What to do in an Emergency

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• Introduction
• Emergency Numbers
• Fire / Smoke
• Medical Emergency
• Bomb Threat
• Internal Emergency
• Personal Threat
• External Emergency
• Evacuation

Introduction

The information listed in this document is of a general nature and is based on current procedures, emergency services experience, other accepted actions and protocols, and should be used as a guide only.

With emergency situations being the exception rather than the rule, dealing with an emergency requires some decisions being made prior to response, this is particularly important with bomb threats, the following guide may be of assistance.

Assessing danger in an emergency

(A guide only)

Verify report

• Confirm The accuracy of the information
• Alert The workplace
• Notify Emergency Services on 000, & security on 7777

What is the emergency?

• Has the worst already happened?
• Can the situation get worse?

Where is it?

• Is it close enough to be a threat?

Assess danger

How is the hazard behaving?

• Is it getting closer, or moving away?
• Is it getting bigger or smaller?
• Is it moving quickly or slowly?
• Is it affected by weather conditions?

Identify safe areas

Which areas cannot be used?

• Is it best to remain indoors, or leave the building?
• How far does the danger area extend?

Move to safe areas, or ...?

• Seal buildings if remaining indoors
• Communicate decisions to staff and departments
• Implement procedures as appropriate

General Emergencies

Police, Fire, Ambulance, phone 000 (or from internal phone dial 0-000). For Security phone Ext 7777 or pick up any lift phone or lift intercom.

Security Response Times

Security will respond to requests from clients as quickly as they can, taking into consideration other duties required to be performed and the appropriate priorities of these.

Police

The local Police can be contacted directly to deal with criminal incidents. Contact:

• Nathan - Upper Mt Gravatt Police Station 3364 3102
• Mt Gravatt - Holland Park Police Station 3847 8633
• Gold Coast - Southport Police Station 5541 4222
• Logan Slacks - Creek Police Station 3387 8333
• Southbank - Southbank Police Station 3844 5044

Emergency Numbers

For emergency services

• Dial 0 first to get an outside line, then 000
• Give the following information
• Your Campus
• Your Building
• The type of emergency

Staff and students are encouraged to inform security in the event of an emergency. Security can meet and guide emergency vehicles to the relevant location on campus.

At any time report emergencies to security extension 7777

Fire / Smoke

Bushfire procedures

Bush fires can pose a threat to the Nathan and Mount Gravatt campuses and to a lesser extend the Gold Coast's main campus. It is advisable to remain inside buildings as they are able to withstand the effect of bush fires.

• Remain calm – do not panic
• Remain inside the building
• Contact security, advise of situation and act on any instructions given
• Monitor office windows, if window breakage occurs close door to restrict smoke/flame affect
• If smoke enters the building and you suffer smoke affect, call security.

Smoke may activate the building fire alarm and shut down the air conditioning system. It is vitally important that you do not open external doors or windows, this will only make the situation worse.

Vehicle movements and access may also be restricted for safety issues and emergency services operations. For more information on fire safety you can visit: www.fire.qld.gov.au

• Do not panic – remain calm
• Assist any person in immediate danger – only if safe to do so
• Raise the alarm (if the building alarm hasn't operated) by activating a “Break Glass Fire Alarm” call point
• Call the Fire Service on triple zero 000 (dial 0 for external line) or 112 from a mobile
• Call security on 7777
• Tell someone else and get them to assist you
• If safe to do so, employ suitable fire extinguishers to contain or extinguish the fire
• If unable to contain or extinguish, close doors to inhibit the spread of smoke and flames
• If a threat to life exist – EVACUATE the building immediately, follow the building's emergency evacuation procedure. Evacuation plans are located throughout the buildings
• Proceed to the nominated emergency assembly area and remain there till given the all clear

Medical Emergency

If no first aid training

• Check for danger to self and others
• Call an ambulance:
• (internal call is 000 with 0 for a line out)
• (mobile phone – you may need to use 112)

Give the following details:

• Exact location – campus, the building and number
• What's happened (to the best of your knowledge – be clear and consise)
• Symptoms (if known)
• Your name and a contact number
• Contact security on 7777 advise them of situation and that you have called an ambulance (if QAS have indicated a particular entry road for Nathan campus – advise security so they can meet and escort)
• In all cases stay with the person/s until assistance arrives.
• Do not move casualty/s unless exposed to life threatening situation.

