The tests, drills, and surveys completed during ACC’s fall 2011 Emergency Preparedness Week showed us where we remain ready for the unexpected, but also where improvements are needed. Here are some of the things you can do to improve the overall emergency response on your campus:

Campus safety plans and emergency procedures posters. Take time to review the campus safety plan posted in your classroom. It shows exits, locations of automated external defibrillators, rescue assistance areas for people who can’t use the stairs, places to go during severe weather, and your campus rally point(s).

Campus safety plans generally are near emergency procedure posters, which provide brief instructions to follow in emergencies. These posters should be in all classrooms; if a classroom is missing one, contact your professor or the campus manager’s office.

This information is now available on ACC’s new mobile website. Bookmark the site on your phone now!

Rally point locations. Check your campus safety plan for your campus rally point(s). This is where everyone gathers during a building evacuation. Look for outdoor rally point signs as you arrive or leave campus so you know where the locations are.

Why does is matter if you go to the rally point during an evacuation? Rallying allows us to determine who is missing and might need help. (Students should report to their professor.) Rallying helps control traffic, benefiting pedestrians and first responders trying to get equipment on site.

The rally point also is where you will find out what’s going on. Was the evacuation a result of a nuisance alarm, and classes can resume soon? Is there building damage that will prevent it from being used and you should head home? Find out what’s up at the rally point. Students leaving campus should let their professor know.

Check your campus safety plan for alternate stairwells and exits and become familiar with them. The best way out may not be the same as the way in.

*NEW* A rally point for people who are deaf or hard of hearing has been established at Riverside Campus. An interpreter will be available to help communicate emergency information.

Doors: Close, don’t lock. Closing doors slows the spread of fire, but locking doors makes police and firefighter’s jobs more difficult. Please don’t lock doors.

Stairwells. People often have favorite stairwells and may not be aware of others. In previous drills many people exited by one stairwell, causing back-ups. Some people are surprised to learn there is more than one stairwell in most buildings.

Check your campus safety plan for alternate stairwells and exits. Use them regularly to become familiar with them. Remember, the best way out may not be the same as the way in!

For more information about campus safety procedures, visit ACC’s Emergency Website.

Click on the slide show to view the fall semester evacuation drill at the Pinnacle Campus.