Your Emergency Response Matters

You may not feel in control during an emergency, such as an earthquake, fire, or active shooter event. But your response can help you, and the people around you, get through the emergency safely and recover more quickly afterwards. Here are some beneficial actions you can take in any emergency:

Stay Calm

• Allows you to think more clearly and make better choices.
• Helps the people around you stay calm, think more clearly and make better choices.
• Frees emergency responders and building responders to focus on emergency response, rather than on your reaction to the emergency.

Follow Instructions

In an emergency, you may get instructions from:  

• BTC Alerts
• Building Responders
• First responders, including emergency medical technicians, firefighters, and police officers

Follow those instructions to keep yourself and everyone else safe.

Help People Who Need Assistance

The people around you may need physical or medical assistance before or after an emergency.

Physical Assistance

As you take whatever action is required in an emergency, provide whatever assistance is needed to people around you with disabilities and mobility issues if you can safely do so.

Medical Assistance

Provide only the level of medical care you are trained to provide. If you can’t provide medical care, you can still: 

• Point out people in need of medical assistance to first responders
• Wait with an injured person until help arrives, if safe to do so.

The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is based on an all-hazards approach as opposed to individual scenarios. Bellingham Technical College is expanding our campus safety program to include the SRP, which is based on these five actions: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate and Shelter. In the event of an emergency, these actions and appropriate direction will be broadcast via BTC Alert and other emergency notification methods.

• Hold

  Remain in your room or area, clear the hallways

  • Remain in your room or area
  • Clear Hallways
  • Wait until the "All Clear" is announced by staff or emergency responders

  
  

  Hold is called when halls or common areas need to be temporarily cleared.

• Secure

  Get inside, Lock exterior doors, Lock room doors

  • Stay in the classroom
  • If in the hallway, go to the nearest classroom or office
  • Close and lock the door
  • Wait for direction
  • You may continue business as normal, but be mindful of your surroundings
  • Wait until the "All Clear" is announced by staff or emergency responders

  
  

  Secure is called when there is a threat or hazard outside the building.

• Lockdown

  Lock, Lights Off, Out of Sight

  • Remain in your room or area
  • If in a hallway, go to the nearest classroom or office
  • Close and lock the door
  • Move away from sight
  • Stay quiet
  • Silence phones
  • Do NOT open the door
  • Prepare to evade or defend (Run-Hide-Fight)
  • Wait for emergency responders to state "All Clear"

   

  Lockdown is called when there is a threat or hazard inside the building.

• Evacuate

  Leave the building, Get to a safe location

  • Leave your belongings behind if required to.
  • Bring your phone
  • Evacuate as a class or individually
  • Follow instructions at the evacuation site

   

  Evacuate is called to move people from one location to another.

• Shelter

  Use a hazard safety strategy

  • Determine appropriate safety strategy for the situation (i.e. Drop, Cover, Hold on)

   

  Shelter is called when the need for personal protection is necessary

• Medical Emergency

  Time Matters in a Medical Emergency

  If you believe someone is having a stroke, heart attack, or other serious medical issue, call 911 immediately. Stay on the line with dispatchers until they tell you it’s OK to hang up. Building addresses are located in the Emergency Reference Guidebook. Then call Campus Safety at 360.305.1006.

   

  Automatic Emergency Defibrillators

  Automatic Emergency Defibrillators for use in the event of a heart attack are located the following locations:

  • C Building - Main Entryway
  • H Building - Hallway Campus Entrance
  • J Building - Central Hallway
  • Campus Center (CC) - 1st floor vending machine room
  • Morse Center - 1st floor next to elevator
  • Perry Center - Main Entryway

   

  Giving Medical Assistance

  If a medical emergency occurs, give only the level of care you are trained to give. If you cannot give medical assistance, you can still:

  • Request a first aid kit
  • Contact emergency personnel
  • Stay with the victim and reassure them

   

  Want to be even more prepared for a medical emergency? Find CPR and First Aid classes and get certified.

• Fire

  Follow the Evacuate Standard Response Protocol

  • Do not pause to gather your belongings.
  • Proceed quickly and calmly to the nearest exit.
  • Assist people with disabilities or mobility issues if you can safely do so.
  • Follow instructions from building responders, Campus Safety, and emergency personnel.
  • Do not re-enter the building or campus until you get the “all clear” from BTC Alerts, Campus Safety or emergency personnel.