If you are first-aid trained

D.R.A.B.C.D

D - Check for DANGER

• To you
• To others
• To casualty

R - Check for RESPONSE

• Is casualty conscious?
• Is casualty unconscious?

A - Check AIRWAY

• Is airway clear of objects?
• Is airway open?

B - Check for BREATHING

• Is chest rising and falling?
• Can you hear or feel air from mouth or nose?
• If no breathing, give 2 initial breaths

C - Give CPR

• If no signs of life – unconscious, not breathing and not moving, start CPR
• CPR involves giving 30 compressions at a rate of approximately 100 compressions per minute followed by 2 breaths

D - Apply a DEFIBRILLATOR (if available)

• Follow voice prompts (Ref: St John's Ambulance Action Plan)

See ambulance and security notification procedure.

For more information on what do I do if someone appears seriously sick or injured visit: www.griffith.edu.au/hrm/health_and_safety/content_advice_sick.html

In the event of a bomb or chemical/biological threat

Threats of this nature are not a usual occurrence in Australia , however response procedures for just such threats need to be in place and practiced.

The response to these threats is significantly different from fire alarm response and a number of assessments may need to be undertaken before any evacuation procedures or other actions are undertaken.

Please note!

A “Phone Threat” Checklist is available for downloading here.

If you receive a threat … by phone or personally:

• Try and get as much information as possible from the caller or person
• ( “Phone Threat” Checklist has the questions you need to ask)
• Do not say or do anything that may encourage irrational behaviour
• Try and attract a co-workers attention for them to notify a supervisor, head of department etcetera or failing that, to contact security. Security will contact the police
• Important that you don't hang up your telephone once the caller has finished – it may be possible a trace can be made to the caller's phone.
• Fill in the bomb threat information as soon as possible while the information is fresh in your memory.
• Be aware also that person making the threat may use obscene language in an effort to unsettle you.

If you are involved in a bomb threat scenario:

• Do not touch anything you think is suspicious, report suspicions to Security, Facilities staff or the police if on site.
• Prevent persons from entering the area that you suspect needs investigation.
• Leave doors open if you have to evacuate the building.
• Be prepared to use a designated alternative exit.
• Follow exactly all directions given.
• If you are involved in a search it should be conducted in a systematic way, concentrate on the most likely “public access” areas, that is, rest rooms, stairwells, fire hose reel cupboards, potted plants, ceiling tiles out of place.

Internal Emergencies

• Chemical spills, (in a laboratory or a campus roadway)
• Major power failure, (building or campus)
• Water mains failure (internal flooding of building, loss of water to campus)
• Student demonstration
• Acts of violence (siege, hostage and similar acts)
• Traffic accidents on campus

(Fires, Bush fires and Bomb threats are treated separately)

Responses to internal emergencies are numerous and varied, that is, chemical incidents require specialised procedures, whereas a traffic accident may only require minimum response.

There are a number of ways you can protect yourself and assist the response personnel.

Chemical spills

• Do not attempt clean up actions unless adequately trained and equipped
• Contact department staff, security or the Qld Fire Service and provide as much information about the hazard as you can
• If a life risk, advise staff to evacuate the building – make sure the assembly area is upwind from the spill or building
• Do not attempt to re-enter the affected area
• Remain at the assembly area till advised all clear, otherwise
• Remove any ignition sources (if safe to do so) if the spill is of a flammable substance.

