What to Do in an Emergency

Civil Disturbances:
Bombing, Hostage Situation, On-Campus Shooting, Riot

Should a civil disturbance such as one of the above listed occur:

• Lock or block your building or room doors 
• Turn off lights and move away from windows 
• Notify YU Safety & Security and call 911 
• Watch for YU Alert messages to be sent via text message, email and phone 
• Watch closely for arrival of YU Safety & Security officers and follow their instructions 
• Avoid contact with assailants or dissident parties 
• Minus any official order to evacuate, remain stationary until an “all clear” signal arrives from University Safety & Security officials or police 
• If the order is given to evacuate floor or building, move out of the building as quickly and safely as possible, assisting those persons with disabilities or injuries as best possible 
• Remain as far away as possible from any buildings or areas near the danger   

Fires, Gas Leaks, or Power Failures 

• Evacuate the building as quickly as possible, following your building’s fire drill/evacuation procedures. YU Safety & Security officials and Floor Wardens will be stationed near emergency exits to assist. Take your personal belongings with you as long as you can do so quickly and without endangering yourself or others.
• Assist any persons with disabilities or in need of assistance. 
• Do Not use Elevators
• Meet in designated spaces with YU Safety & Security officials and await instructions. 
• Administrative and academic department supervisors should pre-determine outside meeting spaces for your faculty and staff in the case of a fire evacuation of your building. 

Severe Weather

Monitor www.yu.edu and www.yu.edu/safety-security/emergency for updates on snow storms, hurricanes, flooding and other severe weather conditions and their impact on University operations and safety. Additionally, keep tuned to local radio or television stations for the latest Weather Service advisories and monitor www.weather.com for weather conditions updates. The National Weather Service can usually provide 12 to 24 hours of advance warning of an approaching storm. 

If you are on a YU campus during a severe weather event and unable to safely leave:

• Remain indoors until danger presented by the event has passed; Watch for weather, safety, transportation and housing updates (via email, YU Alert, postings at building security desks, etc.) from the Safety & Security and Campus Housing offices
• Take immediate shelter in interior rooms (bathrooms, stairwells, etc.), preferably on the lowest floor of the building, unless doing so brings you closer to danger (example: flooding)
• Stay clear of windows and areas with glass
• Stay clear of doorways and entrances
• Stay clear of areas that house chemicals and areas with heavy, unsecured items that could move or be upended easily by the severe weather elements
• If a severe weather event is impacting campus you should stay away. Do not come to campus during a severe weather event unless your presence is essential. 

Major Natural Disasters

In the instance of a significant natural disaster impacting New York City, the NYC Office of Emergency Management will activate warning signals in the affected areas. These warnings may come over the TV, radio or Internet. Stay tuned to TV or radio whenever a major weather event or other peacetime disaster threatens.
Remain as far away as possible from disaster areas.
If evacuation is required, proceed via emergency exits to the area of assembly designated by the building evacuation plan, and remain there until further instructions are given.  

Discovery of Suspicious Objects

• Notify YU Safety & Security immediately
• Notify your department supervisor
• Do not touch or attempt to move the object
• Prepare yourself and others to evacuate quickly if needed  

Hazardous Materials

A hazardous material has the ability to cause death or harm to human health, animals, or the environment, either by itself or through interaction with other factors and includes the following: infectious substances, corrosives, flammable liquids, compressed gases, explosives, radioactive materials, poisons.  

Chemical
In the event of a chemical spill, the following response procedures shall be observed: 

• Alert personnel in the surrounding area, no matter how small or insignificant it appears.
• Determine if the spill is major or minor. Prior to working with a chemical, become familiar with its hazards by referring to its Safety Data Sheet (SDS).

A major spill is an event that requires assistance from the Safety Department or cannot be handled with existing University resources. It also includes events where personal injury or contamination is involved.
A minor spill can safely be handled by laboratory personnel without outside assistance.

Major Spill Response Actions

• Immediately, notify personnel in the immediate area to evacuate.
• If possible, without risking personal exposure, close all doors to the location.
• Contact the Security Department and the Safety Department, and be prepared to provide the following information:
  • Your name; Your contact number; Location of Spill; Name of materiaspilled (spell the chemical name; some chemicals sound alike); Physical state of the material; Amount spilled; If injuries have occurred; Time of incident/Time observed; Other pertinent information  
   
• Stay on the phone for further instructions – DO NOT HANG UP.   

Laboratory personnel should cautiously proceed with spill clean-up, if the following conditions are met: 

• The identity of the substance is known.
• The hazards do not pose a significant threat to health and safety. Refer to the applicable SDS for this information.
• Clean-up equipment is available and accessible.
• Personnel handling the clean-up has received safety training and is confident that exposure to oneself and others will not occur. 
• If at any point an outside assistance is needed, the Security Department and the Safety Department should immediately be contacted and the following information should be provided.
  • Your name; Your contact number; Location of Spill; Name of material spilled (spell the chemical name; some chemicals sound alike); Physical state of the material; Amount spilled
  • If injuries have occurred
  • Time of incident/Time observed
  • Other pertinent information   
   

Biological
In the event of a biological material spill, alert personnel in the immediate area and follow the response procedures below:

• Evacuate the area and post warning signs (“Biohazard Spill – Do Not Enter”) on all entrances to the spill location.
• Allow aerosols to settle for 30 minutes before clean-up.
• Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (gloves, lab coat, face protection, etc.) 
• Cover the spilled material with a 10% bleach solution or other approved disinfectant .Avoid splashing. 
• Allow 20 to 30 minutes for the disinfectant to inactivate the biohazard. Always follow manufacturer’s directions.
• Use forceps, thongs or a broom and dust pan to pick-up any broken glass or sharps. Debris should be deposited in a biohazard sharps container. 
• Use paper towels or absorbent pads to wipe up spilled material, then dispose of in a biohazard container. 
• Wipe down all surfaces or items in contact with the material once more with absorbent material and disinfectant.
• Sterilize all re-usable items by autoclaving.
• Remove gloves; wash hands with soap and water after clean-up. 
• Inform personnel upon completion.

• Keep the biosafety cabinet blower on.
• While wearing PPE, wipe cabinet walls and work surfaces with disinfectant and avoid placing head in the cabinet.
• If necessary, flush the work surface as well as the drain pans and catch basins below the work surface with disinfectant and ensure the drain valve is closed.
• The drain pan should be emptied into a collection vessel containing disinfectant. 
• After clean-up, allow the cabinet to run for ten minutes before resuming work.

• For personal contamination:
• Remove contaminated clothing and other protective equipment and place in a biohazard bag.
• Wash affected body parts thoroughly with soap and water. 
• Seek immediate medical attention.
• Report the incident to the Safety Department, the Security Department and the Principal Investigator responsible for the laboratory.

Odor Complaint
In the event of an abnormal, obvious condition where several people in an area experience feelings of discomfort or illness, contact the Safety Department and the Security Department immediately.
“Feelings of discomfort or illness” include sudden headache; irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat; dizziness; fatigue and nausea etc. These symptoms may not appear suddenly; they may occur gradually over hours or days or weeks.
An “abnormal obvious condition” is generally noticed by some or all occupants in an area, rather than sensitivity by one person to a specific thing. It could be any of the following:

• Odor of gas, chemical, electrical, or other.
• Haze in the air.
• Visible dust clouds or fumes.
• Vibration. 

For further information on how to prepare for and respond to other emergency scenarios, review the University’s Emergency Procedures Manuals.