Emergency Procedures

CALL 911

Contact the Administration Office by dialing “0” during regular business hours.

EMERGENCY TELEPHONES are located in both the paved parking lot and the gravel parking lot. These telephones are monitored 24 hours/day by Algonquin College Security Services at the Ottawa Campus. When a call is received, the Perth Police will be dispatched to your location as required.

The EMERGENCY BROADCAST SYSTEM delivers audible messages to various areas of the College through a series of speakers as well as voice and text messages to telephones throughout the College. If you receive any communication through this system, you should follow the directions immediately and specifically.

The AC Mobile Safety App features emergency push notifications that will alert you if there is an emergency on campus. It also includes emergency procedures, safety tips and the ability to call or email AC Security directly from the app.

Twitter @ACSSEM is used to deliver messages, updates and directions during an emergency.

Upon Discovery of Fire

Remain Calm. Do Not Use Elevators

ACTIVATE the nearest fire alarm pull station
CALL 911 from a safe area to report the exact details of the fire
CLOSE any doors / windows to the fire affected area, if safe to do so
LEAVE immediately using the nearest safe exit

IF YOU HEAR THE FIRE ALARM SOUND:

• Leave the building immediately. Ensure persons with disabilities are assisted, as required. Ensure class or group members evacuate the building.
• Persons with disabilities who are unable to leave the building shall proceed to the nearest collection point or nearest safe exit and wait for assistance from the Fire Department or emergency personnel.
• Do not enter or return to the building until approved by the Fire Department and notified to do so by emergency personnel.

Evacuation is a valid and effective response to any internal situation where the circumstances are dangerous, if it is safe to proceed.

In the absence of any specific directions, any occupant faced with a dangerous situation should not hesitate to evacuate, ensuring that persons or students for whom you are responsible evacuate as well.

Evacuation should be initiated in various circumstances that include:

• Discovery of Fire
• Upon Hearing the Fire Alarm
• Critical Violent Act
• Chemical Spill or Threatening Atmosphere
• Dangerous Physical Environment

Medical emergencies can occur randomly across the College in public areas or classroom/office environments.

IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN A MEDICAL EMERGENCY:

• Call 911 and describe your emergency and your location
• Stay on the phone as long as requested
• Request assistance from bystanders
• Make room around the sick/injured person
• Apply First Aid / CPR as necessary while you wait for assistance to arrive

AED Location

Student Commons main hallway.

Suspicious activity refers to suspicious persons, behaviour and activity. Your assistance in reporting suspicious activity helps to maintain a safe and secure environment for all College occupants.

• Do not hesitate to report suspicious activity
• Dial “0” to contact the Administration Office during regular business hours or call 911 outside of regular business hours
• Be prepared to identify yourself, and your location and provide details. Stay where you are or advise emergency personnel where you are going
• Continue to monitor the person or activity, if possible, while awaiting emergency personnel and without placing yourself in danger
• Do not approach a suspicious person yourself

IF YOU DISCOVER OR RECEIVE A SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE:

• Remain calm. Do not handle it and keep other people away
• Remove yourself and any other affected staff/students from the immediate area of the package without causing alarm (one wall separation is sufficient at this time)
• Dial “0” to contact the Administration Office during regular business hours or call 911 outside of regular business hours and provide as much information as possible

Bomb threats may be received by anyone at any time. They can be received by telephone or voicemail, verbally, through written correspondence or electronically.

IF YOU RECEIVE A BOMB THREAT:

• Stay calm
• Obtain as much information as possible by asking questions
• Take as many notes as possible
• Call 911 and provide all possible information
• Contact the Administration Office by dialing “0”
• Wait until assistance arrives
• Do not pull the fire alarm

LOCKDOWN – If you receive direction to lockdown, even if you are unaware of an evolving situation, you should:

• Stay where you are or look for a nearby place that you can take cover and hide
• Secure the area as best possible: lock or barricade the door; shelter under or behind furniture, ensure cell phones and sources of sounds are silenced
• Stay in this location until there is an indication that the situation is all clear.

