If Campus is closed due to severe weather conditions, there will be announcements made through the NCTA Emergency Notification List, NCTA Facebook page, e-mails, and area news media
In the event of campus closing, essential workers will still be on campus.
Food service will remain open during normal hours when the campus is closed for severe weather. Announcements will be made via the NCTA Facebook page, and email giving instructions for where students and employees can get their meals.
Tornado
Tornado Watch: A watch means tornados could develop
If a tornado watch is in effect listen to local radio and television stations or weather alert for updates.
During business hours:
The Frontier County Sheriff’s Department will notify the Dean’s office,
The Dean’s Administrative Associate will then notify the Associate Dean and the Assistant Dean.
Each one of these individuals will notify their respective departments/divisions advising them to seek shelter. (See NCTA Emergency Notification List, section XXIV)
During non-business hours,
Academic Buildings: The custodial/security personnel will proceed to as many Academic buildings and classrooms as possible to make notifications.
Residence Halls: The Residence Life Manager will notify Resident Advisors
Tornado Warning: A warning means a tornado has been sighted in the general area.
If the warning sirens sound, immediately proceed to the designated shelter area. Advise others on your way. Do not use the elevators. (See XIX. Designated Shelter Locations)
If time does not permit, get into the safest area of your building, classroom or office.
Avoid windows, auditoriums, gymnasiums or other structures with free-span roofs, boiler room areas or electrical switchgear areas.
Shelter may be taken underneath your desk or any heavy furniture available.
Helping Individuals with Physical Disabilities:
Building personnel and course instructors are responsible for identifying and escorting to safety all individuals who have disabilities or are otherwise physically unable to evacuate to their shelter.
The elevators may be used to transport individuals with physical disabilities to tornado shelters, along with their escorts. Visually-impaired and hearing-impaired individuals may be escorted down the stairs to tornado shelters.
In the event of a power failure, individuals who are unable to use the stairs should move to an interior location without windows and call the After Hours Security Phone at (308) 367-7504.
Flood
During a flood warning/flood:
listen to local radio and television stations or weather alert system for updates
be aware of areas that tend to flood easily
if at all possible, DO NOT travel
if it is necessary to travel DO NOT walk through moving water or drive through flooded area (as little as 6 inches of moving water can make you fall if walking and can cause a vehicle to lose control)
evacuate as instructed by emergency personnel (if directed to do so) (See evacuation procedures)
After a Flood
avoid flood waters as they may be contaminated with gas, oil and sewage waters
be aware of areas where floodwaters have receded (Roads may have weakened and could collapse)
stay away from and do not drive over downed power lines and electrical wires
do not return to flooded areas until emergency personnel indicate it is safe to do so
stay out of the buildings if flood waters remain around the building
be alert and report any hazard
Earthquake
If inside:
take cover under a table or desk for protection
if there is nothing available to provide protection then sit or stand against an inside wall.
if possible, position yourself in a doorway
stay away from windows, anything glass and items that are not fixed that could fall over on you
If outside:
stay away from tall structures and trees
move away from power lines and street lights
crouch low to the ground and wait for the tremor to stop
keep looking around, remain aware of dangers that may demand you to move
After the tremor:
if the building has been damaged, evacuate the building
do not use elevators
open doors carefully watching for falling objects
call 911 and report the incident
do not use plumbing or electricity until the building has been checked by facilities
do not use matches or lighters in case of gas leaks
be prepared for additional aftershocks
Fire
At the sound of the Emergency Alarm, it is the responsibility of all building occupants to evacuate immediately and proceed to predetermined assembly points, 300 ft away from the building.
Building occupants are also responsible for ensuring that their visitors/customers follow the evacuation procedure described herein, and leave the building along with all other occupants.
Faculty is responsible for dismissing their classes and directing students to leave the building by the nearest exit upon hearing the alarm or being notified of an emergency.
Designated essential personnel needed to continue or shut down critical operations while an evacuation is underway are responsible for recognizing and/or determining when to abandon the operation and evacuate themselves.
Contract workers will be made familiar with the procedure outlined herein and are expected to leave the building when the alarm sounds.
Evacuation Instructions:
do not panic or ignore the alarm
leave the building immediately, in an orderly fashion
dismiss classes in session and direct students to leave the building immediately, in an orderly fashion and go to the building’s evacuation site
follow the quickest evacuation route from where you are
do not go back to your office or classroom area for any reason
keep low to the floor if smoke is in your room
before opening the door feel the door knob
if hot, do not open the door
if not hot - brace yourself against the door and open slightly (fire can create pressure strong enough to push a door open if it is not held firmly)
if heat or heavy smoke is present in the corridor, close the door and stay in the room
If you cannot leave the room:
open the windows - if your windows are the type that can be raised and lowered, open the top to let out heat and smoke, open the bottom to let in fresh air
seal cracks around the door with towels or bed clothing to keep out smoke
to attract attention if you are trapped:
hang an object out the window, such as a sheet, jacket, shirt, or anything that will attract attention
shout for help
if you leave the room:
close all doors behind you as you exit - this will slow the spread of smoke and lessen damage
go to the nearest exit or stairway
DO NOT USE AN ELEVATOR
if the nearest exit is blocked by smoke, heat or fire, go to an alternate exit
If all exits from a floor are blocked, go back to your room, close the door, open the windows and follow the procedure described above in step 7.
