Emergency Preparedness

• Cover Basic Procedures: Spend a few minutes discussing these emergency procedures:
  • If there is a medical emergency, stop teaching and call 911.
  • If an AppState-ALERT is shared with campus due to a campus-wide emergency, stop teaching and follow the instructions in the message.
  • In the event of a fire alarm sounding, stop teaching and evacuate with your class outside and away from the building.
  • Review additional emergency procedures with your class, using the Classroom Emergency Information Poster.
• Register for AppState-ALERTs: Faculty and students are encouraged to register for AppState-ALERTs.
• Update Emergency Contacts: Faculty and students should keep their emergency contact information in AppalNET updated.
• Evacuation Routes: These are marked by illuminated exit signs in your building. Building emergency team staff and emergency personnel will help to guide you and your class once you exit the building.
• Identify Medical Training: Ask students with medical training to identify themselves and consider assisting during a medical emergency.
• Assist People with Disabilities: Encourage anyone who may need any assistance during an emergency to request help from you or a classmate.

• Dial 911: Use a cell phone or any campus landline phone to report emergencies.
• Try to Remain Calm: Maintain composure to provide clear information.
• Provide Detailed Information:
  • Exact location: Have the address, building name and room number ready
  • Your name and phone number
  • Nature of the emergency
• Stay on the Line: Do not hang up until advised to disconnect by the dispatcher.
• Enlist Assistance: Have someone meet emergency personnel outside the building at the nearest entrance to your location.

A Campus Emergency Information Guide poster is posted in classrooms and labs in Boone and Hickory, and a Classroom Quick Reference guide sticker is affixed to the podium.

Please review these resources — if either is missing from your classroom/lab, please contact the Safety Office at safety@appstate.edu to request a replacement.

Be Prepared

• Class Roster: Keep an updated class roster for each class with you.
• Charged Cell Phone: Ensure your cell phone is charged
• Important Contacts: Keep a list of department leadership and emergency team contacts such as your department chair, dean and/or dean’s office team. Your dean can help you identify your building’s Building Emergency Team members.
• AppState-ALERTs: Register for Boone and/or Hickory alerts through your AppalNET account
• Consider using the Sample Safety Presentation Script for Faculty during the first week of class and including the Classroom Emergency Checklist with your course information
• Keep a copy of the Classroom Emergency Checklist with you and review it each semester

• Automated External Defibrillators (AED): Familiarize yourself with the locations of AEDs in your building. Find locations on maps.appstate.edu by selecting the Health and Safety layer.
• Fire Extinguishers: Know the nearest fire extinguisher locations in your building.
• Emergency Blue Light Phones: Use these resources if you do not have access to a personal or university phone and you need to call 911. Find locations for blue light phones on maps.appstate.edu by selecting the Health and Safety layer.

• Use Nearest Exit: Follow posted evacuation/exit signs
• Do Not Use Elevators: Always use stairs to evacuate a building.
• Encourage Evacuation: Per North Carolina law, everyone must leave the building if the fire alarm is sounding.
• Inform Emergency Personnel: If anyone is unable to safely exit the building, call 911 for assistance and provide the person’s last known location.
• Move 50 Feet Away: Assemble away from the building.

If you have questions about how to assist students, contact the Office of Access and Opportunity: Disability Resources.

• Self-Identification: Encourage students to reach out to you if they need mobility or any other assistance.
• Ask Before Assisting: Offer help to any student, but let the individual specify their needs.
• Communicate Clearly: Depending on the disability:
  • Auditory: Use notes or hand gestures.
  • Visual: Describe the situation and ask if any assistance is needed.
  • Mobility: Help the person move to a safe area outside the building, if possible, and notify emergency personnel by calling 911 if you are unable to help.
• Ground-Floor Routes: Note routes that don’t require stairs.
• Assistance to Stairwell Landings: Assist any individuals that have asked for help to egress routes marked with exit signs.
• Notify Emergency Personnel: If the individual is unable to safely exit the building, inform emergency personnel of the individual’s location.