Overview
Amherst College is committed to the welfare of its students, faculty, staff and visitors. Preparing an emergency preparedness plan and allocating resources to respond to possible emergencies is one way the College meets this commitment. The plan is fashioned in accordance with the laws, regulations, and policies that govern emergency preparedness and reflects the most current thinking in this area.
The Emergency Preparedness Plan is designed to maximize human survival and preservation of property, minimize danger, restore normal working conditions, and assure responsive communications with the College community, surrounding neighborhoods, the Town of Amherst, state agencies such as the State Police, the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).
The Emergency Preparedness Plan for Amherst College is publicly available on the Environmental Health and Safety web site (http://www.amherst.edu/~ehs/). Copies of our incident specific response plans are located in each Amherst College Police car, the Environmental Health and Safety response vehicle, and in the Dispatch Center of the Amherst College Campus Police Department.
It shall be the responsibility of the Chief of Campus Police and the Environmental Health and Safety Manager to update the Amherst College Emergency Preparedness Plan. The plan shall be reviewed annually and updated as needed.
Reporting
There must be a commonly known way to report an emergency for the public. The Campus Police Department posts bright orange stickers near all common telephones with emergency numbers to call. In addition, the numbers are posted in telephone directories, Campus Security Act Compliance Documents, and referred to during all crime prevention seminars.
The Environmental Health and Safety Manager makes reference to reporting emergencies in all training for Physical Plant Staff and incorporates it into appropriate policies.
There are also a number of emergency call boxes located throughout the campus that dial the Campus Police directly. These are clearly marked by a visible blue light.
Certain emergencies are reported immediately to local authorities by the Campus Police Communications Center. A direct line from Campus Police allows immediate contact with the local public safety dispatch center.
Activation
The authority to declare a campus state of emergency lies with the President or his/her designee, typically the Director of Facilities Planning and Management. The Director of Facilities Planning and Management serves as the Emergency Director. A campus state of emergency is in effect when declared by the President or his/her designee
The plan shall be set in motion whenever a natural or induced emergency affecting the College reaches proportions that cannot be handled by established measures. Emergencies are sudden and unforeseen or there may be varying periods of warning. The plan is intended to be sufficiently flexible to accommodate contingencies of all types, magnitudes, and durations.
The plan provides for aiding the local community when appropriate, though the prime responsibility of the plan is to the College community. The intent of the plan is to be a tool to accomplish the stated purposes with a minimum of confusion and wasted effort.