Natural Disaster Procedures

Immediate Action Plan

1. SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.  The best option is an interior hallway on the lowest level floor.
2. Avoid:
   a. Hallways that open to the south or west
   b. Auditoriums and other spaces with wide, free-span roofs
   c. Rooms with windows
3. Once in place, face the wall, crouch down and cover your head for protection.
4. As long as it is safe to do so, remain in place until the -ALL CLEAR- signal is given.
5. Once the -ALL CLEAR- has been given, assemble with the rest of your group in a designated location so individuals can be accounted for.

Detailed Information

There are two designations for tornado activity:
1. Tornado Watch: Conditions are favorable for tornadoes or severe thunderstorms to occur.
2. Tornado Warning: A tornado or severe thunderstorm is occurring or is imminent.

When a tornado warning is issued by the National Weather Service, Greene County officials will activate the County’s system of storm sirens. In conjunction with this system, Safety & Security will alert faculty, staff, students and visitors on the Main Campus and Richwood Valley Campus via the Telephone Alert System announcing Code Orange, Tornado Warning, Seek shelter immediately. Administrators or their designees at the Branson Education Center, Waynesville Education Center and the Lebanon Education Center will give the warning at their respective facilities via the Telephone Alert System, announcing Code Orange, Tornado Warning, seek shelter immediately.  These announcements need to be given at regular intervals until the tornado warning is cancelled.

Once the warning systems have been started, individuals should follow the Immediate Action Plan.

Once the -ALL CLEAR- is given, instructors and supervisors shall account for all their students or subordinates. Instructors and supervisors shall report the name of any unaccounted for or injured student or subordinate to the director of their building or his/her designee; they in turn will notify OTC Safety & Security via campus phone at x6911 or via outside phone or mobile at (417) 447-6911.  If the phone system isn’t working a runner may be used for notification.

Please refer to Crises Guides posted in all classrooms, labs and at various locations throughout the campus for shelter locations.

For disabled or impaired individuals, please reference Appendix B: Emergency Procedures for Evacuating Faculty, Staff and Students with a Mobility Impairment.

Immediate Action Plan

1. SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY:
   a. Indoors: Watch for flying glass, falling plaster, bricks, light fixtures and other objects.  Stay clear of high bookcases, shelves and other furniture, which might slide or topple, as well as windows and mirrors.
   b. Outside: Avoid high buildings, walls, power poles and other objects, which could fall.  If possible, move to an open area, large parking lot or, lawn area away from all hazards.
   c. In a car: Stop in the safest place available, again, in an open area.
2. As long as it is safe to do so, remain in place until the -ALL CLEAR- signal is given.
3. Once the -ALL CLEAR- has been given, assemble with the rest of your group in a designated location so individuals can be accounted for.

Detailed Information

Earthquakes occur without warning. Some earthquakes are instantaneous tremors and others are significant sustained events followed by aftershocks.  Once a significant earthquake begins, building occupants must take immediate action. Individuals should take emergency action to ensure their own personal safety; additional actions will be implemented after the quake stops.

An earthquake may cause noticeable shaking of the ground and buildings.  This shaking will vary in intensity (i.e. mild tremors to shaking sufficient to destroy buildings).  When a significant earthquake occurs, occupants should immediately take cover.  Some forms of covers consist of 1) Standing under doorway and bracing your hands and feet against each side; 2) Getting under a desk or heavy table; 3) Standing flat against an interior wall.  Do not seek cover under laboratory tables or benches as chemicals could spill and harm personnel.

Once the shaking has stopped, gather valuables and quickly leave the building.   Do not use elevators to get to lower floors. For disabled or impaired individuals, please reference Appendix B: Emergency Procedures for Evacuating Faculty, Staff and Students with a Mobility Impairment.

Immediate Action Plan

Activate the fire alarm.
1. Notify Emergency Response Personnel via campus phone at x9911 or via outside phone or mobile at 911.
2. Notify OTC Safety & Security via campus phone at x6911 or via outside phone or mobile at (417) 447-6911.
3. If the fire appears to be minor and controllable, locate the nearest fire extinguisher and direct the spray towards the base of the fire.
4. If the fire appears to be major and uncontrollable, evacuate the building immediately.

