Faculty/Staff and Preparedness on Campus
Faculty
- Add additional contact information to SOU Alert – cell numbers, home phone numbers, and alternate email.
- Make sure your administrator has your contact information.
- Make sure Human Resource has your current home address, home phone number, and emergency notification information.
- Know more than one way to evacuate out of the buildings you teach in.
- Understand your responsibility in a campus lockdown.
- Talk to any students/coworkers with disabilities and establish a plan in case of the need to evacuate.
- Anchor your furniture over 42″, and don’t have tall furniture or bookcases near an exit.
- Store heavy items at floor level.
- Back up important class documents.
- Discuss emergency procedures with every class at the start of each term.
- Review SOU’s Emergency Procedures at least once a term. http://www.sou.edu/security/emergency_procedures.html
Staff
- Add additional contact information to SOU Alert – cell numbers, home phone numbers, and alternate email. http://www.sou.edu/emergencypreparedness/SOU-Alert.html
- Make sure your supervisor has your contact information.
- Confirm Human Resource has your current home address, home phone number, and emergency notification information.
- Know more than one way to evacuate out of the buildings you work in.
- Understand your responsibility in a campus lockdown.
- Talk to any students/coworkers with disabilities and establish a plan in case of the need to evacuate.
- Anchor your furniture over 42″, and don’t have tall furniture or bookcases near an exit.
- Store heavy items at floor level.
- Review SOU’s Emergency Procedures at least once a term.
Students and Preparedness on Campus
Things you can do today to help ensure your own safety and the safety of others:
- Know your role during an emergency
- Know evacuation routes out of buildings
- Know what to do during an evacuation, earthquake, or armed intruder/lockdown
- Sign up for SOU Alert
- Program 911 into your speed dial
- Tell your roommates / friends how to contact your parents
- Locate emergency Blue Light phones
- Visit SOU Map, check the box “Emergency” for a full list of Blue Light phones
- Add Campus Public Safety into your cell phone 541-552-6911
- Report suspicious activity to Campus Public Safety
Home & Family Preparedness
Many people believe government services will be able to feed and shelter them immediately following a large scale disaster. Unfortunately, this frequently is not the case. Due to our isolated geographic area and lack of redundant resources and systems, the city and county will be overwhelmed. This is especially true during the first 72 to 96 hours, until state and federal resources arrive. Everyone living in our region, including you, needs to create a 72 hour self-reliance plan. Here are some simple steps you can take to help you be prepared for any emergency, small or large.
Home Preparedness
- Make sure you have adequate supplies at home for emergencies.
- Keep at least 72 hours of non-perishable food at home.
- Have at least 1 gallon per person per day of drinking water at home.
- Keep an adequate supply of any needed prescription medications on hand.
- Regularly check the batteries in your smoke detector, cell phones, flashlight, and portable radios. We recommend checking batteries at daylight savings changes. Keep extra batteries on hand, or purchase crank type radios and flashlights.
- Know how to shut off utilities (gas, water, electricity).
- Inventory your possessions using video or photos and store in a fireproof safe, safety deposit box, or send copies to an out of area family member.
- Collect important documents (insurance policies, wills, passports, etc.) and store in fireproof safe or safety deposit box.
Family Preparedness
- Develop a personal emergency plan with your family including school age children. For more information go to Build a Kit.
- Establish an out-of-state phone contact for all family and close friends. They will serve as a clearing house for information. Many times out of state phone lines will work when local numbers won’t.
- Practice family fire drills and establish a family meeting place outside.
- In case of emergency, program emergency contact numbers in your cell phones using ICE1, ICE2.
Animal Preparedness
IF you must evacuate your home have a pet plan. Only one shelter in Jackson County allows you to bring pets. When making a pet plan consider the following:
- Make a list of phone numbers and addresses of vets and animal boarding facilities in the area.
- Keep copies of your pets vaccination records with your important papers.
- Keep a picture of your pet with your important papers in case you are separated.
- Have a ID chip placed in your pet.
- Make a list of pet items to take: leash, kennel, medication, 3 day supply of food and water, pet toy, cat litter & box, plastic bags and hand sanitizer for waste clean-up.
For more information on pet, livestock and wildlife care during a disaster go to FEMA
Preparedness For People With Disabilities
Disasters can happen anytime, anywhere and frequently without warning. Although local agencies will be responding, they cannot be everywhere at once. You may not know when a disaster will strike, but if you are prepared, you will be better able to cope and will recover more quickly from the disaster.
