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What To Do

What To Do

What is an evacuation?

An evacuation is a precaution in which everyone leaves the threatened area and goes to the safest and closest refuge. Notification of an evacuation will be initiated by the University.

DO:

  • Remain calm
  • Close all doors (do not lock) on your way out and take your keys
  • Turn off all electrical and open-flame equipment
  • Leave the area by the nearest and safest exit available
  • If the nearest route is blocked or unsafe, use an alternative route DO NOT use elevators
  • Be wary of possible dangers along your exit route. Test doors for heat in case of fire

DON'T:

  • Don't return to the evacuated area until it has been declared safe by emergency personnel
  • Don't use your cellphone unless you are reporting an emergency or it is absolutely necessary. Using cellphones increases the demand on cellular network towers, and emergency responders and those in need of immediate assistance will rely on those towers

When is evacuation necessary?

Emergencies that may require an evacuation include:

  • fires
  • bomb threats
  • hazardous material incident
  • structural damage
  • police activity

Know your building. Be aware of all evacuation routes out of your building.

How to get help on campus

It is very important to know during any emergency how to get help on campus.

Hazard Specific

Many types of hazards could impact campus including technological, natural or human-caused hazards.

Select a topic below to learn more about each hazard.

If you discover a fire:

  • Take your keys and immediately leave the danger area by the nearest safe exit and stairwell. Don’t use elevators
  • Close all doors along the way, and warn other occupants as you encounter them
  • Activate the nearest manual fire alarm
  • Gather at the designated meeting place outside
  • If the fire alarm has not been activated, notify 911 from a safe location
  • Obey all instructions from floor fire warden and members of any emergency services
  • Re-enter the building only when emergency services have authorized you to do so

If you smell smoke or gas or hear a fire alarm:

  • Immediately stop all work, turn off all electrical equipment and any open flames, and close windows
  • Remain calm
  • Don’t open the door fully right away. Instead, open it slowly, keeping your head back in case there is fire in the immediate area
  • Be cautious and leave the room only if it’s safe to do so
  • Take your keys and head for the nearest safe exit and stairwell. Don’t use elevators
  • Close all doors on your way out
  • If the fire alarm has not been activated, notify 911 from a safe location
  • Gather at the designated meeting place outside
  • Obey all instructions from emergency services
  • Re-enter the building only when emergency services have authorized you to do so

If you encounter smoke or fire in the corridor:

  • It may be safer to stay where you are. Close the door and seal any windows or openings
  • If possible, notify 911, give them your exact location and follow their instructions
  • Try to wave a light-coloured shirt or other material in the window so rescuers can easily find you
  • Stay put until you are instructed to leave by floor fire warden or emergency responders

If you encounter smoke in the stairwell:

  • Leave the stairwell as quickly as possible and find an alternative exit. If an alternative exit isn’t available, it may be safer to return to your room or office
  • Close the door and seal any windows or openings
  • If possible, notify 911, give them your exact location and follow their instructions
  • Try to wave a light-coloured shirt or other material in the window so rescuers can easily find you
  • Stay put until you are instructed to leave by floor warden or other emergency responders

Important notes:

  • In most buildings, evacuation plans are located in entryways and beside elevators and stairwells
  • Know where you’re supposed to gather outside the buildings you frequent
  • Know the locations of the fire exits, the nearest manual fire alarm and portable fire extinguishers in the buildings you frequent
  • Fire alarms are automatically activated when smoke or fire is detected
  • If you see or suspect fire, find the nearest manual fire alarm and pull it
  • Don’t pull a fire alarm for any other reason. It’s an offence to activate a fire alarm without cause
  • Don’t try to put out a fire unless you can do so without endangering your life or someone else’s
  • Notify 911 of all fires, even small ones extinguished by someone on campus
  • Closed doors don’t always conduct heat well, so the temperature on your side of a door may be cooler than on the other side. Open doors slowly, keeping your head back
  • Use the buddy system if you need help leaving a building

If chemical, radioactive or biohazardous substances are spilled or released:

  • Notify 911 of any incident involving a chemical, radioactive or biohazardous substance, even if the situation has been resolved
  • Don’t try to clean up a spill unless you have substance-specific spill response training. If you’ve been trained, follow the protocols
  • If you haven’t been trained:
    • Step away from immediate danger
    • If it's safe to do so, secure the spilled material to avoid further contamination
    • If the material has spread in the air and inhalation is a hazard, move to an adjacent area and restrict access for 30 minutes to allow aerosols to settle
    • If the material hasn’t spread in the air, stay in the area but find a spot where you aren’t at risk of additional exposure
    • Don’t pull the fire alarm. Doing so would cause an uncontrolled evacuation and could expose people to unnecessary danger
    • Follow the instructions provided by emergency responders, including instructions for decontamination, if necessary
    • Don’t leave the scene until you’re advised to do so emergency responders

