All emergencies requiring assistance from the Middletown Police Department or the Middletown Fire Department will be managed according to the established protocols of those departments. When the Middletown Fire Department responds to an incident on the Wesleyan University campus, the Fire Department is the lead agency and will serve as the incident commander. All individuals from other agencies or the campus community will follow the Middletown Fire Department’s protocols and command procedures.
In the event of an emergency situation requiring an external response involving the Middletown Fire Department, the Emergency Response Coordinator (ERC) will report to the Incident Commander upon his/her arrival. As the university liaison, the ERC is responsible for ensuring that information and resources are provided to the fire department as necessary to abate an emergency situation. The ERC will assist the fire department in working with university officials, faculty and students to provide information and resolve issues relating to the emergency.
A Fire Department Incident Command System Manual has been requested from the MFD. Once it arrives at URS’s Maine offices, copies will be sent to Weselyan University for inclusion in this ERP.
In the event of an emergency situation requiring an external response involving the Middletown Police Department, the Emergency Response Coordinator (ERC) will report to the Incident Commander upon his/her arrival. As the university liaison, the ERC is responsible for ensuring that information and resources are provided to the police department as necessary to abate an emergency situation. The ERC will assist the police department in working with university officials, faculty and students to provide information and resolve issues relating to the emergency.
A Police Department Protocol for Emergency Response has been requested from the MPD. Once it arrives at URS’s Maine offices, copies will be sent to Weselyan University for inclusion in this ERP.
In the event of an emergency situation requiring an external response involving the Hunters Ambulance Service, the Emergency Response Coordinator (ERC) will ensure that the medics and emergency responders are provided with the information and resources necessary to assist the crew in treating and transporting a patient. In the event of a chemical contamination, the ERC will ensure that the ambulance crew is provided with appropriate Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) and other important information as it is known. The ERC will assist with decontamination procedures, if necessary. The ERC will assist the ambulance service in working with university officials, faculty and students to provide information and resolve issues relating to the emergency.
All procedures and protocols utilized by the Ambulance Service are carried in each ambulance and will be utilized as appropriate for the situation.
In the event of an emergency situation requiring an external response involving a Chemical Spill Cleanup contractor, the Emergency Response Coordinator (ERC) will work with the contractor to ensure a prompt chemical spill cleanup response. As the university liaison, the ERC is responsible for ensuring that information and resources (such as Material Safety Data Sheets, chemical inventory information, laboratory layouts, chemical and physical hazards) are provided to the contractor as necessary to abate an emergency situation. The ERC will assist the contractor in working with university officials, faculty and students to provide information and resolve issues relating to the emergency. The spill cleanup protocol for D-Tox Environmental Contractors is included in this section for reference.
A Spill Response Protocol has been requested from D-Tox. Once it arrives at URS’s Maine offices, copies will be sent to Weselyan University for inclusion in this ERP.
In the event of an emergency situation requiring an external response involving an Oil Spill Cleanup contractor, the Emergency Response Coordinator (ERC) will work with the contractor to ensure a prompt oil spill cleanup response. As the university liaison, the ERC is responsible for ensuring that information and resources (such as tank locations, heavy equipment and secondary containment or drums) are provided to the contractor as necessary to abate an emergency situation. The ERC will assist the contractor in working with university officials, faculty and students to provide information and resolve issues relating to the emergency. The oil spill cleanup protocols for Peterson Oil and Buckley Oil are included in this section for reference.
Once URS can establish contact with Dave Hall and get contact numbers for the two oil spill cleanup contractors, those contractors will be contacted and a request for their spill cleanup protocols will be made. Once those protocols arrive at URS’s Maine offices, copies will be sent to Weselyan University for inclusion in this ERP.
Any notifications of emergency response events or hazardous situations impacted the Middletown community will be conducted by the Emergency Response Coordinator, in conjunction with the Communications Director. Any contact with local media and any press release regarding the emergency will be coordinated with and through the Communications director.
All support activities associated with an emergency response on the Wesleyan University campus will be coordinated and overseen by the Emergency Response Coordinator. Appropriate departments, administrators and faculty members may be asked to provide assistance and are required to do so in a prompt and efficient manner.
