Brush Fires

• Call you campus building department and advise them of the problem.
• Advise the dispatcher, or the coordinator, of the location and severity of the leak. Indicate whether any valuables, art collections, or books are involved, or are in imminent danger. (Public Safety or the graduate campus coordinator will notify the appropriate authorities and dispatch officers to assist.)
• If there are electrical appliances or electrical outlets near the leak, use extreme caution. If there is any possible danger, evacuate the area.
• If you know the source of the water and are confident of your ability to stop it (i.e., unclog the drain, turn off water, etc.), do so cautiously.
• Be prepared to assist, as directed, in protecting University and personal property that is in jeopardy. Take only those steps that are needed to avoid or reduce immediate water damage: cover large objects with plastic sheeting; carefully move small or light objects out of the emergency area.

• Call campus emergency services or your local fire department, 911
• If toxic chemicals come in contact with your skin, immediately flush the affected area with clear water for at least 15 minutes. Use chemical showers if available.
• If you can give responders information as to the chemicals involved or stored in the affected area, it will help them respond more quickly. 
• If possible, notify your professor of the extent and location of the spill.If there is any possible danger, evacuate your area immediately. 

• Remain calm.
• If time permits, close windows in the room where the fire is located. Close the door behind you as you leave, and immediately sound the building fire alarm. 
• Call the fire department as soon as possible. 
• If you can give responders information as to the chemicals involved or stored in the affected areas, it will help them respond more quickly. 
• If the fire is large, very smoky, or rapidly spreading, evacuate the building immediately. Inform others in the building who may not have responded to the alarm to evacuate immediately. The alarm may not sound continuously. If the alarm stops, continue to evacuate. Warn others who may attempt to enter the building after the alarm stops.  ALWAYS EVACUATE A BUILDING IF THE ALARM IS SOUNDING. 
• When fire alarms sound, do not use the elevators. An elevator may become a trap. Give assistance to (help carry, if necessary) all disabled persons in using the stairs. 
• Relocate to your designated assembly area, which should be a distance of at least 500 feet from the building, and stay out of the way of emergency personnel. Do not return to the building until instructed to do so by Public Safety or public agency personnel.
• Notify either Public Safety personnel or firefighters on the scene if you suspect that someone may be trapped inside the building. 
• Unless you have been trained specifically in fighting hazardous material fires, do not attempt to extinguish the fire. 

• Find out where the nearest two or three shelters are likely to be located.
• Discuss your planning with friends/roommates/local family members.
• Identify alternate meeting places in case of separation.
• Establish a contact person from outside California.
• Make sure all family members carry the telephone number of the contact and understand the importance of checking with that person if the family is separated during a disaster.
• Alert family members outside the area of your plans.
• Make arrangements for special needs.
• Store sufficient personal survival supplies (see suggested list below).
• Store supplies to sustain you during relocation (see suggested list below).

• Food and water for up to three days.
• Blankets
• First Aid Kit
• Flashlight and batteries
• A change of clothes
• Comfortable walking shoes

• Bedding
• Flashlights
• Batteries
• Games, books
• Medications
• Special dietary foods
• Valuable papers
• Treasured photographs
• Telephone lists
• Photo ID with home address
• Pens and paper
• Personal hygiene supplies (e.g., toothbrush, soap, contact lens solution, sunscreen)
• Change of clothes
• Comfortable walking shoes

• Candles
• Heating devices
• Beds or furniture

• Remain calm.
• Call your campus’s building services.
• Give your name, location, and telephone number. Advise the dispatcher or coordinator of the situation and of any additional locations that are without power. The dispatcher or coordinator will immediately notify the appropriate department or agency of the outage.
• Provide assistance to other individuals in your immediate area.
• Secure files, turn off computers, unplug electronic equipment, and lock windows and doors as you leave.
• If you are in an unlit area, proceed cautiously to an area that has emergency lights.
• If you are trapped in an elevator, remain calm. Use the intercom, emergency telephone, or emergency call button. Public Safety officers, or the fire department, will be dispatched to your location for assistance.
• Stand by for instruction from your coordinator or from Public Safety personnel.

If you believe an individual poses an imminent threat to a member or members of the University community, please contact our Department of Public Safety immediately.  If you are located at a graduate campus and believe imminent danger is likely, please contact 911 immediately and then contact the Department of Public Safety.   If you do not believe that harm is imminent, but an individual’s behavior seems threatening or seems like it could lead to harm to the individual or to the community, you should report the concern.  If you are a student or a faculty member, contact Public Safety or your dean’s office.  If you are a staff member or other member of the community, contact Public Safety or the local police.  It is better to err on the side of notifying the appropriate individuals than to remain silent; the institution has resources with which to assess these situations and the individual of concern.  If you have any questions, please contact your campus Department of Public Safety.               

• Windstorms severe enough to cause damage may occur at infrequent intervals and may be accompanied by torrential rains.
• At the time of warning of impending severe winds, property and equipment not properly anchored should be moved inside a building or tied down. Close windows.
• The best protection in severe winds is in permanent buildings. As a result, steps will be taken to ensure the safety of students/personnel within buildings rather than to evacuate.
• Time permitting, students in temporary structures will be moved to a permanent structure.
• Immediately after the cessation of severe winds, Facilities Management & Planning and Public Safety will inspect the campus for damage.

• Upon discovering a fire, close the door to the room where the fire is located and immediately sound the building fire alarm.
• Call 911 or your local fire department. 
• Give your name and the location of the fire. Do not hang up until the dispatcher tells you to do so.  
• If the fire is small, you may wish to fight it with a fire extinguisher or building fire hose. Be sure you are using the proper extinguisher for the type of fire you are fighting. If you are not sure, read the instructions on the extinguisher.
• If the fire is large, very smoky, or spreading rapidly, leave the building immediately and report to the designated emergency staging location. Inform others in the building who may not have responded to the alarm to leave immediately. The alarm may not sound continuously.  Even if the alarm stops, continue to evacuate the building and warn others who may attempt to enter the building. ALWAYS EVACUATE A BUILDING IF THE ALARM IS SOUNDING.  
• If time permits, turn off computers, unplug electrical equipment, take your purse or wallet, and close windows and doors before leaving. 
• If you have a mobility impairment, request assistance from those nearest you. If no one is there to render assistance, proceed to the nearest stairway landing, and shout for help. Consultation about these procedures is available from the Department of Public Safety.
• When fire alarms sound, do not use the elevators. An elevator may become a trap. Assist (help carry, if necessary) all disabled persons in using the stairs. 
• If there is a closed door in your exit path, touch the door lightly with the back of your hand to ensure it is not warm. If it is not warm, open slowly.  Be prepared to close the door quickly if smoke or flames are present.  
• If there is smoke in your only exit path, crawl on hands and knees, keeping your head as close to the ground as possible to avoid inhaling toxic fumes.
• Relocate to your designated assembly area, which should be a distance of at least 500 feet from the building, and stay out of the way of emergency personnel.

• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Note suspicious items, packages, or vehicles that seem out of place and report them to the appropriate authorities.
• Note suspicious activities or behaviors and report them to the appropriate authorities.

• Explosive devices cause detonations which throw debris into the air and start fires.  Explosive devices can be left in place and detonated remotely or carried by a vehicle or even an individual.  Explosive devices are used in most terrorist attacks.
• Biological agents such as bacteria, viruses, and toxins typically make people sick.
• Chemical agents are toxic to people, plants, or animals, and are found in the form of solids, liquids, vapors, or aerosols.
• Radioactive attacks include nuclear explosions and “dirty bombs.”  A “dirty bomb” is designed to spread radioactive material over a region. 

• Distance yourself from the location of the incident and seek shelter as soon as possible. 
• Follow instructions from Public Safety or public agency personnel.
• If exposed to a chemical agent or if you have trouble breathing, use your clothing as a simple filter by covering your face and breathing through your clothing. 
• If exposed to a chemical, biological, or radioactive agent, change out of any contaminated clothing, shower, put on clean clothing, and seek medical attention as soon as possible.   
• Seek medical attention as soon as possible for any injuries, if you have trouble breathing, or believe you were exposed to a contaminating agent.