  • Immediately notify 911 of the injury or illness
  • If you've been trained to administer first aid, do so if it’s safe
  • Follow the instructions provided by emergency responders
  • Stay at the scene until advised to leave

  • Stay in your immediate area
  • Notify 911 immediately
  • Follow the instructions provided by campus authorities
  • Stay where you are until campus authorities instruct you to leave

  • Remove yourself from immediate danger
  • If you can’t safely leave the area, avoid actions that might increase danger to yourself or others
  • Pay attention to the criminals and make mental note of names, physical features (height, gender, clothing, special markings, etc.) and characteristics (accents, habits, type of weapons, who seems to be in charge if a group is involved, etc.)
  • If you’re being robbed, give the robber exactly what is demanded and nothing more
  • Observe the direction in which the criminal leaves
  • Notify 911 and provide as much information as possible about the situation
  • Wait for the Police at the specified location, and follow instructions provided by them or by police
  • If the criminal leaves evidence behind, don’t touch it

  • Report all suspicious behaviour to the Police, including in-person, written or electronic threats, even if the situation has been resolved
  • Make mental note of names, physical features (height, gender, clothing, special markings, etc.) and characteristics (accents, habits, etc.)
  • When face-to-face with someone threatening, remain as calm as possible and do what you can to keep the offender calm
  • Acknowledge the person’s feelings and perceptions. Paraphrase what the person has expressed to show you have heard and listened
  • If it’s safe to do so, write down what the person says or record them on portable device
  • Never confront or further agitate a threatening or violent person
  • If the problem escalates, call 911. Even if it’s not safe to speak, you can leave the phone line open
  • Follow the instructions provided by Police
  • If the offender leaves, note in which direction
  • If it’s possible and safe, stay at the scene until advise to leave

  • Don’t touch or open suspicious-looking packages or envelopes
  • If you’ve already opened or touched the package, stop moving it, place it gently on the nearest stable surface, step away from the package and don’t touch any other items
  • Don’t place the package in a confined space
  • If it’s safe, stay in your immediate area
  • If anyone working in your immediate area may have come into contact with the package or envelope, ask the person to also stay in the area if it’s safe to do so
  • Notify 911. If you’ve touched the package, have someone notify them for you
  • Don’t undertake any activity that can create turbulence and spread potentially dangerous substances into the air
  • Without further touching the package, examine it for:
    • misspelled words
    • markings such as “private,” “confidential” or “to be opened only by...”
    • incomplete address (a title rather than an individual’s name; a missing or an illegible return address)
    • odours or wires
    • excessive wrapping, powdery finish or oil stains
    • excessive weight
    • foreign postmarks
  • Don’t evacuate the building unless you’re instructed by authorities to do so
  • Don’t pull the fire alarm. Doing so would cause an uncontrolled evacuation and could expose people to unnecessary danger
  • Don’t allow others to enter the immediate area
  • Wait for and follow instructions from Police or other emergency responders

Severe weather conditions for the Chatham-Kent region include snowstorms, ice and hail, lightning and extreme cold, and can generally be predicted in advance. Response decisions depend on the intensity and anticipated duration of the severe weather. Information is communicated as needed through normal Ridgetown Campus communications channels, including departmental emails and class or office announcements. Some extreme weather, however, may be sudden and unexpected.

In the event of a tornado:

  • Safely stop what you’re doing
  • Don’t try to outrun or out-drive a tornado
  • If you’re outdoors, go to the nearest building, taking care not to be hit by flying debris
  • If you can, head for the basement. If there’s no basement, go to the centre of a room located in the centre of the building’s lowest level
  • Where possible, take shelter under sturdy furniture (table, desk, etc.) in the centre of the room
  • Don’t take shelter in elevators
  • Stay away from corners, windows, doors and outside walls
  • Use your hands and arms to protect your head and neck
  • If there are no buildings nearby, lie as flat and as close to the ground as possible. Use your hands and arms to protect your head and neck
  • If you’re in a wheelchair, lock your wheels and duck as low as possible
  • Stay in position until the tornado has passed, or until emergency responders have indicated that the area is safe
  • Follow any directions provided by emergency responders

  • Notify Physical Resources immediately of all water leaks
  • If it’s safe to do so, move vulnerable materials away from the water path
  • If you’re inside, shut off and unplug electrical equipment wherever possible. Physical Resources will shut down power if necessary
  • Move to a higher elevation or leave the area
  • If you’re outside, stay away from flood waters and move to a higher elevation
  • Be careful, because the water may be contaminated by oil, gasoline or raw sewage, or it could be electrically charged from an active power source
  • Stay away from moving water. Moving water as shallow as 15 cm (6 inches) deep can make you lose your footing
  • Stay close by, but keep out of the way of emergency responders until advised to leave
  • Follow the instructions provided by emergency responders

Power failure in an office or classroom:

