Training Outline for Floor/Building Captains

Roles and Responsibilities

If you have been identified as a Floor/Building Captain by the President, Provost, and/or Vice President of Administration and Finance, your assistance is of utmost importance during a Level One Emergency.

Crisis Leadership Team

• Created by authority of the President.
• Consists of members of senior management and representatives who are in the best position to respond to an emergency.
• Nine core members include:
  • President Provost (Chair)
  • Vice President, Administration and Finance
  • Executive Director, Services
  • Dean, Student Affairs
  • Dean, Clerc Center
  • Director, Public Relations
  • Director, Mental Health Center
  • Executive Assistant to the President
• Meets regularly during the year and when a crisis occurs
• Invites additional members to meetings during a crisis as support members
• Has jurisdiction for handling Level One and Level Two emergencies, or incidents demanding special attention and meeting the definition of major crisis, emergency or disaster.

Definitions

Level One Emergency – University Crisis

• A major emergency, major crisis or disaster that requires an extensive response and commitment of resources from many departments/units and usually requires outside assistance. It is also an event or activity with the potential to negatively affect the reputation or credibility of the University.
• Crisis Leadership Team is responsible for making decisions to resolve a Level One Emergency.
• Potential Level One Emergencies
  • Building Damage from Tornado
  • Caller claims several bombs planted throughout the campus
  • Major residence hall fire
  • Hostage situation on campus
  • Civil disturbance
  • Bio-terrorism attack
  • D.C. Evacuation

People always say “I never thought this would happen”. It can happen. If you wait, you will be a couple of steps behind when it does.

Floor/Building Captains

• An effective and efficient response to an emergency requires the assistance of University personnel at all levels.
• Those include the CLT, Essential Staff, and Floor/Building Captains.
• Will be notified in person, by phone, or by Gallaudet Alert (listserv sends announcement to email, pagers, cell phones (with text capability), and PDAs.

Overview of Gallaudet Emergency Response Plan

• DPS must be contacted immediately in any emergency situation.
• The Field House is our primary evacuation site; GUKCC is the secondary site.
• University Notification System
• Emergency Preparedness Manual and Guide is for reference and guidance purposes. It allows flexibility for field modifications or adoptions during a crisis. All Essential Staff and Floor/Building Captains must familiarize themselves with the contents of the guide.

Your Roles and Responsibilities PRIOR to an Emergency

• Familiarize yourself with all contents of the Floor/Building Captain Binder
• Review the Emergency Preparedness Guide information online
• Become familiar with the locations of every possible exit of your building or floor. Those locations are where you will post the emergency announcement signs.
• Familiarize yourself with the safe areas (upper and lower).
• Develop a plan of how to contact persons on your floor or building.
• Establish a back-up plan and identify someone in your office to serve as Floor/Building Captain in your absence.
• Make or purchase your own emergency kit.
• Serve as liaison between CLT and your assigned area.

Your Roles and Responsibilities During an Emergency

• Initiate communication with the individuals on your building contact list via phone or pager.
• Post the appropriate emergency signage. Pick up your emergency kit, and inform individuals on your floor of the emergency.
• Go to the Safe Area. If your Safe Area is only accessible by key, be sure that you are there to unlock the door.
• Provide on-site assistance.
• Account for the people in the Safe Area or Primary Evacuation site.
• Ask that individuals remain in at the site until you get word that everyone can come out.
• Serve as liaison between the CLT and your assigned area.

Emotional Reactions to Trauma

• Fear
• Anger
• Feeling numb
• Disbelief
• Grief
• Confusion
• Anxiety/ Panic
• Feeling helpless
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Difficulty making decisions
• Temporary memory loss
• Reluctance to abandon property
• Need to contact family members
• Need for information
• Risk taking/ Heroic efforts
• Altruism

Psychological First Aid

• Stay calm, reassure, provide assistance and information
• Display confident leadership
• Assign a support person for those who appear most distressed
• Give people tasks/responsibilities to help them stay calm/focused
• Provide for physical needs
• Be clear and direct when sharing information
• Reassure, but don’t offer false reassurance
• Work as a group, emphasize team support
• Listen to peoples feelings
• Help others understand and be patient with the variety of individual reactions
• Help with decision making on issues of property and family