   

  Do not use elevators in the event of a fire 

  • If a fire occurs and you are not at ground level, proceed to the nearest staircase.
  • Assist people with disabilities or mobility issues if you can safely do so.

   

  During the evacuation:

  • Follow instructions from Building Responders, Campus Safety, firefighters, and EMS personnel.
  • Do not re-enter the building until you’ve received the all-clear. The college will send out an all-clear message via BTC Alerts when firefighters have determined that it’s safe to re-enter the building.

• Earthquake

  In an earthquake, Drop, Cover, and Hold On.

  • Drop to your hands and knees.
  • Cover your head with your arms to shield it from falling objects.
  • Hold onto a desk or other solid object.

   

  Follow the Shelter Standard Response Protocols:

  • Shelter under a desk or another solid structure.
  • Stay away from windows that could break and scatter glass.
  • Do not run outside while the earthquake is going on.
  • If aftershocks occur after the main earthquake has finished, seek shelter again.

   

  After an earthquake occurs:

  • If you’re in a building that’s been damaged, move cautiously toward the exit, avoiding potential hazards, and go outside, away from the building.
  • If you’re trapped, don’t move around. Use your cell phone to call for help if possible.
  • If you’re trapped, tap on a pipe or wall or use a whistle, if you have one, so that rescuers can locate you.
  • Do not enter a building that may have been damaged until it’s been cleared by emergency responders.

   

  Prepare for earthquakes:

  • Assemble earthquake kits with non-perishable food, water, a flashlight, a whistle, and a first-aid kit to keep under your workstation, in your car, and at home.
  • Make a plan for how your family will contact each other and reunite after an earthquake.
  • Participate in the Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill, held every October.

• Active Subject/Active Threat

  In an active subject/active threat situation, someone comes to campus and attempts to kill large numbers of people, most often with a gun, but sometimes with a knife or other weapon. If you learn that an active subject/active threat situation is happening, take steps to protect yourself. We recommend that people evaluate their situation, then choose to an action: Run, Hide, or Fight.

   

  Run: Evacuate if you can

  • Move away from the armed person or the sound of gunfire.
  • Move in a zigzag pattern.
  • Move away from groups of people.
  • Leave campus if you can.
  • If you can’t leave campus, move as far away as possible and find a secure place to hide.
  • Don’t stop to gather your belongings.
  • While moving, keep your hands visible to law enforcement.
  • Assist people with disabilities or mobility issues if you can safely do so.
  • Attempt to convince others to go with you, but don’t stay if they won’t go.
  • Call 911 when it is safe to do so. Give as many details as possible. If it's not safe to call, you can text 911 in Whatcom County.

   

  Hide: Find a safe place

  • If you believe evacuating the area would put you at risk, find a place to hide out of sight.
  • Choose a place with thick walls and few windows, if possible.
  • Lock doors and barricade them with furniture.
  • Turn off lights.
  • Silence cell phones and other electronics.
  • Close windows and blinds to avoid being seen from the outside.
  • Contact 911 via text to avoid making noise. Learn how to text 911 in Whatcom County.
  • Remain hidden until you get the all-clear from BTC Alerts.
  • If you’re outdoors, try to find a hiding place that offers protection from gunfire, as well as concealment, such as wall, large trees, or buildings.

   

  Fight: Attempt to incapacitate the shooter

  • Fight only as a last resort, if your life is in imminent danger and you can’t safely run or hide.
  • Physically attack the shooter.
  • Team up with nearby people to overwhelm the shooter, if possible.
  • Throw heavy items such as chairs at the shooter.
  • Call 911 when it’s safe to do so.

   

  After the Incident

  • Remain where you are until you get the “all clear” from law enforcement, from Campus Safety, or from BTC Alerts.
  • When law enforcement arrives, make sure you hold up your hands to show that you’re not holding a weapon.
  • When it is safe to do so, connect with family members at a pre-arranged site.

• Person in Crisis

  A person in crisis may or may not appear with signs of crisis. A person in crisis may share that they have feelings of extreme anxiety, fear, sadness or depression, agitation or expressions of suicidal thoughts or plans.

   

  IF THE PERSON IS AN IMMEDIATE THREAT to themselves or others, CALL 911.

