Marian Spencer Hall Building Emergency Plan

1. Introduction
2. Components of Marian Spencer Hall 
   1. Building Components 
   2. Emergency System Components 
   3. Area of Rescue Assistance
3. Building Hours and Security
4. Calling 911 On Campus/ UC Communications Center
5. Accounting for Occupants After Evacuations
6. Building Safety Points of Contact- Responsibilities and Contact Information
7. Persons with Disabilities – Special Circumstances 
   1. Fire Emergencies 
   2. Severe Weather Emergencies
8. Emergency Types / Evacuation Rally Points 
   1. Fire 
      1. Fire Drill 
      2. Fire Alarm 
   2. Severe Weather 
   3. Bomb Threats / Suspicious Activities 
   4. Illness or Injury 
   5. Active Shooter
9. Emergency Responders
10. Major Fire Hazards for Marian Spencer Hall
11. Identification and Assignment of Personnel Responsible for Maintenance of Systems to Control and Prevent Fires
12. Identification and Assignment of Personnel Designated for Information and Duties for a Building Emergency Plan
    

The University of Cincinnati is committed to providing a safe and environment for students, employees, and guests. One means of achieving that goal is the development of Building Emergency Plans.

It is impossible to predict campus emergencies or the magnitude of such emergencies. The complexity of a campus like the University of Cincinnati requires the full support of departments, faculty, staff, and students to successfully implement a Building Emergency Plan. The development, distribution, and familiarization of Building Emergency Plans are essential for student and employee safety.

Guidelines in this sample plan document are reflective of policies/procedures in place at the University of Cincinnati Department of Public Safety, Cincinnati Fire Department, and Ohio Fire Marshall. All permanent and transient building occupants should become familiar with the information contained in these Building Emergency Plans.

1. Building Components: Marian Spencer Hall has 11 floors. The entire building is equipped with pull stations, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and a sprinkler system. The main fire alarm panel is located across from the front desk on the lobby level. This building contains a food court and restaurant on the lower level. There is also a full kitchen on the 1^st floor for building occupants to use.
2. Emergency System Components: Audible fire alarms are designed to notify building occupants whenever fire alarm pull stations, smoke detectors, heat detectors, or fire sprinkler systems go into activation. This building contains hood suppression units in the kitchen areas. Building occupants may receive additional verbal warning information through the fire alarm speaker system, and visual alarm notification via strobe warning lights, both co-located in most university buildings. Note: smoke and heat detector installation may be limited to specific areas of some buildings. Automatic fire sprinkler systems are used to protect building occupants and contents in residence halls, classrooms, meeting rooms, and most indoor places of assembly.  Whenever anyone of these aforementioned systems is activated, notification is automatically transmitted to the University of Cincinnati 911 Communications Center responsible to dispatch appropriate resources to the respective emergency. Several different types of fire extinguishers are installed throughout university buildings. Specific building hazards are the key factor used to determine the types of fire extinguishers installed. Marian Spencer Hall contains mostly ABC type extinguishers used for fires fueled by paper, flammable liquids, and electrical fires. There are extinguishers used for deep fat fryers in the food court and first floor kitchen areas. Fire extinguishers are maintained by Facilities Management.
3. Area of Rescue Assistance (ARA): An ARA is an area where persons unable to use stairways can remain temporarily to await instructions or assistance during emergency evacuation. There are no Areas of Rescue Assistance located in Marian Spencer Hall. 

Marian Spencer Hall is not open to the public and is accessible to residents of the building via Bearcat card on swipe access. Access outside of residents is limited to those staff members who have been permitted access, by way of their UC ID card, by the housing staff.

The University of Cincinnati 911 Communications Center is interconnected with other communications centers operated by the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, and Clermont County. All four centers operate 24/365. All 911 calls using campus phones will be routed to the UC Communications Center regardless from which campus a call is placed. A 911 call from a cell phone will typically (but not always) be routed to the nearest city or county dispatch center. It is imperative that whenever placing a 911 call using a cell phone from any location that the caller provides the call-taker with the specific UC Campus and location where emergency assistance is needed.  For example: 911 call takers are trained to ask callers, “911, where is your emergency”? The caller should reply, “The University of Cincinnati Blue Ash Campus; Walters Hall; Room 144”.  The city/county center receiving the call will ask for some additional information and then transfer the caller to the UC Communications Center while simultaneously notifying emergency responders in the appropriate geographical area.

Building Safety Points of Contact will attempt to account for all occupants after a building evacuation. Building occupants are strongly urged to check in at predetermined building evacuation collection points for accountability purposes, and so that emergency responders do not have to unnecessarily enter buildings searching for “missing” building occupants. Building Safety POCs will report any missing occupants and their last known location to emergency responders.

Building Safety POCs are required for each Department. These individuals (or alternates) are responsible to make all reasonable efforts to ensure that evacuation/relocation takes place when an emergency alarm system is activated or a severe weather alert necessitates relocation within a building. Building Safety POCs will not jeopardize personal safety while attempting to ensure that building occupants have taken appropriate protective actions. Building Safety POCs are also responsible to account for departmental employees and visitors who may have assembled at the designated evacuation/relocation points post building evacuation/relocation. UC Public Safety Emergency Management and Fire Inspectors will provide additional information to Building Safety POCs and alternates upon request.