RUN, HIDE, FIGHT – If you are faced with an imminently dangerous situation and no direction has been provided, adopt the mentality to Run, Hide, Fight.

Run – IF IT IS SAFE, GET AWAY FROM THE DANGER

• Check to see if there is a clear path to the nearest exit
• Move swiftly – run only if necessary
• Leave the building and go to an area with cover and out of sight from the building
• Contact 911 when you are safe

Hide – IF IT IS NOT SAFE TO GET AWAY FROM THE DANGER

• Look for a place that you can take cover and hide
• Secure the area as best possible: lock or barricade the door; shelter under or behind furniture, ensure cell phones and sources of sounds are silenced
• Maintain awareness of the situation and if an opportunity arises to get out – do so

Fight – IF FACED WITH IMMINENT THREAT TO LIFE, FIGHT BACK VIOLENTLY

• If you cannot evacuate and you may be confronted by an assailant be prepared to fight
• Find improvised weapons such as anything large, heavy or sharp
• Organize any persons with you to take action as a group – make plans if time permits
• Don’t stop until you are certain it is safe to do so – then get away from the danger

Power outages can occur without warning and can range from very localized to widespread in nature. The cause of a power outage may be outside of the College within the municipal/provincial distribution system or may be within the College distribution system. Emergency personnel will immediately investigate the cause of a power outage and it may take some time to communicate these details to the College community and/or assess the possible duration of an outage.

When a power outage occurs you should:

• Remain Calm ~ Do Not Use Elevators
• CALL the Administration Office by dialing “0” and report the location of the power outage
• STAY in your area and continue with normal operations, if possible
• IF you leave your area due to darkness, move to a better-lighted area of the College
• Use flashlights and mobile devices to move about safely in a dark area
• Await further direction regarding the outage

Transient odours can occur in the College without any warning regarding the source. The smell of natural gas is an early warning regarding the presence of natural gas. The smell is highly detectable well in advance of reaching a concentration of natural gas that is explosive/flammable. Regardless, it is important to report and investigate any odour of natural gas immediately to mitigate a potentially dangerous release. Natural gas vapours can also present a hazard as a simple irritant or be quite noxious, regardless of the flammability / explosive conditions.

Upon the Discovery of a Natural Gas Odour:

• CALL the Administration Office by dialing “0” and report the location of the odour
• OPEN any doors/windows to the affected area
• If you are not in imminent danger, collect personal items such as bags, keys and mobile phone
• LEAVE the affected area, moving to an unaffected area
• If the odour persists, go outdoors using the nearest safe exit
• Await further direction regarding returning to the affected area

Flooding / water intrusion can occur inside the College without warning. The source of flooding inside the College is often related to failures in building systems such as roofs, plumbing and drainage systems or fire protection systems. A release of water inside a building can pose a risk to safety as well as a significant risk of property damage, depending on the scope and duration of the flooding before the water source can be terminated.

Upon the Discovery of a Flood:

• CALL the Administration Office by dialing “0” and report the location of the flood.
• If you are not in imminent danger, collect personal items such as bags, keys and mobile phone.
• LEAVE the flood affected area, moving to an unaffected area of the College.
• Await further direction regarding returning to the flooded area.

In the Ottawa‑Carleton region, the risk of earthquake damage is considered minor.
(Reference: Public Information Planning and Services Directorate, Ottawa, Ontario). An earthquake is often heard initially as a loud noise, similar to that of a rushing train. The initial movements of the earth and swaying of structures can be followed by after‑shocks of decreasing severity. These often occur hours or days after the initial quake. Ground movement is not the usual cause of death or injury. Casualties frequently arise from falling and/or collapsing bridges, structures and debris and/or fire and floods from gas lines or broken water mains. Should power lines fall, power can be severed and exposed live wires can transmit electrical shocks to unsuspecting people.

