. Do not touch others or let others touch you.
- Wash your hands and arms from the elbow down with soap and hot water.
- Do not attempt to clean or cover anything that might have spilled from a package.
- Follow all instructions given by emergency responders.
- Contact Campus Police at 3-2233 immediately.
- Do not attempt to clean up the spill.
- Remove yourself and others from the area.
- Close doors to isolate the area.
- If anyone had contact with the hazardous material, they should be isolated and await treatment by emergency responders. Do not leave the site until you are cleared by emergency responders.
- Do not pull the fire alarm unless there is a fire.
- Provide first responders with information about the spill, chemical, and the spill area.
- Evacuate the building if first responders issue the evacuation order.
- Re-enter the building only when an “all clear” is provided by campus police.