After leaving the building, stand clear and follow directions from emergency personnel. Proceed to the designated emergency assembly point for your area.
if the designated assembly point/area is unsafe or blocked due to the emergency
proceed to the alternate assembly point
call 911 if a fire exists
if no fire exists, notify maintenance
report to your work area rep or instructor at the assembly point to be checked off as having evacuated safely
report any knowledge you may have of missing persons
Stand clear and follow directions from emergency personnel
return to the building only after emergency officials or building monitors give the all-clear signal
silencing the alarm does not mean the emergency is over
Helping individuals with physical disabilities:
Any person unable or who needs assistance to evacuate should proceed to the nearest stairwell. If it is unsafe to do so remain in your office/classroom/ residence. Notify emergency response and rescue personnel that you have taken refuge there.
Supervisory personnel and course instructors are responsible for identifying and escorting individuals with disabilities located in their offices/classrooms to safety if possible. If they are not able to evacuate the individual they need to at a minimum get them to a stairwell and then notify rescue personnel.
If you are on a building floor WITHOUT an exit that goes directly to the outside, and you hear a fire alarm, or are informed of an evacuation:
go to a stairwell immediately
inform or ask someone, a building occupant or a floor monitor in particular, to alert the first arriving emergency responders of your presence and location
call 911 to ensure rescue personnel are notified of your location and your need for assistance to evacuate
provide operator with your exact location, building name, floor and room numbers
give phone number you are calling from
if possible remain by phone, police have radio contact with officers at scene and will keep you informed of the situation
information you provide to the emergency operator will be relayed to emergency and rescue personnel arriving at the scene, who will assist in your safe evacuation, if circumstances warrant
Use of Exits and Exit Access:
To ensure that fire equipment is in operating condition at all times, the use of fire extinguishers etc. should be immediately reported to Maintenance at 308-367-7504.
Exit access shall be the corridors and stairwells provided in the building. The exit itself is the door or other means provided between the exit access and a place of safety from fire and smoke.
Exits or exit access shall not be obstructed at any time in any manner with furniture, storage, displays, vending machines, etc.
Fire doors on stairwells, unless arranged to close automatically in the event of fire, shall be maintained in the closed position at all times.
Exit signs shall be properly illuminated at all times. Such signs shall not be obstructed or blocked from view at any time.
Exits and exit access doors shall not be locked at any time unless equipped with panic hardware or other approved means to permit emergency egress by building occupants.
Evacuation
Campus Evacuation
Responsibility for issuing evacuation orders rests with the Dean or by direction of the City of Curtis. When there is an immediate need to protect lives and provide for public safety, the on-scene commander can make the decision to evacuate. Individual responsibility should be taken by all faculty, staff, students and guests to ensure for their own safety.
Public Notification
Persons to be evacuated should be given as much warning time as possible. On slow moving events, pre-evacuation notice will be given to affected residents. All warning modes will be utilized to direct the affected population to evacuate campus. This will include:
The Calling Tree
NCTA Webpage
NCTA Facebook Page
Wherever possible, the Campus building evacuation plans will be implemented and work area reps and floor monitors will walk through buildings going door-to-door to notify occupants.
The Dean’s Office will ensure emergency and evacuation information is disseminated to the media on a timely manner. Instructions to the public such as traffic routes to be followed, location of temporary reception centers, and situation updates will be issued as information becomes available.
Movement
It is anticipated that the primary evacuation mode will be in private vehicle. Evacuation routes will be selected by law enforcement officials at the time of the evacuation decision. If at all possible, two- way traffic will be maintained on all evacuation routes to allow continued access for emergency vehicles. Movement instructions will be part of the warning and subsequent public information releases.
Transportation
The Emergency Management Coordinator will determine the need for special transportation, coordinate the use of transportation resources to support the evacuation and announce convenient centralized locations as assembly areas. There could be cases where elderly, infirm or handicapped persons in the evacuation area will not be able to get to the assembly point or would need a special type of transportation. Provisions will be made for vehicles to transport these individuals. The public will be instructed how to notify EOC of any special transportation problems.
Access Control
During times of evacuation campus buildings will be locked down. In certain situations buildings will be pinned so that only authorized emergency personnel have access. A perimeter would be established and enforced by Police and Parking Services. An access pass system would be established.
Re-entry
The re-entry decision and order will be made by the Dean after the threat has passed and the evacuated area has been inspected by all necessary safety personnel.