Emergency Planning for IUPUI Departments

Last updated: 01/09

The following is merely a brief summary of the planning IUPUI departments should do. Every department at IUPUI should print, fill out, and keep a copy of the IUPUI Department Emergency Planning Guidelines [Word format] handy.

Emergencies can occur at any time, without warning. Time and again history has shown that a well thought out, coordinated response helps prevent personal injury, property damage, and reduces the resulting confusion. Careful planning, with an emphasis on safety, can help departments on the IUPUI campus handle crises and emergencies with appropriate responses, and save lives. There is no guarantee that a perfect response to emergencies is practical or possible. Therefore, a plan should be considered a guide for building occupants to familiarize themselves with basic emergency planning, response, and evacuation.

General Procedures for Emergency Planning:

1. Have a building specific emergency plan that covers all emergencies. Print and fill out the Department Specific Emergency Information [DOC] list. Keep a copy of your emergency action plan in a convenient location where employees can get to it.
2. Once you have reviewed your emergency action plan with your employees and everyone has had the proper training, it is a good idea to hold practice drills as often as necessary to keep employees prepared.
3. Appoint someone to a position of authority, a department safety coordinator, who will take charge during emergencies. It is critical that employees know who the coordinator is and understand that person has the authority to make decisions during emergencies.
4. Building Wardens, Floor Wardens, and Buddies should be appointed as outlined in the IUPUI Emergency Evacuation Action Plan.

Employees Should Know:

• Where campus emergency phone numbers are posted
• The location of a fire alarm manual pull station
• The location of two portable fire extinguishers
• Central area where emergency supplies are located
• To leave or seek shelter when an alarm sounds
• At least two evacuation routes (remember that an elevator is never a way out during a fire)
• To stay outside during an evacuation, until instructed to do otherwise by the IUPUI Fire and Police officials
• The two nearest areas of refuge
• Emergency shutdown procedures (if any)
• The two nearest weather shelters
• Lab personnel should know the locaiton of th enearest emergency eye wash and shower station

Supplies and Equipment

Departments will need basic emergency supplies and equipment to be as self-sufficient as possible after an emergency. Department emergency kits will vary in size and composition, but when appropriate, all departments should have the following essentials in an accessible location: (check off to indicate that supplies are available)

• ______ First aid supplies, with training
• ______ Flashlights/batteries, approved power strips, and extension cords
• ______ Portable AM/FM radios/batteries
• ______ Campus Emergency Alert Radio (available through Emergency Preparedness)
• ______ Employee rosters
• ______ This information,

Every manager should encourage employees to keep a personal emergency kit in their work area.

Further Information / Preparedness at Home

The Department of Homeland Security has a wealth of preparedness information online at www.ready.gov

Information is also available at the IUPUI Office of Emergency Preparedness website at www.iupui.edu/prepared and at the IUPUI Environmental Health and Safety website at www.ehs.iupui.edu.

For additional printed copies of this guide in hardcopy, contact the IUPUI Office of Emergency Preparedness at 317-274-8152 or send an email to oep@iupui.edu.