Specific Information for People with Disabilities in the Event of a Power Outage
- If you use a battery-operated wheelchair, life-support system, or other power-dependent equipment, call your power company and advise them in advance. Many utility companies keep a list and a map of the locations of power-dependent customers in case of an emergency. Contact the customer service department of your local utility companies to learn if this service is available in your community.
- If you use a motorized wheelchair or scooter, have an extra battery. A car battery also can be used with a wheelchair, but it will not last as long as a wheelchair’s deep-cycle battery. If available, store a lightweight manual wheelchair for backup.
- If you are blind or have a visual disability, store a talking or Braille clock or large-print timepiece with extra batteries.
- If you are deaf or have a hearing loss, consider getting a small portable battery-operated television set. Emergency broadcasts may give information in American Sign Language (ASL) or closed captioning.
Electronic payments for federal benefit recipients
If you depend on the mail for your Social Security or disability benefits, keep in mind a disaster can disrupt mail service for days or even weeks. Switching to electronic payments is one simple, significant way people can protect themselves financially before disaster strikes. It also eliminates the risk of stolen checks.
- Keep specialized items ready including extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen, catheters, medication, prescriptions, food for service animals, and any other items you might need.
- Be sure to make provisions for medications that require refrigeration.
- Keep a list of the type and model numbers of the medical devices you require.
Travel Preparedness
Be sure to check road and pass conditions when traveling out of Ashland. The following sites give road closures and delays due to weather, accidents and construction:
- Oregon Road/Pass Conditions or call 511
- California Road/Pass Conditions or call 1-800-427-7623
- Washington Road/Pass Conditions or call 1-800-695-7623
In addition to checking the road and pass conditions the following things should be done prior to any road trip
√ Ensure that your vehicle is in good shape for driving. Check you tire tread and pressure, windshield wiper blades, all of your lights, brakes, and fluids including antifreeze.
√ Check in when you arrive and depart. In hazardous weather, let someone know your route, destination and estimated time of arrival.
√ Always, always keep a well-stocked emergency kit in every vehicle.
Recommended contents include:
- Water and high energy/calorie food
- Flares, First aid kit and necessary medications
- Maps and compass or GPS
- Gloves, sturdy shoes and warm socks
- Flashlight, light sticks, extra batteries
- Blankets/space blankets for warmth, hand warmers
- Rain gear and extra clothing
- ABC type fire extinguisher
- Shovel, car chains, traction mats, kitty litter for ballast or traction if you get stuck
- Battery powered radio and extra batteries, charger for cell phone
- Tools, spare fuses, lighter
√ Always keep your fuel tank above half full. You never know when you might be stuck in traffic on a mountain pass and need to keep your car running for heat
International Travel
When you are embarking on an exciting adventure in a foreign country, for your safety it is important that you know what to do if a disaster arises. Imagine if a disaster strikes while you are in a foreign country, and not knowing what to do or where to go. This is why planning for the unexpected is as important as booking your flight.
Here are some simple steps you can take to help you if a disaster strikes when you are out of the United States.
- Register your trip with the State Department. Registration will make your where abouts known in case it’s necessary to contact you during an emergency, such as an earthquake. In addition, you will receive up to date information on security conditions.
- Write down important information, and keep it in a secure place. Don’t only rely on your cell phone or laptop to store your emergency contact numbers, etc. Keep a hard copy back-up on you. You never know where you might be when a disaster strikes.
- Know the location and how to contact the closest US Embassy or US Consultants. This is where you need to go to get help leaving the country especially if the airports have been closed. After a catastrophic event, is not the time to be asking for directions to the closest US Embassy. Every time you travel into a new region, look up the address and write it down.
- Prepare for National Disasters which occur in that region. Take five minutes to go to FEMA and review what you need to do for those specific disasters prior to traveling.
This provides a snapshot of being prepared for travel outside of the United States. For more information, tips and forms, please visit U.S Students Abroad or U.S. Department of State. Unfortunately, natural and manmade disasters can and do happen. Taking a little time to be prepared before you travel may help save your life.
Go to HealthMap to view disease outbreaks occurring around the world
Campus Public Safety
382 Wightman St.
Ashland, OR 97520
Emergency: Dial 9-1-1
Officer Assistance: (541) 552-6911
Campus Public Safety Office: (541) 552-6258