All personnel (faculty, staff and students) should remain calm in any emergency. Panic leads to injury and destruction of property. Prioritize and keep radio traffic brief and to the point. Use plain talk on the radio, no ten codes. Any lengthy verbal statements should be made via telephone. Assist with shelter in place or evacuation if you are able. If you don’t need to be on your cell phone, keep the cells clear.

The college telephone operator shall call 911 to report all emergencies and stay on the line with telecommunicators until advised to release the line. The operator will notify security to call up the crisis response team (CRT) to report to the primary EOC when advised of the location. The operator will relay pertinent information to emergency responders.

Security officers will report to the designated staging area and escort police and fire officials to the EOC. Security officers will perform other duties as trained for specific incidents.

In the event of a hazardous material, biological or chemical agent release in the vicinity of the campus, a shelter in place order will be given. Atmospheric conditions outside the building may be dangerous. The HVAC system should be deactivated to prevent contamination of the inside air supply. No one should leave the building until an “all clear” or secure message is broadcast over the PA system.

In the event of a hazardous material, biological or chemical agent release inside the buildings on campus, the fire alarm will be sounded and an evacuation will be ordered. The Material Safety Data Sheets, maintained in the Operations Office will be consulted for evacuation distances and mitigation (clean up) procedures. No attempt to clean up a hazardous material should be conducted by untrained persons.

In the event of a report of an armed intruder or active shooter (someone armed and shooting a firearm) an immediate notification will be made in “plain talk” language over the PA system and an alert will be broadcast over the RCC Notifier Network Computer System.

Staff and faculty should immediately take cover in a safe location. If possible and safe to do so, people should evacuate the immediate area of an active shooter. If the shooter’s location is not clearly known or if a safe route cannot be determined, people should close and if possible, lock the doors to the rooms they occupy, extinguish all lights and remain motionless next to the wall near the door. This creates the appearance that the room is vacant. People should remain quietly in place until the “secure” notification is given.

Finally, if you are in an area with an active shooter, experience shows that laying down and remaining motionless, playing dead so to speak, is recommended. Laying down flat is vital to the success of this tactic.

Remember, evaluate the situation with the information you have and...GET OUT or HIDE OUT!

Severe weather can occur at any time during the year. Richland makes use of NOAA weather radios and National Weather Service Doppler radar to monitor storm threats. Most common threat to the campus will involve a tornado warning. Richland will make an immediate notification via the campus PA systems in the event a tornado threatens the campus. Standard weather response will be enacted as described on Emergency Procedures posted near doors in all rooms on campus. Remember to stay clear of glass windows and high ceilings like in Schrodt and Andreas Centers. An “all clear” message will be broadcast over the PA system once the immediate threat has passed. Individuals should not be allowed to leave the building during a tornado warning on campus. Elevators may be used in the event of a storm warning.

Emergency Services Personnel are to be summoned when any individual is unable to care for him/herself. If the medical emergency is life threatening (Airway, Breathing, or Circulation), call 911 or "0" for the campus operator who can contact Campus emergency personnel or "555" for Security Staff. If not life threatening, call "0" for the campus operator who will contact emergency personnel or "555" for Security Staff, or 551 for Operations Staff. Do not move the injured person unless absolutely necessary to prevent additional injury. College personnnel should not administer any medical services unless required for life support.

In case of earthquake, if indoors, take cover under a piece of heavy furniture or against an inside wall during the shaking. The most dangerous thing to do during the shaking of an earthquake is to try to leave the building because objects may fall on you. Once the shaking has stopped, proceed with caution and leave the building as the structure my have become compromised. Any "after shocks" may cause sections to collapse.

If outdoors, move into the open away from buildings (a minimum of 500 feet), streetlights, and utility wires. Once in the open, stay there until the shaking stops.

In the event a bomb threat is received at Richland, the crisis response team will meet immediately and analyze the threat. Credible threats will result in an evacuation of the building. Safety and Security should be notified immediately followed by a call to 911. In the event a written or verbal threat is received Safety and Security should be notified immediately. No threat should go unreported.

Faculty, staff, and students should take their personal items such as purses, book bags and backpacks with them if an evacuation is ordered.  Doors to offices and classrooms should be left open and unlocked and lights should be left on during an evacuation.

In the event of the location of an improvised explosive device (IED), do not use the radio, cell phone or other electronic devices. Be aware of secondary devices in the area designed to injure emergency responders. A 500 foot perimeter  (equal to one and a half football fields) should be established. Do not handle any suspicious packages, book bags, briefcases, etc. Report the location of the package to safety, security, police or fire.

In the event of criminal activity, remain calm and do not attempt to stop a perpetrator. He/she may be armed. If activity is, or has the potential to become life threatening, call 911, or call "555" for Security, or call "0" for the campus operator. If activity is not, or does not have the potential to become life threatening, call "555" for Security or "0" for the campus operator. When reporting a situation, give as much detail as possible, including type of activites, type or extent of injuries (if any), description of perpetrator(s), description of vehicle (make, color, license number), direction of travel.

In case of fire, activate the nearest fire alarm. Dial "0" for the campus operator to report the location of the fire. If the operator does not answer, dial "555" for Security and tell them the location of the fire. Confine the fire by closing doors, windows, etc. 

When the fire alarm sounds, exit the building by the nearest available door and move a minimum of 500 feet away from the building to allow emergency vehicles access to the building.

The elevator is deactivated by the alarm system and cannot be used. Individuals on the second floor needing assistance are to make their way to the stair towers "safe zone," activate the emergency call box located at the top landing of each stairwell, and wait for assistance.  Instructors are to notify emergency pseronnel fo any students needing assistance in the stair towers.

Crawl under smoke: The cleanest air will be closer to the floor.

If your clothing catches fire, STOP where you are, DROP to the floor, and ROLL over & over to smother any flames.

If power is lost, emergency generators will activate in approximately 10 seconds, providing emergency lighting.

Students and staff should not go to their vehicles and attempt to leave campuse as this may impede fire trucks and other emergency vehicles attempting to reach campus by nearest roadways.

If the power to the campus is lost, emergency generators will activate in approximately 10 seconds. The generator will provide emergency lighting to allow everyone to go to a lighted area of the campus. The administration will evaluate the situation and determine the proper course of action regarding class schedules.

Evacuation of the building can be done by utilizing the fire alarm. The fire alarm may sound automatically when smoke or heat is detected. The system may also be manually activated at pull stations throughout the building. The fire alarm may be ordered for instances of fire, hazardous material release, bomb threat or active shooter. In any event, if the fire alarm sounds, everyone must exit the building by the nearest door. Instructors are responsible for evacuating their classroom and for closing any doors as they exit. Elevators should not be used in the event of fire alarm activation. People should move away from the building and clear all doors. Driveways should also be cleared for emergency responders. Security and Operations staff will be responsible for checking stair tower safe zones for individuals needing assistance in evacuation.