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Natural Disasters
Emergency Preparedness
Know "Where to Go" in an emergency.
Washington University in St. Louis is
committed
to protecting the safety and security of our community. The following
information will
tell you where to go for information in an emergency, where to go on
campus, how to
report an emergency, how to respond when an emergency occurs, and how
to prepare for an emergency.
Emergencies or disasters can happen at any
time and usually occur without warning. When
an emergency strikes at Washington University, our safe and prompt
recovery will depend
on existing levels of preparedness and a thoughtful response among
students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
Where to go for information when a crisis
occurs.
You will have multiple ways to obtain
information about the
status of a crisis, should one take place at Washington University.
Web Site: Visit the University's Web site http://emergency.wustl.edu. New
information will be posted to the site continuously.
If there is no current emergency, the site will say so.
E-mail: Check your e-mail for updated
information.
Hotline: You can listen to frequently
updated voice messages by calling the university hotline: (314)
935-9000 or 888-234-2863 from out of area.
Know "Where to go when a crisis occurs"
Buildings on all campuses of Washington
University have Emergency Assembly Points (EAP), which will be marked
with the "Where to go" symbol. Look
for the one closest to you. To preview the location of Emergency
Assembly Points, visit http://emergency.wustl.edu
How to report an emergency.
If you witness an emergency situtation, to
get help
and report the emergency to the Washington University Police Department
(WUPD) or
Protective Services on the Medical Campus, please call
Danforth Campuses: WUPD (314) 935-5555
North Campus, South Campus, West Campus or Tyson Research Center: call
911, then WUPD (314) 935-5555
Medical Campus: Protective Services (314) 362-4357.
Off Campus: 911
Here's what you need to know to prepare for an
emergency.
Family
preparedness: You will be much more effective
in responsing to an emergency that takes place at Washington University
if you know your
family and loved ones are safe. For tips on how to prepare your family
for an emergency,
go to the following Web site:
http://www.dhss.mo.gov/ready_in_3.
Emergency
Text messages: Washington University has established a service
for having emergency text messages sent to your cellular phone. If you
have not already done so,
register at http://emergency.wustl.edu
Keep your
information current: Washington University can only get
emergency
information to you if the University knows how to reach you. Faculty
& Staff should confirm information
on HRMS at http://hr.wustl.edu.
Students should confirm information on SIS at http://aisweb.wustl.edustudentrecords/home.nsf.
Emergency E-mail System
The University has established an e-mail
system to communicate critical information to the campus community in a
time of urgency. The Emergency E-mail Broadcast System (EEBS) is the
result of a collaborative effort by the University's various e-mail
systems managers to create an efficient means of transmitting e-mail
messages to the entire campus. The Chancellor's Office determines the
need for using the EEBS and develops the content of messages
transmitted in this way.
Preparing
well in advance of emergencies is
one of the most effective ways to deal with any disaster. Please review
precautions, and take the steps recommended here.
St. Louis lies in the New Madrid fault
zone, the site of several large earthquakes in the early 1800s.
Another large earthquake in the region could cause significant damage
to the St. Louis area.
Prepare for an earthquake by taking a few
minutes to identify possible hazards in your work area or dorm.
Before an earthquake:
- Keep in mind that most problems from a
severe earthquake result from falling objects and debris (partial
building collapses, ceiling plaster, light fixtures, etc.), not from
ground movement.
- Affix shelves, with brackets, securely
to bookcases. Remove heavy objects from shelves above head level. Do
not hang plants in heavy pots that could swing free of hooks.
Bookcases, cabinets, or wall decorations can topple over or fall.
- Locate beds away from windows and heavy
objects that could fall. Don't hang mirrors or picture frames over beds.
- Secure appliances that could move,
causing rupture of gas or electrical lines. Flexible connectors are
suggested for gas/water lines. Know location of master switches and
shut-off valves.
- Make sure overhead lighting fixtures are
well secured to the ceiling and move heavy, unstable objects away from
exit routes.
