Emergency Preparedness: Planning Ahead

While the University is committed to managing any crises the campus might encounter, we can increase our efficiency as a campus if everyone creates their own personal preparedness plan. Students with disabilities should discuss emergency preparedness with their Residence Director and/or Disability Services.

1. Develop a Communication Plan

   Talk with your family, roommates, and colleagues ahead of time to create a plan for efficiently alerting each other to your status should an emergency arise.  This can be especially important in an evacuation scenario, when it’s important to know whether an individual has safely exited the area.  Be sure to consider two alternative methods of communicating other than the phone, in case phone lines are down.

2. Designate an emergency contact outside your area – be sure family, friends and/or roommates know who this contact is and how to reach them.
3. Notify family or friends if you are affected by an emergency so they know where you are – if you can’t reach them, notify your family contact person.

4.  An Evacuation Plan

   Know your immediate surroundings and form an exit strategy.  Be sure to know alternative routes in the case exits are blocked or unsafe. Evacuation Assistance: Individuals who believe that they may need assistance, even if only on a temporary basis, from emergency personnel to evacuate campus buildings may request that assistance in advance by filling out and submitting the Evacuation Assistance form.

1. Before Class Starts (Faculty)

• Determine what emergency information you will include on your class syllabus such as evacuation routes, assembly location, or resource lists.
• Consider classroom evacuation. Check the building evacuation maps for routes and building assembly area. 
• Know at least two evacuation routes from each of your classrooms.
• Print hard copies of the class rosters and keep with your class materials so that you will know if all students are present after an evacuation.

2. Department Level Emergency Planning

Departments and units can prepare for a variety of emergencies by developing a department/unit emergency response plan. A department/unit emergency response plan identifies a department/unit’s specific approach to emergencies and is meant to compliment the overall campus level campus Emergency Management Plan.

3. Faculty and Staff Members with Disabilities

If you have a disability, notify Human Resources immediately upon beginning work at Westfield State or if you have transferred to a new location. If you have not done so before, make sure to do this now. Evacuation Assistance: Individuals who believe that they may need assistance, even if only on a temporary basis, from emergency personnel to evacuate campus buildings may request that assistance in advance by filling out and submitting the Evacuation Assistance form. If you need assistance leaving a building during an evacuation; notify a co-worker that you will wait by the nearest stairwell. Do not use an elevator during an evacuation. Also, call Westfield State University Police at 413-572-5262 from your cell phone and let the operator know of your exact location.