Safety On An Open Community College Campus Via Integrated Communications West Virginia University at Parkersburg Marie Foster Gnage, Ph.D., President

About WVU Parkersburg Rural commuter community college of approximately 4,000 students, including 200 public high school students Fifth largest public college in West Virginia Located four miles outside city of Parkersburg, WV; accessible from interstate Campus consists of three buildings, 125 acres; Additional center located 35 miles from main campus

Disaster Preparedness: Proactive Responses WVU Parkersburg received a national award for emergency paging system implementation System used as baseline crisis communication strategy Campus has developed additional safety initiatives, and “layers” to complement, augment paging system

Preparing for the Worst: Developing Safety Initiatives Uniqueness of WVU Parkersburg - location, campus environment Involvement of stakeholders Campus and community partners: Campus safety committee, LEPC, law enforcement, emergency services, health-related agencies, etc. Tabletop Exercises Community – pandemic flu President’s Cabinet – crisis, emergency scenarios On-campus multi-agency emergency drill Schoolhouse Project

Safety Plan Components Identification of Responsible Parties Implementation of Multi-Modal Communications Evacuation Procedures Basic Health, Safety Principles Emergency Preparedness Response Procedures Disaster Preparedness

WVU Parkersburg Safety Plan Features Plan is flexible to respond to variety of potential situations Plan identifies chains of command and individuals with direct responsibility with two to three levels’ deep Creates framework for immediate responses Includes role of campus building safety coordinators in emergency situations Incorporates response of external agencies

Emergency Communication In A Campus Crisis The Challenges How best to ascertain an emergency situation existed How to alert as many as possible – and as quickly as possible –across the campus if a crisis existed How to warn a classroom or a set of classrooms in the event a situation existed in a classroom next door or down the hall.

Emergency Communications Identified need for an internal emergency paging system with two-way communication in all of institution’s classrooms and key administrative areas Determined system would be key component in college’s overall safety and crisis communications strategies.

Four Questions to Consider … What can we do? What should we do? What are we obligated to do? How much can we afford to do?

Emergency Paging System Specifics ProComm Technologies Bogen Multicom 2000 Administration Communication System Features call paging buttons and “talk-back speakers” in each classroom and key administrative areas

Paging System Details 102 call buttons in classrooms and key administrative areas 171 “talk-back” ceiling speakers (classrooms, offices, hallways) 7 system phone stations with LCD information panels

Emergency Paging Specifics How it Works: Call button is activated. Immediate connection to campus security, information desk, communications staff Room location shows on system stations, monitors Nature of situation then determined; appropriate response routed asap

Campus-Wide Notification System Broadcast Capabilities Selective signaling zones, such as all first-floor classrooms All buildings or individual locations External with public address speakers at all entrances

Emergency Communication Implementation Implementation of Multi-Modal Communication Components Multiple channels of low/high tech communications activate in emergency: Paging System: p.a. announcements; warning sirens Campus’ closed circuit tv monitors Bullhorns Fire alarm activation Email to students, faculty and staff Voice mail messages to campus offices Emergency web page portal Main college phone auto attendant message

Safety and Communications Layer communications and use all means available (email, text, web, phone, broadcast systems, etc.) Once is not enough: Reinforce – and repeat – alert messages; update as warranted

West Virginia University at Parkersburg Safety On An Open Community College Campus Via Integrated Communications West Virginia University at Parkersburg Marie Foster Gnage, Ph.D., President Dave White, Safety Officer; Director, Facilities/Grounds Connie Dziagwa, Executive Director, Institutional Advancement

Link Information Campus Technology Magazine’s August 2007 Innovators: http://www.campustechnology.com/articles/49209/ WVU Parkersburg: www.wvup.edu