Emergency Response Plan

If there is an active emergency or other violence on campus, including an active shooter situation:   

• Call 911 if safe.  
• Warn others if possible.  
• RUN: If you know where the danger is, and it is safe, evacuate the building.  
• HIDE: Barricade or lock doors, turn out lights and remain quiet. Prepare to evade or defend. 
• FIGHT: If running and hiding are not options, fight to defend yourself. 
• Wait for official notice to resume normal activities. 

Earthquakes are unpredictable and may strike without warning. Earthquake injuries usually result from falling debris. Disruption of communication lines, light and power lines, and sewer and water mains can be expected.

If you are inside a building during an earthquake:

• Stay where you are until the shaking stops. Do not run outside. Do not get in a doorway as this does not provide protection from falling or flying objects, and you may not be able to remain standing.
• Drop down onto your hands and knees so the earthquake doesn’t knock you down. Drop to the ground (before the earthquake drops you!)
• Cover your head and neck with your arms to protect yourself from falling debris.
• If you are in danger from falling objects and you can move safely, crawl for additional cover under a sturdy desk or table.
• If there is low furniture or an interior wall or corner nearby and the path is clear, these may also provide some additional cover.
• Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as light fixtures or furniture.
• Hold on to any sturdy covering so you can move with it until the shaking stops. Stay where you are until the shaking stops.

If getting safely to the floor to take cover won’t be possible:

• Identify an inside corner of the room away from windows and objects that could fall on you. The Earthquake Country Alliance advises getting as low as possible to the floor. People who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices should lock their wheels and remain seated until the shaking stops. Protect your head and neck with your arms, a pillow, a book or whatever is available.

• If you are in bed: Stay there and cover your head and neck with a pillow. At night, hazards and debris are difficult to see and avoid; attempts to move in the dark result in more injuries than remaining in bed.

If you are outside when you feel the shaking: Move away from buildings, streetlights and utility wires. Once in the open, “Drop, Cover and Hold On.” Stay there until the shaking stops. This might not be possible in a city, so you may need to duck inside a building to avoid falling debris.

If you are in a moving vehicle when you feel the shaking: Stop as quickly and safely as possible and stay in the vehicle. Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses and utility wires. Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped. Avoid roads, bridges or ramps that the earthquake may have damaged.

After an Earthquake

• When the shaking stops, look around. If there is a clear path to safety, leave the building and go to an open space away from damaged areas.
• If you are trapped, do not move about or kick up dust.
• If you have a cell phone with you, use it to call or text for help.
• Tap on a pipe or wall or use a whistle, if you have one, so that rescuers can locate you.
• Once safe, monitor local news reports via battery operated radio, TV, social media and cell phone text alerts for emergency information and instructions.
• Be prepared to “Drop, Cover and Hold on” in the likely event of aftershocks.

In any emergency, always listen to the instructions given by CUNE Alerts and Safety and Security updates.

• Pull the nearest fire alarm.
• Leave the building as quickly as possible by the nearest exit.
• Persons with disabilities that cannot use the stairs should wait for trained responders and/or Security.
• Take your belongings ONLY IF they are nearby.
• Move to a safe distance.
• Re-enter only if directed by first responders.
• Let others know about the evacuation & encourage them to exit.
• NEVER ignore the alarm. Do not assume it is false. Do not assume it is a test.
• Everyone MUST evacuate the building by way of the safest and closest exit and/or stairway. NEVER use an elevator to exit during a fire alarm evacuation.
• Do not obstruct the fire fighters’ or any first responders’ access to the building. Assemble away from where they will be operating.
• Once outside, never re-enter until you are told to do so by Seward Police Department or Concordia Security

Stay Informed: Monitor local radio and television (including NOAA Weather Radio), internet and social media for information and updates.

Get to Higher Ground: Get out of areas subject to flooding and get to higher ground immediately.

Obey Evacuation Orders: If told to evacuate, do so immediately. Be sure to lock your home as you leave. If you have time, disconnect utilities and appliances.

Practice Electrical Safety: Don't go into a basement or any room if water covers the electrical outlets or if cords are submerged. If you see sparks or hear buzzing, crackling, snapping or popping noises -- get out! Stay out of water that may have electricity in it!

Avoid Flood Water: Do not walk through flood waters. It only takes six inches of moving water to knock you off your feet. If you are trapped by moving water, move to the highest possible point and call 911 for help.

Do not drive into flooded roadways or around a barricade. Water may be deeper than it appears and can hide many hazards (i.e. sharp objects, washed out road surfaces, electrical wires, chemicals, etc). A vehicle caught in swiftly moving water can be swept away in a matter of seconds.

No place outside is safe near a thunderstorm!

When you hear thunder, go inside a substantial building or a vehicle with a metal roof and metal sides and stay inside for 30 minutes after the last sound of thunder. If you are caught outside, avoid open areas and never stand under a tall, isolated tree. Learn more at weather.gov/mlb/lightning_rules.

• Seek shelter immediately in a substantial building but stay away from corded telephones, electrical appliances and plumbing.
• The second safest place is a vehicle with a metal roof and metal sides.
• If you are caught outside, stay away from open areas and water. Never stand under a tall, isolated tree.
• Lightning victims are safe to touch. If someone is unresponsive or not breathing, immediately call 911 and do CPR.

