Emergency Communications

Upon the detection of SMOKE or FIRE, follow the “RACE” fire plan described below. Previously called “ACES” at the Charles River Campus (CRC).

You must follow the R.A.C.E. fire procedure before attempting to extinguish any fire.

Rescue/Remove

Rescue or remove any persons from the immediate scene

Alert/Activate

Pull the nearest alarm and call 911, then the following numbers:
CRC: 617-353-2121
BUMC: 617-414-6666

Confine

Close all doors to the hazard or fire area

Extinguish/Evacuate

Extinguish using the closest fire extinguisher if the fire impedes your evacuation. Evacuate to your designated meeting location.

Fire Safety

• Do not use elevators to evacuate unless directed by the Fire Department.
• In certain departments and buildings, more specific fire plans have been developed because of special needs. Become familiar with your area-specific fire plan.
• Those requiring assistance during evacuation should be evacuated to the nearest stairwell (area of refuge) for Fire Department assisted evacuation. Report the exact location by calling— CRC: (617) 353-2121 | BUMC/BMC: (617) 414-6666

Or- report location to Incident Command personnel, a Public Safety Officer, or Fire Department personnel.

Please note: stairwells are posted with signs specifying exact location.

• Assist fire response team and the Fire Department as requested.
• Do not hesitate to activate the fire alarm if you detect smoke or fire. After an alarm has been activated, the fire department and institutions response teams will be immediately notified.
• Evacuation maps identify the nearest routes of egress and are posted throughout each building. For information on fire safety at Boston University, please visit www-staging.bu.edu/ehs/fire-safety

Emergency Numbers

Emergency Numbers

Suspicious Letter or Package

• Leaking with something unusual
• Ticking
• Exposed wiring or other suspicious hardware
• No return address
• Incorrect address
• Addressed to someone unknown or name misspelled

Note: There may be any combination of the above indicators. Simply one may not warrant suspicion. If a suspicious letter or package is received; handle it as little as possible, move away from the immediate area, and immediately call Public Safety:
CRC: Public Safety (617) 353-2121 | BUMC/BMC: Public Safety (617) 414-4444

Telephoned Bomb Threat

• Get as much information about the caller as possible.
• Keep the caller on phone as long as possible–DELAY–ask the caller to repeat information.
• Tell a nearby co-worker to contact Public Safety.
• Ask the following questions:
  • Where is the bomb located?
  • If time bomb, when is it set to explode?
  • What kind of bomb is it?
  • Why is caller doing this?
• Note details from the call: sex, accent, speech impediment, age, background noises, unusual phrases, etc…

After Receiving Threat:

• Remain calm. Do not discuss the threat in public.
• Do not touch suspicious packages, letters, objects, etc.
• Do not start or repeat rumors.

Search

Public Safety will coordinate the search efforts and maintain a log of areas searched. Staff will search their departments and call Public Safety to report “All Clear” if nothing is found. If a suspicious object is located:

• Do not touch it.
• Move away from the immediate area.
• Call Public Safety to report the location and description.
• Evacuate patients, students, employees, staff, and visitors away from the immediate area when directed to do so by Public Safety.

If witnessing an act of violence or immediate threat of an act of violence immediately call Public Safety, including active shooter incidents.
CRC: Public Safety (617) 353-2121 | BUMC/BMC: Public Safety (617) 414-4444

For more information:
https://www.bu.edu/police/emergency-info/active-shooter/

www.internal.bmc.org/emergencypreparedness

Response to Workplace/Campus Violence

Remember the acronym S.A.F.E

Secure your areas

• Close doors
• Keep out of hallways
• Stay in your location until you hear the all clear

Alert

• Call Public Safety if you see any suspicious behavior

Follow Directions

• Follow the directions given to you by the Public Safety Officers or Police Officers.
• Listen carefully to emergency messages being sent by phone, pages, or overhead announcement.

Exit only when safe to do so

• Evacuate your area only when directed to do so by Boston Police Officers.
• Remain in your secure locations and wait until an all clear is announced

Active Shooter

If necessary and able, immediately leave the area where the act is occurring and call Public Safety. Follow the Run, Hide, Fight guidance.

RUN: Escape if possible.

HIDE: Find a place out of sight to hide, Lock the door, Barricade the room with heavy items, Remain quiet – Silence phones, pagers.

FIGHT (last resort): Act aggressively, Throw items, Improvise weapons, Yell, Commit to your actions.

In order to keep yourself and others safe, always remember: See Something…Say Something

Any weather-related event that may affect normal operations to the university or hospital may activate the Emergency Preparedness Plan.

This plan will assist in maintaining services when a situation exists that may prevent personnel, students, or visitors from entering or leaving the institutions for an extended period of time. Types of weather emergencies include, but not limited to; blizzards, floods, hurricanes.

Response to Weather Emergencies

If instructed to do so;

• Unplug all unnecessary equipment, appliances and sensitive electrical instruments.
• Unplug all computers, printers and fax machines.
• Keep one computer plugged in to the RED emergency power outlets.
• Locate and distribute emergency response items as instructed in your response plan, i.e. computer “downtime” forms (hospital) and flashlights.
• Assist as needed or as directed by your supervisor.
• When conditions warrant, move patients, students, visitors, employees and staff away from windows.
• Contact your supervisor before leaving your department.

The Incident Commander will issue specific instructions related to the type of weather emergency including:

• Movement of patients, students, visitors, employees and staff to areas of safety.
• Movement of equipment to safe areas for storage.
• Resources available for staff unable to leave the campus.

Closing or Delayed Opening

• In the event weather conditions warrant, essential personnel should report to work. Each department must determine essential personnel status.
• Announcements will be made as soon as available through the following:
  • BU Alert and WebEOC communication systems will be used as needed to provide additional information. Your BU Alert profile may be updated by logging into BUworks Central. For those in the SWN system, you will be asked automatically to update your profile quarterly.
  • Weather Emergency Information Line will be updated periodically to inform personnel of status and weather specific instructions.
  • Radio: WBUR 90.9 FM, WBMX 98.5 FM, WRKO 680 AM, WBZ 1030 AM
  • Television: WBZ-TV Channel 4, WCVB-TV Channel 5, WHDH-TV Channel 7

  Additional Resources and Emergency Numbers

  Slide left or right to view data

  Resource	CRC	BUMC	BMC
  Emergency Weather Information Line	(617) 353-SNOW (7669)	(617) 638-6886	(617) 638-6886
  Websites for additional information	bu.edu/ehs	bu.edu/ehs	http://www.internal.bmc.org/emergencypreparedness/

Emergency Contact Numbers

CRC: (617) 353-2105-Control Desk | BUMC/BMC: (617) 414-6666-Control Center

Emergency Response

As with any of the failures described below, emergency procedures will be implemented as needed with activation of the university or hospital Incident Command System.

Elevators

If you are in an elevator that becomes inoperable, call for assistance using the corresponding number above. Most elevators are equipped with telephones. The Control Technician will instruct you on how to perform a few simple procedures to get the elevator car moving. If this fails, assistance will be sent. Do not attempt to extricate yourself unless assisted by a trained elevator mechanic.

Communication Systems

Hospital Only – Telephones: All emergency powered telephones are red for easy identification. There is a listing of power failure phones with the associated power failure number available on the BMC Intranet at http://internal.bmc.org/telecommunications/. Public Safety will coordinate the distribution of radios to critical clinical areas and personnel as needed.

Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing

Call the corresponding number above to report any problems associated with HVAC systems.

Water

Call the corresponding number above to report any problems with water systems. In the event of a water system failure, bottled water will be delivered as necessary by support service personnel and should be used for human consumption until the water system has been re-certified. Additional waterless soap will be distributed to patient areas as necessary.

Gas and Vacuum

Call the corresponding number above, in the event of a local or system-wide failure of gases.

Oxygen: (Hospital – Patient Areas)

• Immediately contact the Control Center to report the oxygen failure.
• Rescue all oxygen dependent patients from harm.
• Prepare oxygen dependent patients for evacuation when directed to do so in the event that systems cannot be restored quickly.

Compressed Air: (Hospital – Patient Areas)

• Immediately contact the Control Center to report the compressed air failure.
• Rescue all vented patients from harm.
• Prepare vented patients for evacuation when directed to do so in the event that systems cannot be restored quickly.

Emergency Power Systems

Call the corresponding number above in the event of a failure.

• Emergency Power should be available to areas within 10 seconds to supply power to the red outlets from the emergency generators.
• Ensure all critical equipment and one (1) computer is plugged into the RED emergency power outlets, where available.

Emergency Numbers

CODE PINK to report an infant or child abduction
CRC: (617) 353-2121 | BUMC/BMC: (617) 414-4444

Staff Response

Upon discovery or report of a missing infant or child, or upon hearing the HUGS audible alarm (BMC- Hospital system), available personnel will immediately:

• Call Public Safety and provide a description of the infant or child and abductor (if known).
• Attempt to locate the infant or child.
• If possible, follow the abductor in order to identify him/her to Public Safety Officers. Personnel other than Public Safety are not expected to detain the abductor.
• Staff should not disturb or touch anything in the area where the child was last located in order to preserve physical evidence for law enforcement officials.

Public Safety Response

• A Public Safety Supervisor, as soon as practical, will call the Control Center to initiate the notification of a Code Pink Emergency Response as described in the Emergency Response Plan.
• The Control Center will contact Operator Services to initiate the overhead announcement of a Code Pink and identify the location.
• Operator Services (BMC-Hospital system) will announce on the overhead voice page “Code Pink and the location”. This will serve as instruction to BMC personnel to search their work areas and report to Public Safety when the search is complete.
• Public Safety will establish the Command Center as appropriate.

Additional Information

See Code Pink – Missing/Abducted Infant or Child response plan on the BMC Intranet.

The Emergency Operations Plan establishes procedures for mobilizing university and hospital resources and communicating with their communities in the event of a large-scale emergency.

There are three levels or ‘phases’ (four levels for Boston Medical Center) of emergency declarations:

PHASE A Emergency

(ADVISORY):
Administrative alert of a potential, impending, or actual event that can be handled by personnel working in the area where incident occurred.

• Manager actions: Be aware. No response necessary unless instructed to respond.
• Staff actions: Continue normal duties.
• Example: Isolated power outage being handled by limited onsite staff.

PHASE B Emergency:

An emergency event that requires personnel from other departments to assist in the response.

• Manager actions: Inform your personnel about the emergency, and coordinate departmental response when directed to do so.
• Staff actions: Remain on duty, report to your immediate supervisor and follow their instructions. You may be asked to assist with the rescue of patients, visitors, students, and personnel from harm.
• Example: Isolated fire resulting in partial evacuation requiring coordination of several responding departments.

PHASE C Emergency:

Response to an emergency that requires additional staff and resources from off-site. It establishes mechanisms to utilize city support. In these events, outside agencies typically get involved. An internal Command Center is set up, and university/hospital operations are significantly impacted or altered.

• Manager actions: Inform your personnel about the emergency, assess departmental resources and staffing, call in additional staffing as needed and coordinate departmental response when directed to do so.
• Staff actions: remain on duty, report to your immediate supervisor and follow their instructions. You may be asked to assist including the rescue of patients, visitors, students, and personnel from harm. You may be asked to assist in other departments.
• Example: A building evacuation due to fire or other building emergency where occupants may be displaced for a period of time. Response from personnel not currently onsite may be needed and coordination between several departments is imperative.

PHASE D Emergency (HOSPITAL ONLY):

A catastrophic event in the city of Boston that requires BMC to make treatment of victims its primary focus. The Command Center will be activated. Normal operations, utilities, traffic access, and communication systems may be limited.

• Manager actions: Inform your personnel about the emergency, assess departmental resources and staffing, call in additional staffing if able, and coordinate departmental response as directed by the Incident Commander.
• On duty staff actions: Remain on duty, report to your immediate supervisor and follow their instructions. You may be asked to assist with the rescue of patients, visitors, students, and personnel from harm, or be asked to assist in other departments via a staffing pool that will be set up.
• Off duty staff actions: Ensure the safety and well being of your family and report to the staffing pool as soon as safely possible. On duty staff will be released as soon as replacements are available.
• Example: A full scale emergency involving many departments including external agencies and response personnel resulting in many casualties beyond what the current shift is normally able to manage.

HOW TO GET INFORMATION DURING AN EMERGENCY:

• Talk to your supervisor.

Additionally, periodic updates will be sent through:

• Boston University – bu.edu/ehs/comms
• Boston Medical Center – http://internal.bmc.org/emergencypreparedness/
• Periodic updates will be sent through the BU Alert and WebEOC communication systems. Your BU Alert profile may be updated by logging into BUworks Central. For those in the SWN system, you will be asked automatically to update your profile quarterly.

The Emergency Information Lines will have a recorded message on the status of the emergency for employees, staff, faculty, students and parents:

• For CRC: (617) 358-7233
• For BUMC/BMC: (617) 638-6886

Pertinent information may also be broadcast on WBUR 90.9 FM, WBZ 1030 AM, WRKO 680 AM, and WBMX 98.5 FM. TV news, internet news sites, and university officials may also have relevant information.

IN RESPONSE TO THESE EVENTS

• Remove individuals from areas of risk. Remove equipment if appropriate.
• Call the appropriate number as listed on the Emergency Numbers panel.
• Contact your supervisor before leaving your work area if possible.
• Managers and Supervisors paged, must notify their own staff to mobilize resources.
• The Incident Commander or alternate will be notified by the Control Center.
• As necessary, the Command Center will be activated.
• Public Safety will secure exits and entrances as necessary and direct media to designated location.
• All employees are expected to report to their departments for instructions and assignments.
• Reference the Emergency Response Plan for more detailed instructions at either www.internal.bmc.org or www-staging.bu.edu/ehs/management-plans/emergency/
  Other specific plans are also posted on these sites.
• Written plans are available in the Emergency Departments, Control Center, Command Center, and Administrators Offices.

Serious Accidents

In the event of serious injury to an employee:

• Call the appropriate emergency number (see below) for medical assistance.

— External emergency medical services will be summoned as necessary.

• Administer first aid, if properly trained.
• Complete the appropriate accident report for employee injuries with supervisor. See report forms in chart below.
• As soon as practical, contact the Office of Risk Management and Environmental Health and Safety for reporting procedures and investigations. See contact information below.
• If the accident involves an injury to a student or a visitor, an incident report detailing the incident and injuries should be filled out and sent to Risk Management. See below.

Emergency Numbers

CRC: Public Safety (617) 353-2121 | BUMC/BMC: Public Safety (617) 414-4444

Occupational Health Centers

Incidents and Injuries

In the event of an incident, near miss or minor injury to a patient, student, visitor, or employee you should:

• Immediately report all details to your supervisor.
• If the incident warrants, seek medical attention at an onsite occupational health center (see above).
• Complete the appropriate accident report for employee injuries. See chart below.

Report Forms