   

  If there is no immediate safety threat to others or to themselves, seek assistance and refer to the following:

  • Notify a BTC campus counselor or seek support by calling 988 for an external crisis hotline.
  • Provide a safe space for the person  by taking them to a safe and private area. Be sure to alert others of where you if you change locations
  • Keep a calm voice - raising your voice or showing signs of concern could escalate the person
  • Listen and try to identify and/or confirm their wants, needs and feelings by reflecting back what they are saying
  • Do NOT leave the person alone if able
  • Do NOT call Police unless there is an immediate safety threat
  • Provide relevant information to the responding professional so they can provide the best care
  • After the person’s care has been transferred to professional support, take a moment to process what has occurred, and seek support for yourself

• Alarming Behavior

  Alarming behavior is behavior that causes people to feel danger or to be worried or frightened that the behavior may cause immediate harm to themselves or others. This is behavior that has escalated beyond disruptive activity.

  If you are experiencing a person who is disrupting the learning or working environment, use the Green Button or contact Campus Safety (360.305.1006) for assistance.

  If the person’s activity is causing fear or an immediate safety risk, call 911.

  • If the person is inside the classroom, dismiss the class asap and direct someone to alert Campus Safety to initiate SECURE procedures within the building.
  • If the person is outside the classroom, Get inside, lock the doors and SECURE your space.
  • Call 911. Identify yourself and your location.
  • Describe the behavior; details about the person and where the person is currently or was last seen.
  • Contact Campus Safety at 360.305.1006.

• Hazardous Materials

  Hazardous materials are substances or chemicals that pose a health hazard, a physical hazard, or harm to the environment.

  Signs of potential hazardous materials concerns / exposure:

  • A foul odor
  • Visible gases
  • Unusually colored flames (in labs)
  • An increase pitch of a relief valve on a pressurized system / container or loud and unusual sound
  • Sudden dizziness
  • Skin irritation and/or burning eyes
  • Throat irritation
  • Unusual taste

  If you suspect a hazmat incident on-campus:

  • EVACUATE the space/area immediately.
  • Alert others in the area or near the area.
  • Seal-off/Close the door, if safe to do so.
  • Activate fire alarm on the way out.
  • Call 911 and Facilities Department at 360.305.1004.
  • Alert Campus Safety at 360.305.1006.
  • Wait for “all clear” before entering the building.

  If you suspect a hazmat incident off-campus:

  • Seek SHELTER inside a building immediately.
    • Refer to SHELTER guidance for next steps.
  • Alert others in the area or near the area.
  • Call Campus Safety at 360.305.1006.
  • Alert Facilities Department at 360.305.1004.
  • Wait for “all clear” before exiting.

• Outdoor Hazard

  Outdoor Hazards may include:

  • Environmental hazards
  • Emergency services activity on or adjacent to campus

  
  

  Initiate HOLD procedure immediately!

  Clear Hallways / Remain in your area

  Close exterior/classroom doors. You may lock doors.

  Continue business as usual.

  Wait for the “All Clear".

• Bomb Threat

  In the event of a bomb threat, please follow all instructions provided by BTC or law enforcement.

  If You Receive a Bomb Threat

  Bomb threats are typically received via telephone. If you receive a bomb threat:

  • Take the threat seriously.
  • Stay on the line with the caller as long as possible.
  • Take notes on your conversation with the caller or use the Bomb Threat Checklist in the BTC Emergency Reference Guide. Record what was said, as well as your impressions.
  • Ask someone else to call Campus Safety. Or call Campus Safety (360.305.1006) as soon as you’ve finished talking to the caller.
  • Share your notes and impressions with Campus Safety or the police as requested.

  
  

  Things to ask the caller:

  • What is your name?
  • Where is the bomb?
  • What time is the bomb set to go off?
  • What does it look like?
  • What kind of bomb is it?
  • Why was the bomb placed on campus?
  • What can we do to stop the bomb?

  
  

  Things to observe about the caller:

  • Probable gender
  • Estimated age
  • Vocal characteristics
  • Background noises

• Suspicious Package

  If you receive a suspicious package or letter, do not open or touch it. Evacuate the area, and call Campus Safety at 360.305.1006 to report the package or letter.

   

  Possible signs of a suspicious package

  • Leaks, stains, or powdered substances visible on packaging.
  • Excessive tape or string.
  • Protruding wires.
  • Improperly addressed, and/or has misspellings or poor handwriting.
  • Excessive postage, no postage, or no return address.
  • Sounds, including ticking or vibrations.
  • Strange odors
  • Something you didn’t order from someone you don’t know.

   

  View a U.S. Post Office example of a suspicious package.