Official explains evacuation plan
By Malissa Trenholm
The Collegian
Fresno State’s emergency
evacuation plan, its graphic posted online and around campus, simply advises
students and staff to proceed to any of the four corners of campus: the
softball stadium at Barstow and Cedar avenues, O’Neil Park at Barstow
and Woodrow, parking Lot V at Shaw and Woodrow and parking Lot G at Shaw
and Cedar.
In the event of an emergency, once all students have reached the four
points of evacuation, they are to wait for further instruction.
If individuals decide to leave campus “they are out of our jurisdiction
and into the city’s,” Director of Public Safety David Moll
said.
As an emergency unfolds, campus police become involved. Officers are to
secure the scene and assist in the evacuation. The campus public safety
officers are to assist in building evacuations, traffic control and pedestrian
movement.
Moll said the idea of the plan is to move students and faculty away from
the center of campus and as close to the roadways as possible. Examples
of possible disasters that would lead to an evacuation are a plane crash
on campus, a gas leak or a hazardous material spill.
Moll said every building, department and dormitory on campus has emergency
coordinators.
These people are usually faculty or staff who are specifically trained
to handle their building in an evacuation. The CSUF emergency procedures
brochure says they are the primary points of contact, are to coordinate
for an orderly evacuation and make sure all individuals escape the building
safely, including people with disabilities.
Steve Martinez, director of environmental heath, said he conducts meetings
once a semester with all department coordinators to keep them updated
on safety issues required at the federal or state level.
Moll said a drill was recently done in the Conely Art ,Joyal and Peters
buildings. He said it went well, though he discovered some glitches in
the system.
“Our communications need beefing up,” Moll said.
Moll said the drill revealed that more people were needed and more high-tech
equipment needs to be installed. As a result, Moll and Martinez purchased
two-way radios and hand-held crank radios for the coordinators to improve
communication with others and nearby stations.
Moll said his number one rule is “nothing is cast in concrete.”
He said he feels when a major emergency does occur, everyone should be
flexible depending on the type of emergency because being too grounded
can lead to problems.
“In a plan of action, don’t stick to the plan,” Moll
said.
He said he also wants to make clear that “it’s all from the
bottom up.
“It starts at the department, the building, the campus, then to
the city, county, region, state and finally the federal government.”
Martinez said he and Moll are also open to ideas about how to improve
the system, because “an emergency comes to everyone’s forefront.”
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