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

4. 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

5. 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

7. 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

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

9. 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

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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?

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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
to students, faculty and staff
Voice mail messages to campus offices
Emergency web page portal
Main college phone auto attendant message

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

20. 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

21. Link Information
Campus Technology Magazine’s August 2007 Innovators: WVU Parkersburg: