Comprehensive Evaluation Policies and Procedures

New Policy Document Established_October 2003

The following are the practices in use at the Creative Arts Center (CAC) for the purpose of evacuation in case of fire or other dangerous situation.

Fire

If you observe a fire in any part of the building, do not assume that someone knows about it. Immediately pull the fire alarm pull box. The alarms are monitored and the Morgantown Fire department and the Department of Public Safety will be dispatched. Exit the building.

If the fire alarm sounds, everyone MUST evacuate the building. Please escort your class to the nearest exit and remain outside well away from the building until an all-clear sign is given. DO NOT IGNORE THE ALARM AND DO NOT USE THE ELEVATORS. All faculty and staff should familiarize themselves with fire exits from various areas of the building.

The Operations Office must be provided with an accurate schedule and location for any individual that is your student or guest who may require special assistance in evacuating the building due to a disability or other ADA concern. A specific plan of action will be developed for those individuals.

Bomb Threats

Your responsibilities are as follows in the event of a Bomb Threat Situation.

I. If a bomb threat is called into any employee for their building or any other building, the employee should:

A. Notify MECCA 9-911 immediately after the caller hangs up.
B. Notify their Dean/Director if it concerns their building.
C. Complete a copy of the WVU Bomb Threat Data Form for the investigating officer, and be prepared to answer any additional questions, if possible.

II. It is the responsibility of the Dean/Director to make the decision to evacuate a building. The responding officer(s) may suggest the following alternatives:

A. Total evacuation and search.
B. Partial evacuation and search.
C. No evacuation, but a search is conducted.

* These recommendations would be based on available information.

If the Dean is not available, the authority passes to the Associate Dean and then to the Creative Arts Center Assistant Director.

NOTE: The Administration of the College of Creative Arts has determined that our course of action will always be a total evacuation and search of the Creative Arts Center.

III. When the Dean/Director or designee decides to evacuate the involved facility the officer in command will request that each employee and student remove all personal property upon their departure. These items include:

A. Packages B. Briefcases
C. Boxes
D. Lunch Pails
E. Backpacks

In addition, all computers, copy machines, and other electrical equipment should be turned off prior to departure. Consideration should also be given to turning off the gas supply. Physical Plant personnel will turn off the gas supply, if necessary.

IV. Persons leaving the facility should make every attempt to place another building between them and the Creative Arts Center, but should remain available if needed by officers to identify packages or suspicious objects as necessary.

V. Search Procedures: Officers may request that employees accompany them who are familiar with the areas that need to be searched accompany them. Experience has shown that custodians and supervisors are most valuable in assisting, because they can readily identify foreign objects or areas that have been disturbed. It is also helpful if the custodians and/or supervisors to have a complete set of keys to all locks.

VI. Time Factors: When a time of detonation has been given and nothing suspicious is discovered, the recommended standard procedure is to clear the target area of all searchers fifteen minutes prior to time of detonation. The area should not be reentered for at least fifteen minutes after the stated detonation time. If a detonation time is not given, the search should continue until the decision is made by the Dean/Director to reoccupy the facility. See item number IX below.

VII. If a suspicious object is found, do not move it. Notify the officer in charge of the scene. The Officer in charge will then take complete control of the situation and advise the Dean/Director (or other College official in charge) on further action necessary.

If the facility has not been evacuated prior to discovering a suspicious object, it may be completely or partially evacuated. The type and amount of evacuation would depend upon:

The size of the device.
The location of the device.
The type of the explosive, if discernible.
The size of the building.
The safety of the building occupants.

VIII. Minimizing the effects of detonation: When a device is found, windows and doors are to be opened to allow the blast wave to vent to the outside. Also, be sure that gas and electrical power are shut off whenever possible.

Statements and cancellation of evacuation/search: Due to the problem of civil liability, only the officer in command of the overall scene will make statements regarding the incident. Officers will not sign statements of any kind. When no explosive device is found, a statement to that effect may be made. However, no officer will state that the target area is clear and safe to be reoccupied. The officer in command will explain to the person in charge of the target facility that the decision to reoccupy is a decision that can only be made by the Deans/Directors of the facility involved, or their designee of the facility involved.

Procedure for Evacuating the CAC in the Event of Fire or other Emergency

The following set of procedures for evacuating the Creative Arts Center are used during the normal business day (8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.)

Upon activation of the fire alarm, all personnel should exit the building. The following assignments should be carried out immediately:

Chair of Art
Clear the 500-level floor and the 400-level floor from the dressing rooms through room 417A.

Chair of Music
Clear the 200-level floor from the Vivian Davis Michael Theatre through room 239A including Art Education in room 2255.

Chair of Theatre and Dance
Clear the Division offices, Davis Theatre, Upper scene shop, Ceramics shops, Falbo Theatre, Lower scene shop and Sculpture shops.

Associate Dean
Clear the 400-level floor from 415A through 440A.

Dean/Director
Clear the 300-level floor from 324A through 303A.

CCA Lab Managers/Operations
Clear the Clay Concert Theatre, and then investigate origin of alarm.

Dean/Director’s Administrative Assistant
Will stand by at a safe location and communicate by two-way radio or cellular phone during a fire evacuation event with the CAC Operations staff, who will check problem area and then move to (1) lower loading dock to Fire Control officials and (2) front of building to meet the Department of Public Safety and the Morgantown Fire Department.

During a Bomb Threat investigation, the use of two-way radio and cellular phone is not allowed unless directed to do so by either the Department of Public Safety or the Morgantown Fire Department.

In the event of a bomb threat, the Dean/Director’s Administrative Assistant will provide the prepared building closed/reentry signs.

CAC Assistant Director
Will remain available to assist as needed and meet and coordinate operations with Emergency Personnel.

The procedure for each person checking is:

All faculty, staff and students will be asked to leave the building and move well away from the building.
All doors will be closed.
Restrooms will be checked in assigned areas.
Report to Dean’s Office confirming the clearing of their assigned areas.
Exit immediately.

If a Bomb Threat Situation exists and the following personnel have evacuated their areas, then the following personnel will pick up building closed signage from the Dean’s Office and proceed immediately to secure all outside doors from possible reentry:

CCA Lab Manager/Operations/Lead: All outside doors on the 200-level floor from West to East, including and concluding with the Falbo Theatre lobby.
CCA Lab Manager/Operations: All outside doors on the 100-level floor from West to East, including and concluding with the Loading Dock area of the 200-level floor.
CAC Assistant Director: All outside doors on the 300-level floor from West to East, including and concluding with the Upper Loading Dock area.

Once the emergency condition passes these individuals will work in reverse order to re-open the building.

Evening or Non-Business Hours

During the evening hours it is understood that it is up to each faculty and staff member present to deal accordingly with the situation by following as many of the listed procedures as is safely possible for them to enact. It should be noted that the student population uses our facility quite extensively, often without benefit of a faculty or staff supervisor during the evening or weekend hours. If a student is alone or with other students in an area that becomes the source of an emergency situation, one can only rely on the common sense of the individuals involved to handle the situation in a mature and safe manner. We would also have to rely heavily, at this point, on the University’s Department of Public Safety, the University Fire Control Unit and the Morgantown Fire Department to search the areas in question, should a fire or other questionable situation exist.

Evacuation of Performance Spaces during Public Performance or Rehearsals

For the performance halls, it falls to the following individuals to evacuate the hall in question by the following procedure:

It is the responsibility of the Stage Manager(s) of Gladys G. Davis Theatre, Antoinette Falbo Theatre, Vivian Davis Michael Theatre or the Academic Lab Manager for Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre productions to immediately evacuate their respective venues.

It is the responsibility of the sponsoring faculty member present at a production in the Bloch Learning and Performance Hall to immediately evacuate that venue.

Once the alarm has sounded, the House Manager and ushers should see to the calm, safe, and orderly evacuation of the audience.

Once the alarm has sounded, the Stage Manager/Academic Lab Manager is responsible for the calm, safe, and orderly evacuation of the cast and crew of the show.

If time and safety allow, the respective responsible party will then place a telephone call to MECCA 911 to insure that assistance is on the way and provide any further information that could aid the Department of Public Safety and the Morgantown Fire Department in carrying out their duties.

EVACUATION
New Policy Document Draft 09/25/03
Revision 7/7/04 : Adopted 7/21/04