Emergency Preparedness

Active Shooter or Hostile Intruder

Active shooter or hostile intruder incidents often begin and conclude quickly, and the incident may be at any location within the college. This leaves faculty, staff, and EPCC police officers little time to coordinate response procedures with outside law enforcement and students. The response to a specific incident will depend on the circumstances unique to that incident. However, there are general procedures that apply to all active assailant incidents.

Avoid, Deny, Defend

Report the incident: If possible, call 911 or EPCC Police at (915) 831-2200

What to do when police arrive:

• Respond appropriately
• Remain calm and follow instructions from law enforcement.
• Raise your hands, spread your fingers, and always keep your hands visible.
• Do not make quick moves toward officers or hold on to them for safety.
• Avoid pointing, screaming, or yelling.
• Evacuate the building in the direction the officers arrived at while keeping your hands above your head.
• For your safety, do not get upset or argue if an officer questions whether you are a shooter or a victim. Do not resist, even if you are handcuffed and searched.

EPCC Administration shall:

• Account for full-time, part-time, and contract employees
• Obtain the visitor log (if available)
• Identify employees and visitors who are onsite
• Provide site and building maps to emergency responders (if available)
• Provide facility access to emergency responders
• Ensure incoming emergency response personnel know where to stage

Bomb Threat

If you receive a bomb threat, remain calm and:

1. Obtain as much information as possible:
   • Write down the number from where the call is coming
   • Write down the exact time of the call
   • Write down as accurately as possible the statements made
   • Listen to the voice to determine the sex, age, accents, lisps, tone, etc.
   • Listen for background noises
   • Try to signal for someone else to also listen on the call, if possible
   • Do not hang up. Stay on the line as long as possible and wait for the caller to hang up
2. Obtain as much information as possible:
   • When will the bomb go off? How much time remains?
   • Where is the bomb located?
   • What does it look like?
   • What kind of bomb is it?
   • How do you know about this bomb?
   • Why was it placed here?
   • Who are you?
   • What is your name?
3. Call 911 immediately or Campus Police at (915) 831-2200.

COVID-19

• COVID-19 Response Protocol

For local information related to COVID-19, please refer to the El Paso Strong website at the link below:

• City of El Paso COVID-19 Information

Evacuation

Fire

In the Event of a Fire:

Pull the fire alarm, exit the building, and call 911

If you see smoke or flames:

Use C.A.R.E.:

• Contain the fire by closing all doors as you leave
• Activate the nearest Fire Alarm pull station (Pull stations are located near all building exits)
• Report the fire by calling 911
• Evacuate or extinguish (In most cases, it is best to evacuate)

DO NOT ignore a fire alarm signal, even if you have reason to believe it may be false.

Hazardous Material Spills

If there is a hazardous materials spill on campus, please take the following actions:

1. Leave the room or area immediately to avoid exposure or contamination.
2. Activate the fire alarm.
3. Once you are a safe distance from the spill, call EPCC Police at (915) 831-2200 or 911.
4. If able, provide the following information to EPCC Police or 911:
   1. Location of the spill
   2. Name of the material
   3. Quantity of the material
   4. Time of the spill
   5. Number of persons injured or exposed to the material
   6. Any other details concerning the spill
5. Do not re-enter the building or spill area under any circumstances.

Medical Emergency or Injury

If someone is injured or becomes ill:

• Stay Calm
• Dial 911 and explain the type of emergency, the location, condition, and number of victims
• 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
• Do not move the victim unless there is danger of further injury
• Do not leave the injured person except to summon help
• Comfort the victim until emergency medical services arrive
• Render first-aid or CPR only if you have been trained and have the proper personal protective equipment readily available.
• Have someone stand outside the building to flag down first responders and/or Campus Police when they reach the vicinity.

Accident or Injury Reporting

When an accident resulting in personal injury occurs on campus, do the following:

1. Call 911
2. Answer the dispatcher's questions as best you can.
3. Stay calm
4. Stay on the line.
5. Remain with the individual until help arrives.

Student Injuries While in Class:

• Instructors shall notify EPCC PD ((915) 831-2200) so a report can be filed.

Student Injuries Outside of Class:

• Students shall notify EPCC PD ((915) 831-2200) so a report can be filed.

Employee Injuries:

• Supervisors shall notify EPCC PD ((915) 831-2200) so a report can be filed.

Shelter in Place

Shelter in Place is useful when evacuation is not an option. Refuge is sought in an interior room with few or no windows.

It may be necessary to shelter in place following the intentional or accidental release of chemical, biological, or radiological contaminants into the environment. Shelter in place may also be necessary in the event of a hostile intruder on campus.

Shelter in place procedures will be initiated through Tejano Alert by EPCC Police.