  • Directly notify the person in authority for your building. Don’t simply leave a message
  • If the person in authority can’t be reached, notify Physical Resources
  • Turn off lights, electrical equipment and appliances to prevent damage when the power returns
  • Notify Physical Resources if you know or suspect that someone is trapped in an elevator
  • Stay inside and wait for further instructions from campus authorities
  • Immediately report an unsafe situation to Physical Resources

Power failure in a laboratory:

  • Stop all activities immediately
  • Extinguish all controlled flames, and turn off the gas and water
  • Secure and stabilize experiments that involve hazardous materials
  • When fume hoods stop operating, stop experiments that are emitting hazardous vapours, cap all chemical containers that are safe to cap and close the fume hoods
  • Turn off or disconnect equipment with automatic power-on functions that may cause it to restart when the power returns
  • Turn off or disconnect all other equipment safely
  • Check equipment running on emergency power to ensure it’s working properly
  • Don’t connect additional items to the power outlets
  • Check refrigerated items and transfer anything vulnerable or critical to areas served by emergency power
  • Check with your supervisor to see whether you need to follow special procedures based on your activities
  • Directly notify the person in authority for your building. Don’t simply leave a message
  • If the person in authority can’t be reached, notify Physical Resources
  • If it’s safe to do so, stay in the lab for 10 minutes before calmly exiting to the common areas of the building
  • Follow the instructions provided by campus authorities
  • Immediately report an unsafe situation to Physical Resources

When power comes back on:

  • Reset and restart the equipment
  • Confirm that fume hoods and refrigerators are operating. A manual start-up by Physical Resources Services may be required

  • If an emergency occurs while you’re travelling abroad on U of G business, call Campus Police at 001-1-519-540-5000 (applies to Ridgetown Campus)
  • State your name, whether you’re a student or an employee, and the city and country you’re calling from
  • Describe your emergency and follow the instructions from Campus Police or local authorities

  • If you have reason to believe that a U of G student or employee is missing, contact 911 to report your concern
  • We also recommend that a family member of the missing person discuss the situation with Police

Lockdown

A lockdown is used to protect persons in the event of a violent or potentially violent situation on campus. You may be instructed to lockdown when there is an armed individual or an immediate threat to the safety and well-being of the campus community.

Notification of a lockdown will be issued through U of G ALERT, the University emergency notification system.

If instructed to lockdown:

Take shelter in the nearest secured place -- eg., classroom or office.

Close doors, lock doors if possible and barricade the doors.

If the lights in the room can be turned off, turn them off. Silence cellphones and computers.

Close any blinds or curtains on windows. Stay away from doors and try to keep out of the line of sight from windows.

Sit or lie down on the floor or crouch behind or under desks. Be as invisible as possible.

BE QUIET.

Do not respond to anyone at the door until you are given the "all clear" by Chatham-Kent Police Service or you receive information from U of G ALERT.

If you are directed by police to leave your secured area, do so as quickly and as quietly as possible. Follow ALL oral commands from police.

Shelter in Place

Shelter-in-place is a precaution to help keep you safe by remaining indoors but having access to the building and being able to move around freely. Notification of a shelter-in-place will be initiated by the University.

If instructed to shelter-in-place:

  • Close all windows and doors. If there is danger of an explosion, close all window coverings (e.g., shades, blinds, curtains). Also turn off all fans, vents, and heating and air conditioning systems.
  • If possible, take refuge in a small interior room with no or few windows. In case of a chemical threat, an above-ground location is preferable, as chemicals heavier than air may seep into the basement even with the windows closed.
  • Although most shelter-in-place orders usually last only a few hours, take any emergency survival kits with you to have a supply of food, bottled water, first aid supplies and medications on hand.
  • Have a working radio available so you can listen to the media to know when it is safe to come out or where you will need to evacuate the area.
  • Do not leave the building or go outside until advised that it is safe by emergency services.
  • Try to have a hard-wired telephone inside the room in which you are seeking shelter. This will provide a backup to any cellular equipment you may have.
  • Avoid using the telephone unless you are reporting an emergency or it is absolutely necessary. Emergency responders and those who need immediate emergency assistance will need all available lines.

When is evacuation necessary?

Emergencies that require shelter-in-place include:

  • inclement weather
  • hazardous material incident
  • gas leak

Know your building. Be aware of all evacuation routes and exits out of your building.

How to get help on campus

It is very important to know during any emergency how to get help on campus.

Hold and Secure

A Hold and Secure is used to protect persons in the event of an ongoing situation OFF CAMPUS. Most normal operations and activities inside the building can continue. Movement into and out of the building may be restricted by the emergency situation. Notification of a Hold and Secure Order will be issued through U of G ALERT Ridgetown Campus, the University emergency notification system.

If instructed to hold and secure:

  • If you are outdoors - proceed to an indoor location -- eg., classroom or office
  • Exterior doors will be locked if possible - preventing entry, and people inside need to remain there
  • Close any blinds or curtains on exterior windows
  • Normal operations may continue inside the building
  • If you are directed by police to leave your building, their advice (safe exit routes and timing) will be acted upon