Building Safety POCs are responsible to maintain a list of Building Safety POC alternates, and to ensure that all building occupants have received a copy of the Building Emergency Plan.

1. Fire Emergencies: Public Safety guidelines permit individuals with disabilities the option of staying in the building during an emergency if they are non-ambulatory, or where elevator assistance is essential for their evacuation, and they are located either above or below the ground floor. 
   1. If on ground floor, exit the building as usual
   2. If above or below ground, seek a safe place—preferably a designated area of refuge (none are currently located in Marian Spencer Hall), or a room with an exterior window, a telephone, and a solid door
      • Call Emergency Dispatch (911) and advise that you are a person or with a person who is non-ambulatory or has a physical disability. Give your exact location – Campus, Building, Room number, and the phone number from which you are calling.
      • Upon arrival, the fire department will determine the best protective action for disabled or non-ambulatory building occupants.
2. Severe Weather Emergencies: Assist persons with disabilities to the severe weather shelter location. The elevators may be used by individuals with ambulatory disabilities
   

1. Fire:
   • If you encounter smoke, fire, fire alarm activation or a report of burning odor, fire or smoke immediately:
     • Activate the nearest fire alarm pull station on the way out of the building• If possible, close all doors and windows
     • DO NOT USE THE ELEVATORS!
     • Exit the building as quickly as possible, call 911 once outside
     • The Marian Spencer Hall Assembly Location is on the grass of Sigma Sigma Commons
     • Building Safety Points of Contact will account for all employees and visitors to ensure that all are out of the building
     • Building Safety Points of Contact  will report any missing employees or visitors, and their last known location, to the nearest emergency personnel• Await further instructions from UC Public Safety or Cincinnati Fire Department
     • Do not reenter the building until approved by emergency responders
   • Fire Drill versus Fire Alarm
     • Fire Drills are planned. Public Safety conducts fire drills in majority of the university academic buildings annually as required by the Ohio Fire Code. 
     • Fire Alarms are unplanned and may be accidental, some are on purpose. 
   • The Ohio Fire Code mandates evacuation of all occupants, when the alarm sounds and to treat every alarm as real. 
2. Severe Weather: If severe weather is detected (severe thunderstorms, tornadoes etc.) the campus severe weather warning system will sound, instructing all occupants to:
   • Evacuate your area and take shelter
   • Elevators may only be used by individuals with ambulatory disabilities
   • Severe weather safety locations for Marian Spencer Hall are noted as the lower levels interior hallway, lower stairwells and any lower level restrooms without glass windows and doors to the outside
   • Await further instruction from Public Safety before leaving the assembly area
3. Bomb Threats / Suspicious Activities: If you receive a bomb threat, suspicious package, locate a suspicious item or see suspicious activity:
   • Do not use cell phones or radios!
   • Call 9-1-1 to report what you have found, heard or seen from a landline phone
   • Do not attempt to move or open items, or confront individuals
   • If warranted, and if possible, clear all individuals from the immediate area lock the door, exits the building, and assemble on the grass of Sigma Sigma Commons
4. Illness or Injury: In the event of an illness or injury: 911 from a UC landline will get you directly to UC Communications Center; 911 from a cell phone will get City of Cincinnati dispatcher. When using a cell phone, make sure to inform the dispatcher you are on UC’s campus.
   • Call 911 and report what has happened. The UC 911 dispatcher will send emergency medical assistance as needed.
   • Direct someone to the front door of the building to direct emergency personnel to the injured/ill person.
5. Active Shooter
   • RUN:
     • If you can escape an active shooting, run.
     • Run immediately – leave everything behind.
     • Encourage others to escape with you, but do not wait on them.
     • Once you are safely away from the shooter call, or have someone call, 911 and report what you know.
   • HIDE:
     • If escape appears impossible, hide
     • Lock and barricade doors, turn off lights, silence cell phones completely, remain quiet
     • Take cover behind furniture or fixtures away from doorways.
     • Stay away from windows
     • Prepare yourself and others for FIGHT
   • FIGHT:
     • If running or hiding are not possible or fail, and you are confronted by the aggressor, fight
     • Use items around you as weapons to fight 
     • Fight to create an opportunity to escape

Marian Spencer Hall is served by the UC Public Safety (556-1111), the Cincinnati Fire Department, Environmental Health and Safety (556-4968), University Health Services and Facilities Management (558-2500) personnel. All immediate emergency concerns can be directed through the UC 911 Communications, by dialing 911 from any UC phone.

There are no major fire hazards in Marian Spencer Hall. No large chemicals quantities are stored in this building.

The fire alarm system is maintained by the University of Cincinnati’s Emergency Services Personnel. The university’s Facilities Management Department maintains the building operations and housekeeping. They may be reached by contacting the University of Cincinnati’s dispatch center at 911 or 556-1111 (non-emergency).

UC Public Safety Emergency Management may be contacted at 513-556-4900.