Detailed Information

In the event of a fire or fire drill all occupants are to evacuate the building. The evacuation should be done in a timely manner.  Please stay calm and walk to the nearest exit.  For specific evacuation routes, please reference the evacuation maps and crisis guides located in the doorway to the classrooms.  For disabled or impaired individuals, please reference Appendix B: Emergency Procedures for Evacuating Faculty, Staff and Students with a Mobility Impairment.

The elevators shall not be used to evacuate the building unless directed to do so by fire dept. rescue personnel. (Exception) Elevators may be used by mobility impaired students if there is a fire wall separating the elevator from the fire danger area. Graff Hall has a mechanical wheelchair lift that can be used to evacuate mobility impaired staff/students.  Staff/students with mobility impairments and instructors who use Graff Hall should become familiar with the location and operation of the wheelchair lift.  For disabled or impaired individuals, please reference Appendix B: Emergency Procedures for Evacuating Faculty, Staff and Students with a Mobility Impairment.

At the beginning of every term the instructor should ask for volunteers from their classroom to assist persons with mobility impairment, in exiting the building during an emergency.  In the event an instructor cannot find volunteers they shall notify the Director of Safety & Security.  The Director will notify the instructor of the arrangements made to assist the individual.

Evacuated personnel should stay a safe distance away from the building and out of the fire lanes.  Instructors should predetermine a location his/her class will meet, when safely out of the building.  Instructors shall ensure all of their students are aware of this location and can locate it.  Safety & Security officers shall make sure that the emergency response personnel have access to the buildings. Instructors should take their class roster or other means of student accountability with them and account for every student in their class. In the case of a missing student the instructor should notify their supervisor or a Safety & Security officer immediately. Fire rescue personnel will then be advised that a student cannot be accounted for.

In the event of a fire drill or a false fire alarm, the Safety & Security officers will determine that it is safe to re-enter the building and will notify an -ALL CLEAR-.  No one should re-enter the building until the -ALL CLEAR-.

Immediate Action Plan

1. Evacuate any flooded or flood prone areas as soon as possible.
2. Notify OTC Safety & Security via campus phone at x6911 or via outside phone or mobile at (417) 447-6911.
3. Notify OTC Maintenance via campus phone at x4801 or via outside phone or mobile at (417) 447-4801.

Detailed Information

Floods are the most common and widespread of all natural disasters.  Most floods develop slowly over periods of days.  Flash floods may develop in a matter of minutes and can be caused by periods of intense storms.

There are two designations for flood activity:
1. Flood Watch: Flooding is possible. Be prepared to evacuate low areas for higher ground.
2. Flood Warning: Flooding is already occurring or will occur soon, evacuate to higher ground.

Current flood prone areas on OTC campuses:

1. Springfield Campus
   a. Continuing Education Center; 800 E Central
   b. Early Childhood Education Center; 936 N Hampton
   c. Parking Lot D; intersection of Sherman & Central
2. Richwood Valley Campus
   a. Fremont Road access

If flooding results in the necessity for evacuation, please follow evacuation procedures. For disabled or impaired individuals, please reference Appendix B: Emergency Procedures for Evacuating Faculty, Staff and Students with a Mobility Impairment.

Immediate Action Plan

1. Notify OTC Safety & Security via campus phone at x6911 or via outside phone or mobile at (417) 447-6911.
2. Notify OTC Maintenance via campus phone at x4801 or via outside phone or mobile at (417) 447-4801.

Detailed Information

Particular care should be exercised during electrical utility interruptions, as there are several potentially dangerous instances that can occur.

1. Check for personnel trapped in elevators.  If someone is found trapped inside an elevator, instruct them to use the emergency telephone to call for assistance. If this is unavailable or you are unable to communicate, notify OTC Safety & Security via campus phone at x6911 or via outside phone or mobile at (417) 447-6911.
2. Ensure that any potentially dangerous electrical devices (i.e. power drills, soldering irons, etc.) are unplugged.
3. Ensure expensive electronic components (i.e. computers, printers, etc.) are either protected from surge loads or unplugged.