In the event of an earthquake:

Remember… Drop, Cover & Hold

• Quickly move persons away from windows and draw drapes or blinds to reduce injury from breaking glass
• Secure or remove items that may fall and be conscious of those items that cannot be removed or secured
• Stay clear of heavy equipment that may not be adequately restrained
• Seek shelter under a desk, table, or counter, which will provide protection from falling objects
• Do not go outside. While the building may withstand the shock, ornamental facades, signs and window glass may vibrate loose and fall
• Do not run for exits or stairwells as they may be congested with traffic or collapse
• Do not use elevators
• Stay away from power lines or dangling electrical wires
• If you are away from your department, do not attempt to return to it until an “all clear” is given
• If you are outside, stay there and do not return to the inside of the College. Move away from building
• Be aware that fires may start
• Attempt, if possible, to turn off gas and oxygen valves
• Provide First Aid as required to injured persons
• Prepare for and proceed with an orderly evacuation of the College. Be familiar with all potential exit routes as some may be impassable
• Do not use matches or open flames to find your way.

The following information has been developed in consultation with the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) to support the College evacuation procedures.

During an emergency, all members of the college community have a moral responsibility to assist in the evacuation of persons with disabilities.

Examples of disabilities are:

• visual impairments (reduced vision or blindness)
• hearing impairments (some degree of hearing loss or deafness)
• mobility impairments (those who use walkers, crutches, motorized scooters, wheelchairs, and canes – may be short or long-term)
• other medical conditions that pose a functional limitation

All persons with disabilities, who can use the stairs with or without assistance, shall evacuate according to the emergency evacuation orders.

Persons with disabilities who are unable to use the stairs should:

1. If located on the ground floor, use the nearest safe and appropriate exit (ground level, wheelchair ramp etc.)

2. If located on the second floor of a linked building, move to the next building horizontally.

3. If the alarm bells are ringing in a building you have moved to, OR you are located on a non-linked floor, OR you are located in an area that is not described above, proceed to the nearest collection point or safe exit.

4. Use the emergency phone, if available, to report your location to Security Services.

5. Wait at that location or inside the stairwell for assistance from the Fire Department or fire emergency personnel.

Security Services may be contacted from any emergency telephone located near the exits. When contacted, Security will note your location and advise you to remain in that location. Either Fire Department personnel or College fire emergency personnel will respond – but only if the situation requires further evacuation. Please be aware that in the vast majority of alarm or alert conditions, the collection point or stairwell locations are the safest place to wait. Many alarm or alert conditions arise that may not warrant taking the risks associated with a manual evacuation of a mobility impaired person, unless it is further determined that the circumstances pose a life safety risk. Even if you are at an exit where there is no emergency phone or you are unsuccessful contacting Security – stay in that location

Wait for the arrival of these fire department or College emergency personnel OR wait for the “all clear” to be given before leaving the area.

College staff or others who are assisting a person with a disability should designate one person to wait in the same location and render assistance, as appropriate. College staff or others who are assisting a person with a disability should not attempt to evacuate the person with a disability from a safe location without the assistance of fire emergency personnel.

Security Services maintains emergency evacuation equipment for persons who are mobility impaired. This equipment may be deployed by Security personnel or other responding emergency services personnel, dependent on the circumstances. The equipment is available for use in circumstances where the risk of remaining in a particular location presents a greater threat to life safety than the risks associated with the evacuation of a person to an area of relative safety.

Following a fire alarm, which does not necessitate the evacuation of persons with disabilities, Security Services will check all reported locations to ensure all such persons are advised of the “all clear”.

Persons with impaired hearing may not perceive audible emergency alarms. In these cases, and where visual emergency alarms are not installed, alternative warning techniques should be given by faculty. This can be done by writing a note indicating the nature of the emergency or by turning the light switch on and off to gain the student’s attention. Then, through gestures or writing, indicate what is happening and what should be done. Assist the student to evacuate the building, if necessary.