• Stop classes and/or other operations in the building.
• If there are visitors in the building, provide for their safety by asking them to stay—not leave. When public safety officials provide directions to shelter in place, they want everyone to take those steps immediately where they are.
• Close and lock all doors, windows, and other openings to the outside.
• If necessary/possible, turn off the heating or cooling system.
• Select interior room(s) above the ground floor with the fewest windows and vents. The room(s) should be large enough for everyone to sit comfortably and quietly. Use multiple rooms if necessary.
• Lock the door to any rooms being used and draw the curtains/shades or cover the windows. You should not be visible from the outside or from the corridor.
• Ideally, choose the room(s) with hardwired telephones, as cellular networks may be unavailable. Use these phones to report any emergencies.
• Stay away from windows and doors.
• In the event of a hostile intruder, remain absolutely quiet and follow the steps outlined in the Active Shooter/Hostile Intruder section of this plan.
• Remain calm and await further instructions.

DO NOT leave the room until directed to do so by EPCC Police or first responders.

Suicide Awareness

If you are contemplating suicide or know of someone who is, please call or text 988.

For additional information and assistance, please follow the link below:

Suspicious Package or Object

If you have any reason to believe that a letter or parcel is suspicious, DO NOT take a chance, call Campus Police immediately at (915) 831-2200 or 911.

• DO NOT touch the package or object.
• DO NOT tamper with the package or object.
• DO NOT attempt to move the package or object.
• DO NOT open the package or object.
• DO NOT put the package or object in water or an enclosed space, such as a drawer or box.
• Evacuate the immediate area.

Characteristics of Suspicious Packages:

• Special deliveries, foreign mail, or airmail.
• Restrictive markings such as “Confidential” or “Personal.”
• Excessive postage.
• Handwritten or poorly typed addresses.
• Incorrect titles.
• Misspelled words.
• Stains or discoloration on the package.
• Excessive weight.
• Rigid, lopsided, or uneven envelopes.
• Protruding wires or aluminum foil.
• Excessive tape or string.
• Visual distractions such as illustrations.
• No return addresses.

Utility Failure and Natural Disaster

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)

EPCC Police have AEDs located in their respective campus patrol units and at the ASC police office.

Campus Carry

For information on Campus Carry, click the link below:

• Campus Carry

Campus Security and Crime Statistics

For information related to EPCC campus security and crime statistics, click the link below:

• Campus Security

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training

For information on CERT training, click the link below:

• Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

CPR and First Aid Training

For information on CPR and first aid training, click the link below:

• First Aid and CPR

Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT)

The Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) provides defusing/debriefing services for any group of staff/faculty or students having experienced a traumatic event. As a traumatic event can cause serious disruption to learning or work, quickly addressing the emotional element of the event can help those involved to bring closure more easily. The target group comprises students, staff, and faculty of El Paso Community College. Team members must attend “Critical Incident Stress Management: Group Crisis Intervention” training sponsored by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation.

CIRT Goals

1. Stabilization of those encountering a traumatic event.
2. Reduction of symptoms that are occurring because of the event.
3. Help those affected to return to normal functioning.
4. If necessary, facilitate access to continued care.

Emergency Management

Develops, implements, and promotes a multi-hazard college-centered emergency program where the planning process embraces each emergency management phase. The five phases of emergency management are: prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

Contact the Office of Emergency Management with questions or concerns related to emergency preparedness/management.

Enhanced 911

EPCC office and hallway phones automatically provide the location of the caller to 911 operators and EPCC Police Dispatch.

EPCC Safety Committee

The charge of the Safety Committee is to oversee and establish criteria for the implementation of the College safety program, College-wide; identify and prioritize safety goals and establish action plans; review Office of Risk Management and Safety publications before printing; conduct a review of the EPCC Safety manual every six months for SACSCOC accreditation; maintain open communication with EPCC Improvement Teams concerning safety issues and help make health and safety activities an integral part of EPCC's operating procedures, culture, and programs.

To report items of concern regarding campus safety, please contact the Office of Risk Management & Safety.

Evacuation Chairs

EPCC evacuation chairs are located on every stair landing on all multistory buildings.

Executive Emergency Response Team (EERT)

EPCC's Executive Emergency Response Team (EERT) consisting of the College President, President's Cabinet, Public Information Officer, EPCC Chief of Police, the Manager of Emergency Management, Executive Director of Physical Plant, and Executive Director of Networking Systems and Support Services shall respond to and manage emergency incidents. The members of this response team are the primary contacts and decision makers for any emergency or unexpected event. EPCC will implement the Incident Command System (ICS) for incidents occurring at EPCC. All EERT members are trained on NIMS concepts, procedures, and protocols.

Stop the Bleed

STOP THE BLEED® is the result of a collaborative effort led by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS COT) to bring knowledge of bleeding control to the public. For further information on STOP THE BLEED, click the link below:

• Stop the Bleed

Tejano Alert

Tejano Alert is EPCC's Emergency Alert Notification System and is used to immediately contact you during an emergency situation with useful information and updates by sending messages to your:

• Email account (work, home, school)
• Cell Phone

Be sure to register for Tejano Alert at the following link:

• Tejano Alert

If you need further assistance, contact the IT Help Desk