If a power outage occurs between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

• Contact the Buildings and Grounds Desk at 402-643-7415. They will be aware of routine maintenance. If the outage is not scheduled maintenance, Buildings and Grounds will call the on-duty maintenance worker.
• If they do not pick up, call Concordia Campus Security 402-643-3033

Try to obtain the following information prior to calling Buildings and Grounds or Security:

• Is the entire building or only a portion of the building affected by the power outage?
• What are the room numbers of the areas involved in the outage?
• Are there any particularly potentially hazardous or sensitive operations in the affected areas?

If a power outage occurs between 5 p.m. and 7:30 a.m.

Contact Security – 402-643-3033

Try to obtain the following information prior to calling:

• Is the entire building or only a portion of the building affected by the power outage?
• What are the room numbers of the areas involved in the outage?
• Are there any particularly potentially hazardous or sensitive operations in the affected areas?

General Guidance

• If available, increase natural lighting by opening window shades or other similar actions.
• Shut off electrical appliances and computers before the power comes back on.
• Cease activities or operations that involve potentially hazardous conditions.
• If the outage involves research laboratory and/or animal areas, notify Security of this so that action can be taken to areas may need special attention.
• Secure personal belongings.
• Use special care while moving about in an under-lighted area to avoid injury resulting from low slips, trips or falls.
• Keep an alternate source of light to facilitate safe exit in the event of a power outage on your person or in your immediate work area. Do not use open-flame devices for supplementary lighting.

In the event there is a suspicious person on campus, buildings will be locked down until any threat has passed. 

• Stay where you are. 
• Barricade or lock doors. 
• Wait for official notice before leaving the building. 

Tornado Watches and Warnings are issued by the National Weather Service when the probability exists that a significant threat could develop over a wide area. Warnings are issued for much smaller areas and periods of time than watches.
Tornado Watch means that conditions are favorable for tornadoes to form. Be alert to weather conditions and announcements.

Tornado Warning means that a tornado has been sighted, or radar indicates rotation in the clouds. TAKE SHELTER!

At Concordia, the following systems are used for alerting building occupants of a tornado:

• Concordia Safety and Security will send a CUNE Alert when a Tornado Warning is issued by the National Weather Service.
• Warning will be announced by Alert Aware messages, direct texts messages and campus wide emails. 
• Designated staff and Security will also alert building occupants.

In the event of a Tornado Warning

University Safety and Security will activate CUNE Alert when a tornado warning is issued by the National Weather Service. All university personnel are directed to seek shelter indoors by going to the lowest level of the building away from doors and windows upon activation of the warning. It is not safe to leave the shelter until local radio and television stations announce that the warning has expired.

Safety Procedures

Indoors

• Move quickly to lowest level, interior space (hallway, basement, restroom).
• Get low.
• Cover back of head and protect body.
• Stay tuned to Concordia messages and news channels.
• Stay in shelter until warning expires.

Individuals with mobility/impairment or physical disabilities:

Supervisory personnel and course instructors are responsible for identifying and escorting individuals with mobility impairments or physical disabilities located in their offices/facilities or classrooms to safety in a tornado shelter in the event of a tornado warning.

The elevators may be used to transport individuals with mobility impairments or physical disabilities and their escorts to tornado shelters. Visually impaired and hearing-impaired individuals may be escorted down the stairs to tornado shelters but may require assistance in moving in crowded staircases and in finding the tornado shelter. Call Security for assistance – 402-643-3033.

In the event of a power failure, individuals who are unable to use the stairs and their escorts should move to an interior location without windows.

Winter in Nebraska typically brings several bouts with large amounts of snow or subfreezing temperatures as well as strong winds, ice or sleet that can limit travel and cause power outages, sometimes for days at a time.

Prepare Your Car for Winter:

• Store blankets to keep you warm in case you're stranded on the roads.
• Keep your gas tank full.
• Consider carrying a small shovel and kitty litter for traction to help free your car if stuck.
• Other items to have along: ice scraper, flashlight, coat, hat, gloves, cell phone and car charger.

Familiarize yourself with the terms that are used to identify winter weather:

• Freezing Rain creates a coating of ice on roads and walkways.
• Sleet is rain that turns into ice pellets before reaching the ground. Sleet also causes roads to freeze and become slippery.
• Winter Weather Advisory means cold; ice and snow are expected.
• Winter Storm Watch means severe weather such as heavy snow or ice is possible in the next day or two.
• Winter Storm Warning means severe winter conditions have begun or will begin very soon.
• Blizzard Warning means heavy snow and strong winds will produce a blinding snow, near zero visibility, deep drifts and life-threatening wind chill.
• Frost/Freeze Warning means below freezing temperatures are expected.

Make A Plan

• Plan to stay inside and make it on your own, at least for a period of time.
• Have some food on hand in your room in case the residence halls are unable to provide food service.
• Knowing both a cell and land line phone you can use to call home if service is affected in one or the other.

Stay Informed

Concordia Safety and Security will be constantly updating students and staff of weather updates through the CUNE Alert System. Check these alerts regularly.

Listen to NOAA Weather Radio to stay informed of winter weather watches and warnings.

Also monitor commercial radio, television and the Internet. For a full description of what to listen for, and an explanation of different weather terms, refer to the NWS guide.

Keep in mind that during a severe winter storm it could be hours, or even days, before emergency personnel are able to reach you.