Emergency Preparedness and the Campus Community
February 27, 2003
For those of us in the earthquake-prone Bay Area, disaster preparedness is a required life course. A refresher is always timely, and good preparation for times when the government announces an elevated threat risk.
To help members of the campus community prepare in advance for emergencies in the workplace, at home and in their vehicles, the University has prepared an Emergency Procedure Handbook. It includes lists of basic supplies you should have on hand in the event of an earthquake or other emergency; procedures for reporting and responding to emergencies; and first aid procedures. The handbook is available for download.
Students and faculty who are traveling abroad for study or research should familiarize themselves with the University's Guidelines for Short-term Study Abroad Programs and Managing Emergencies Abroad which contains information on safety, security and risk management.
Other things you can do in advance to prepare for emergencies:
- Know where the yellow emergency phones are in your building, to use for calling campus police in an emergency.
- Know where fire exits and stairways are in all buildings that you occupy on a regular basis.
- Use your intuition. If you have a concern for your safety or the safety of others, call the Department of Public Safety from any campus phone at ext. 8-2222.
In the event of a major emergency, the State University Police will implement the campus Emergency Plan. This plan conforms to, and is an extension of the provisions of the California Emergency Plan and the San Francisco City and County Plan. The campus community will be notified of the nature of the emergency and the University's response through e-mail, voicemail and periodic updates posted on the Web at the SFSU homepage.
In the event of an emergency:
- Evacuate a building promptly if an alarm sounds.
- Follow the instructions of campus police officers and safety coordinators. (Each building has safety coordinators trained to assist in an evacuation. They wear orange vests that read "Safety Officer.")
- Assist persons with disabilities in evacuations-take them to the nearest stairwell and notify the Department of Public Safety.
- In the event of a major emergency such as an earthquake or outbreak of violence, evacuate immediately and go to Cox Stadium or try to find a safe place until a campus police officer brings you to safety.
To report an emergency or request medical assistance on campus, call Public Safety from any on-campus phone at ext. 8-2222.
Web resources on emergency preparedness:
