HFC Emergency Quick Reference Guide

This quick reference guide is intended to provide procedures manual in the event of an emergency. While the guide cannot anticipate every situation, it does provide basic guidelines necessary to deal with most campus emergencies. PDF version of HFC Emergency Quick Reference Guide.

Emergency Contact Telephone Numbers

HFC Campus Safety: From a College phone.....Ext 9630
From a non-College phone.....313-845-9630
Dearborn Police Department.....911 (using an outside phone line)

How to Report a Crime

  • Notify Campus Safety immediately if you believe a crime has been committed.
  • Be prepared to describe the situation, suspect, and/or the stolen item
  • Do not approach a suspect. Observe the following and, when it is safe, call Campus Safety from a College at ext 9630 or from a non-College phone at 313-845-9630.
  1. Description of the suspect
  2. Vehicle type and plate number
  3. Age, gender, race
  4. Appearance
  5. Location

Active Shooter Preparedness

Follow the Run, Hide, Fight model:

RUN -- If you hear or see a person with a weapon, leave the area immediately

HIDE -- If you cannot safely evacuate the area, hide where you will not be able to be easily seen, then do the following:

  1. Lock the door and block the entry to your hiding place.
  2. Silence your cell phone.
  3. Turn off the lights.
  4. Stay away from doors and windows.
  5. Close curtains or blinds.
  6. Stay low and out of sight.
  7. Do not open the door for anyone. Police will have a key.

FIGHT - If you cannot safely evacuate, and you cannot hide, fight with whatever implements are nearby -- office chair, fire extinguisher, heavy office supplies, or anything that could quickly incapacitate an attacker. Throw items at the person, be aggressive, and aim to incapacitate.

When it is safe to do so, call 911. Give police:

  1. Your name and location.
  2. Location of the shooter(s)
  3. Description of shooter(s).
  4. Direction of travel.
  5. Number and type of weapons.
  6. Number of people in the area.

When the police arrive:

  • Calmly follow instructions.
  • Raise your hands.
  • Avoid quick movements, pointing, or screaming.

Additional training

HFC periodically offers Active Shooter Preparedness Training

This training is free, open to the entire community, and highly recommended.

You may also view the FEMA Active Shooter Preparedness Training to be educated on how to protect yourself and others in this type of situation.

Bomb Threat

If you receive a bomb threat by telephone, do not hang up. Have someone else call Campus Safety at 9630 from a College phone or at 313-845-9630 from a non-College phone.

Talk to the caller and ask:

  • When is the bomb going to explode?
  • Where is the bomb located?
  • What does it look like?
  • What kind of bomb is it?
  • What will cause it to explode?
  • Why did you place the bomb?

Take notes on the following:

  • Time of call.
  • Age and sex of caller.
  • Is the voice familiar?
  • Emotional state of caller.
  • Any background noise.

The decision to evacuate will be made by College officials and local authorities. If directed to evacuate, follow evacuation procedures.

Evacuation

Evacuate when you hear a fire alarm or when notified to do so by a College official.

  1. Leave by the nearest marked exit and alert others to do the same.
  2. Assist others, including the physically challenged, with evacuating.
  3. Do not use elevators in case of fire.
  4. Once outside, proceed to a clear area at least 500 feet from the building.
  5. Stay together. Account for your students and staff.
  6. Keep roads, fire lanes, and hydrants clear for emergency vehicles and personnel.
  7. Do not return to the building until directed by a College official.

Fire Emergency

In most cases of a fire emergency, you are likely to hear a fire alarm that has already been set off. Fire code requires the evacuation of a building during a fire alarm. If you become aware of a fire in your area, find the nearest fire alarm and set it off. Be aware that building maps are posted near the entrances of all buildings. These maps give the location of all fire alarms, extinguishers, and building exits. Campus Safety and other college personnel will respond and determine the nature of the alarm. Campus Safety will advise when the building can be re-occupied.

Hazardous Materials

Report the spillage of a chemical or other hazardous material to Campus Safety immediately at 9630 from a College phone or at 313-845-9630 from a non-College phone. Provide the following information:

  1. Injuries, if any.
  2. Material spilled.
  3. Exact location of the spill.
  4. Amount spilled.
  5. Any actions taken.

Key faculty or administrator on site should:

  1. Clear the area immediately and close doors to the area.
  2. Keep everyone out of the area.
  3. For flammable materials, turn off all ignition sources.

Persons who may be contaminated should:

  1. Avoid contact with others.
  2. Report your name to Campus Safety or emergency responders for any necessary medical treatment. If an emergency exists, activate the fire alarm to evacuate the building and follow evacuation procedures.

Inclement Weather

Thunderstorms

See Thunderstorm Safety from the National Weather Service.

Flooding

See Flood Safety for You and Your Family from the National Weather Service.

Snow, Ice, and other weather-related issues and closures

To serve our students and community, Henry Ford College makes every attempt to keep our campuses open and clear of ice, snow, and other impediments. Still, there are times when weather and road conditions require us to close our campuses for the safety of our community.

When closures are necessary, HFC will follow the Weather Closing Procedures listed here.

Tornado Watch

A Tornado Watch indicates that conditions are favorable for a severe storm or tornado but none have been spotted. Pay attention to news and HFC alerts. If a tornado watch is issued, you will be notified immediately.

Tornado Warning

In the event that a tornado is spotted or the National Weather Service indicates that a tornado has been spotted in our area, they will issue a Tornado Warning. The HFC Emergency Notification System and the HFCC Alert System will be activated.

Students and employees hearing the siren should take cover immediately in the designated shelter areas. Shelter areas are indicated in the Campus Emergency Manual located in each department's office and on building maps inside the entrance to every building on campus.

Know the location of the designated shelter area in your building. Maps are posted in lobby areas. When you hear a tornado siren or when notified by a College official of a weather emergency, take shelter in the designated shelter area in your building. Assist anyone with mobility challenges to the shelter area. Do not leave the shelter area until you receive an all clear message from College officials.

Tornado Emergencies

  • Students should be aware of the tornado shelter areas in their buildings.
  • These areas are indicated in yellow on the building floor maps near the entrances of all buildings.
  • Upon hearing a siren, or if otherwise notified, all employees, students, and visitors must proceed to the designated shelter areas immediately.
  • Disabled persons should be assisted to the shelter area. Please reserve elevators for the disabled and those with mobility challenges.
  • The siren will be activated if a tornado warning is issued.
  • All students, employees, and visitors should remain in the shelter areas until given the all clear by a college official (Campus Safety or other department administrator).

Public Information on Weather Conditions and Warnings

Medical Emergencies

Student Injury or Illness

  • If you are made aware of someone who has become ill or injured, assist in any manner that you are trained in, i.e., CPR, First Aid, and/or seek assistance from faculty, staff, or others in your immediate area.
  • Call or have someone else call Campus Safety immediately even if the person is feeling better or is not seriously injured.
  • Give Campus Safety as much detail as possible, for instance the type of injury, exact location, etc., and stay on the line to ensure response.
  • If the situation appears to be serious, call Campus Safety or 911 from your personal phone. Be sure to let Campus Safety know that EMS has been called. Campus Safety will respond and lend assistance and document the situation in an incident report.
  • Campus Safety may contact EMS and will direct them to the location if necessary.
  • Students are responsible for the cost of transportation or treatment as the result of an injury or illness on campus.

First Aid Services

The Office of Campus Safety provided first aid response to employees, students, and visitors. Contact the 24-hour emergency phone number in the event of an injury or illness while on campus.

Mental Health Emergency

A mental health emergency exists when an individual is in distress and cannot appropriately manage him or herself. This includes threatening to harm to him or herself or others, exhibiting a sudden loss of contact with reality, or other disturbing behavior. Do not try to handle the situation yourself. Notify Campus Safety at 9630 from a College phone or 313-845-9630 from a non-College phone immediately.

Report the following:

  1. Your name.
  2. Your location.
  3. The location of the person involved, if different.
  4. The nature of the situation.
  5. Do not hang up until told to do so.

Noxious Odor

If you notice an unusually strong odor in your building or area, do the following: Notify Campus Safety at 9630 from a College phone or 313-845-9630 from a non-College phone. Report the following:

  1. Your name.
  2. Your location.
  3. Description of the odor. Do not touch any object, spill, or material that may be the potential source of the odor. College officials will determine if evacuation is necessary. If an evacuation is called by College officials, follow evacuation procedures.

Power Outage

For all utility emergencies, notify Campus Safety at 9630 from a College phone or at 313-845-9630 from a non-College phone. If evacuation of the building is required, exit using the stairways. Do not use the elevators. Assist others and the physically challenged to exit the building. Once outside, proceed to a clear area at least 500 feet from the building. Stay together. Account for your students and staff. Keep roads, fire lanes, and hydrants clear for emergency vehicles and personnel. Do not return to the building until directed by a College official.

Shelter In Place

Shelter in place means to seek immediate shelter and remain there instead of evacuating the area during an emergency. College officials will activate shelter in place protocols when it is determined that evacuation is not safe for the emergency occurring. Situations that may require shelter in place include a gas plume moving in the direction of the College, an explosion in another location on campus, a violent civil disturbance on campus, or other violent situation occurring on campus. Follow the instructions of College officials or local authorities.

  • Lock the door and block the entry to your hiding place.
  • Silence your cell phone.
  • Turn off the lights.
  • Stay away from doors and windows.
  • Close curtains or blinds.
  • Stay low and out of sight.
  • Do not open the door for anyone.
  • Police will have a key.

Suspicious Package

If a package or envelope appears suspicious, do not touch or open it. Call Campus Safety at 9630 from a College phone or at 313-845-9630 from a non-College phone immediately. Leave the area, close all doors, and alert others to do the same. Take action to prevent others from entering the area. Wash hands with soap and water to prevent spreading potentially infectious material to face and skin. Inform Campus Safety if you or others have been exposed. Create a list of persons who were in the room when the suspicious package was recognized.

Characteristics of suspicious packages or envelopes may include:

  • Excessive postage.
  • Handwritten or poorly typed address.
  • Misspellings of common words.
  • Strange return address or no return address 5. Not addressed to a specific person
  • Marked with restrictions such as “Personal”, “Confidential” or “Do Not X-Ray.”
  • Marked with threatening language.

Appearance of suspicious package or envelope may include:

  • Powdery substance on package or envelope.
  • Oily stains, discolorations, or odor.
  • Lopsided or uneven envelope.
  • Excessive packaging material such as masking tape or string.
  • Excessive weight.
  • Ticking sound.
  • Protruding wires or aluminum foil.