All security associated with an emergency on the Wesleyan University campus will be managed by the Office of Public Safety. Potential crime scenes, such as arson or criminal mischief will be secured until all tests have been conducted and all investigations have been completed. Any incident involving injury or death will be managed as a potential crime scene until proven otherwise. All care will be given to ensure proper investigation, documentation and follow-up is completed.
All solid wastes are handled under a contract managed by the Office of Facilities Operations. These wastes are handled in accordance with state and federal regulations. Hazardous wastes are managed through the Chemistry Department in accordance with the two plans found in sections 3.3.6.1 (Hazardous Waste Management) and 3.3.6.2 (Hazardous Waste Contingency Plan).
Wesleyan University manages hazardous waste in accordance with regulations promulgated by the State of Connecticut and the federal government. The university’s plan is attached.
Any non-hazardous debris that results from an emergency situation on campus, or its related mitigation and corrective action responsibilities is the responsibility of the Office of Facilities Operations. All restoration, renovation and clean-up activities will be managed on a case-by-case basis. Demolition materials associated with renovation activities will be analyzed or tested where appropriate for lead-based paint contamination, asbestos, heavy metal contamination or other elements that might harm humans or the environment before disposal. These tests are left to the discretion of the Office of Facilities Operations and must be documented accordingly.
In the event of a fire or other emergency impacting the personal effects or items of students and/or faculty, the Emergency Response Coordinator will work with the Director of Residential Life and the Director of Facilities Operations to inventory contaminated items that need to be purged. This inventory list will be used for insurance claim submittals to private insurance and institutional insurance. All potentially contaminated items will be disposed of in accordance with state and federal regulations. Items to be purged and information to be provided to the residents are attached.
Occupant Requirements for Smoke and Fire Damaged Areas
A fire in dormitory rooms or residential units can give off many chemical by-products; including, but not limited to, hydrogen chloride and hydrogen cyanide. Because the institution wishes to protect individuals from possible contamination, the following list of items will need to be discarded following an exposure to fire. These items should be inventoried. Keep a copy of the inventory for your records and submit another to the appropriate insurance agent.
Items to be discarded:
Items that need to be cleaned with soap and water and rinsed thoroughly:
Items that need to be dipped in a bleach solution (1 teaspoon bleach per quart of water) for 15 minutes
Cleaning of walls, floors, ceilings and other environmental surfaces will be necessary. In areas occupied by asthmatics, mild cleaning products such as Joy dish soap and Bleach for disinfectant are recommended. If stronger chemicals are required to clean surfaces appropriately, persons with extreme allergies or asthma should be evacuated from the area for a minimum of 48 hours. The area should be well ventilated before the occupants return.
If you have been exposed to smoke and have medical problems, seek medical help immediately. Symptoms may not occur until 24 to 48 hours after exposure and may include an upper respiratory flu or cold-like illness.
If you are pregnant or nursing a baby, please consult your physician before returning to the fire damaged area.
Procedures for Retrieving essentials after a Fire
The combustion process of a fire can give off many chemical by-products. In order to minimize your exposure to contaminates and allow everyone an opportunity to visit their rooms, you will be limited to five minutes in your room and will be allowed to remove only one bag of personal items or books.
The following items MAY NOT be taken from your room:
We suggest that you collect the following items:
Items removed from the rooms need to be cleaned. Many items can be cleaned with soap and water and thoroughly rinsed. Items that cannot be treated in this fashion, usually can be thoroughly vacuumed, wiped with a damp rag, and left to air out in an unoccupied space. Any concerns over the appropriate cleaning method, should be addressed to the staff at the staging area.
If you have been exposed to smoke and have medical problems, seek medical help immediately. Symptoms may not occur until 24 to 48 hours after exposure and may include an upper respiratory flu or cold-like illness.
If you are pregnant or nursing a baby, please consult your physician before returning to the fire damaged area.
The Emergency Response Coordinator has the authority to commit necessary resources necessary to address, control and mitigate an emergency occurring on the Wesleyan University campus. For extended or extensive emergency response actions, the Vice President of Finance and Administration shall be consulted and appropriate resources will be made available to ensure that lives, property and the environment are protected to the greatest extent possible.