- Replace glass bottles with plastic
containers, or move them to the lowest shelves.
- Be aware that all utilities
(gas/electric/water) will probably be down as a result of a severe
earthquake. Emergency services may be extremely limited for up to 72
hours.
- Choose one out-of-state friend or
relative that family members can call to learn of your whereabouts and
condition.
- Store or have access to emergency
supplies (water; nonperishable, ready-to-eat food; first aid kit;
medicine; tools; portable radio; flashlight; fresh batteries; blankets;
warm jacket; fire extinguisher) in a secure place at your residence and
in your car.
During an earthquake:
- Stay calm!
- Stay put,
but evacuate tunnels, mechanical rooms, laboratories, and indoor
swimming pools.
- Take
cover under a sturdy piece of furniture. Stay away from
glass, windows, and outside doors. If unable to move, cover your head
and body with your arms, pillows, blankets, books, etc. to protect
yourself from falling objects. Avoid high bookcases, mirrors, cabinets,
or other furniture that might topple.
- Hold on
until the shaking stops.
- Never take an elevator.
- If an earthquake occurs when you are
outside, get away from buildings, walls, trees, and utility wires. Stay
in an open area until shaking stops. The greatest danger from falling
debris is near exterior doorways and close to outer walls. Move
to an open area if possible. Drop to the ground until the shaking
stops.
<>If driving, pull over and stop your
car. Do not stop on overpasses, underpasses or bridges.
Stay in the vehicle until the shaking stops.
After an earthquake.
Expect
aftershocks. Each time one occurs, DROP, TAKE COVER and HOLD ON.
Check yourself
and others for injuries.
Place all
telephone receivers back on their hooks.
Tune in to the
radio, television or the Internet
(http://emergency.wustl.edu)
to get news and instructions.
If you smell
gas or chemicals fumes, leave the
building and gather ourside at the designated Emergency Assembly Point
(EAP) and do not
attempt to re-enter the building until instructed to do so by
firefighters or University
public safety staff.
Telephone the
out-of-state person you
designated so that family members and friends can call him or her to
learn about your whereabouts and condition.
For several
days after a severe
earthquake, be prepared for aftershocks. Common after a large
earthquake, aftershocks can cause additional damage to weakened
structures.
Tornados:
- The Midwest is prone to violent weather.
Broadcast radio, television and Internet weather sites issue severe
weather alerts.
Before a tornado:
- Familiarize yourself with the most
favorable areas for
shelter. Evacuate to the basement, an inside hallway, or an interior
bathroom on the lowest level possible with a flashlight and radio.
- Familiarize yourself with the buildings
evacuation plan.
- Be familiar with the weather service
alert and siren system. There is a "test" in the St. Louis area the
first Monday of each month at 11:00 a.m. unless there is an actual
threat of severe weather or tornado.
During a tornado:
- Evacuate to the basement, an inside
hallway on the lowest level
possible with a flashlight and radio. Get under something sturdy and
cover your head or assume
a crouched position with arms over your head. Remain away from outside
walls.
- Stay away from windows, particularly on
the windward side
and avoid shelter in large rooms with large unsupported roof spans.
- If outside in an automobile, do not try
to outrace the tornado; drive at right angles away from the tornado's
path. If there isn't time to evade the tornado or if you are on foot,
take cover and lie flat in the nearest depression such as a ditch,
culvert, excavation, or ravine.
After a tornado:
- Help injured or trapped persons.
- Turn on the radio, television or go to
the
internet (http://emergency.wustl.edu)
to get the latest emergency information and instructions.
- Use the telephone for emergency calls
only.
- If you smell gas or chemical fumes,
leave the building
and gather outside at the designated Emergency Assembly Point (EAP) and
do no attempt to
re-enter the building until instructed to do so by firefighters or
University public safety staff.
If you have questions or need further
advice, please call the Safety Office at 935-5659.
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