For all other emergencies, act on instructions, advice etcetera given by facilities staff, security, emergency services personnel or department or school staff.

Personal Threat

Specific response procedures for this type of event are difficult to document due to the vast numbers of variables that may eventuate.

General advice is to respond in any way that will best protect your safety and those close to you. This may be locking yourself and others inside a secure area, or leaving the building by an alternative exit.

In all events, remain calm and where possible avoid confrontation with the intruder, if this is not possible, do not antagonise the intruder.

Building fire alarm operation in these situations is not recommended as the sound may agitate the intruder, or may cause uninformed persons to evacuate into the intruders possible line of fire or into a confrontation situation.

The following recommendations should be actioned where possible and if the situation allows:

• Ensure that Security is notified immediately and that they are made aware of the situation (to the best of your knowledge)
• Security will then initiate actions to:
• restrict entry to the building if possible
• confine or isolate the threat from building occupants
• Contact the police on 000 (dial 0 for an outside line) or 112 from a mobile
• Alert other persons (staff, visitors, students etc.) in your vicinity
• Report to security and any senior University staff (where possible) regularly regarding the status of your safety and any others (if known)
• Evacuation should be considered (ONLY IF SAFE TO DO SO)

On completion of the incident, as many persons as possible should complete a “Description of Offender” form.

External Emergency

An external emergency is classed as something that affects a campus and of which the University has no control over.

Examples of external emergencies:

Storm,/cyclone,/lightning strikes,/felled trees,/bushfire (Toohey Forest for Nathan and Mt Gravatt or Smith St for the Gold Coast), toxic fumes from nearby incidents, that is, chemical transport tanker fire or a fire in a nearby industrial area, major traffic diversions through a campus precinct.

While most responses to these types of emergencies would be dealt with by facilities staff, there are a number of ways you can protect yourself and assist the response personnel.

Storm or cyclone

Most important is that you restrict the use of telephone landlines to emergency calls only. Store or secure any lose items external to the building, such as outdoor furniture etc. Protect valuables and disconnect electrical equipment. Cover and or move this equipment away from windows. You are safer staying in a building during storms/cyclones. Stay away from windows. After the storm/cyclone passes, evaluate the need to evacuate due to major damage, fires etc. Report to Security the status of the building and occupants' safety (if known).

For all other external emergencies, act on any information or advised procedures that may be put into place by the University or emergency services agencies.

Emergency evacuation procedures

If the evacuation alarm sounds, or you are advised to evacuate the building which you are in:

• Do not panic – remain calm
• Leave the building immediately
• Fire alarm – don't delay in gathering personal belongings or bags, this may delay your exit from the building
  * Last person out – close BUT do not lock doors
• Bomb threat – advised to take all personal belongings and bags with you
  * Last person out – Leave ALL doors open
• Do not use building lifts
• Do not run, push or overtake
• Go to the building's emergency assembly area and remain there
• Listen for, and follow instructions given by Wardens, Security Officers, Chief Campus Warden or emergency services personnel
• Do NOT re-enter the building, or leave the assembly area until given the all clear by Wardens, Security Officers, Chief Campus Warden or the emergency services personnel

Emergency evacuation procedures

If the evacuation alarm sounds, or you are advised to evacuate the building which you are in:

• Do not panic – remain calm
• Leave the building immediately
• Fire alarm – don't delay in gathering personal belongings or bags, this may delay your exit from the building
• * Last person out – close BUT do not lock doors
• Bomb threat – advised to take all personal belongings and bags with you
• * Last person out – Leave ALL doors open
• Do not use building lifts
• Do not run, push or overtake
• Go to the building's emergency assembly area and remain there
• Listen for, and follow instructions given by Wardens, Security Officers, Chief Campus Warden or emergency services personnel
• Do NOT re-enter the building, or leave the assembly area until given the all clear by Wardens, Security Officers, Chief Campus Warden or the emergency services personnel