Emergency Response Guidelines for Students
Emergencies, disasters, accidents, and injuries can occur at any time and without warning. The more prepared you are, the better you will respond to an emergency situation. Listed below are guidelines for specific situations that may occur when you are on the DACC campus.
INJURY & ILLNESS PROCEDURES
- Minor Illness/Injury: If an incident involves a minor injury or illness, call DACC Security at 217-443-8888 or inform a DACC employee.
- Serious Illness/Injury: If an incident involves serious injury, serious illness, or a perceived psychological emergency, the following procedure is recommended: 1) Call 911 (if using a campus phone, dial 911 and press #). Notify DACC Security at 217-443-8888 (or at 8888 if using a campus phone). Medical professionals are best prepared to treat a seriously injured or ill individual.
TORNADO/SEVERE WEATHER
- DACC will be notified through the emergency notification systems in the case of a severe weather warning.
- A continual siren at any time, except for the emergency test conducted the first Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m., indicates an emergency condition. It is presumed to be a tornado warning unless notified by officials to the contrary.
- In these situations, remain calm and follow the administrator’s or instructors’ directions. They will lead you to designated safe zones in the buildings (generally below ground level). Tornadoes are unpredictable; therefore, you should avoid exterior windows, walls, and ceilings whenever possible. Stay indoors, away from windows and large unsupported ceilings. If outside, take shelter inside the nearest building. Statistics have indicated that the northeast interior corner of the building is the safest.
- In case of an earthquake: 1) drop to the floor; 2) take cover by covering your head and protecting the front of your body; and 3) hold on to your protection.
- The emergency notification system will issue the all clear announcement.
- Do not re-enter damaged buildings.
- Call DACC Security (217-443-8888) to report any injuries, fires, or suspected gas leaks.
FIRE
- If you are the one to discover the fire, smoke, or see an explosion, stay calm and notify your instructor or the nearest employee.
- If a minor fire appears controllable, call DACC Security at 217-443-8888 to report the discovery. If the fire does not appear to be controllable, call 911 (or dial 911# on a campus phone) immediately.
- Evacuate the building, following the instructor’s/administrator’s instructions.
- All individuals in DACC buildings are required to evacuate immediately upon the sounding of the fire alarm unless a test has been explicitly announced. Compliance is mandatory.
- Do not use elevators as the electrical power might be cut off.
- If forced to travel through smoke, stay low and breathe shallowly using a shirt or jacket as a filter.
- If a door feels hot to the touch, DO NOT OPEN IT.
- If trapped in a room, retreat and close as many doors as possible between you and the fire. Place cloth material around/under the door to stop smoke from coming in. Signal from windows, but do NOT break the glass unless it is absolutely necessary.
- Notify DACC employees near you if individuals with a mobility impairment need special assistance.
- Do not attempt to re-enter the building or leave campus until accounted for and/or instructed to do so.
BOMB OR BIOLOGICAL THREATS
- For Bomb Threats:
- Do not use a cellular phone or radio communication device.
- Follow instructor/administrator instructions to move to a safe location or evacuate the premises.
- If an evacuation takes place, DACC administration will notify the campus when it is safe to return.
- For Biological Threats:
- Do not shake, open, or empty a suspicious package.
- Cover the package with anything available.
- All occupants in the room should leave, closing the door.
- Call 911 (or 911# using a DACC phone line). Provide them with as much information as possible about the package. Call DACC Security at 217-443-8888 to notify them, too.
- Wash any exposed skin areas with soap and water. Remove any contaminated clothing and seal it in a plastic bag.
ACTIVE SHOOTER
- DACC follows Run-Hide-Fight strategies and training.
- Recognizing that all situations that occur or might occur on the campus cannot be predicted or planned for, this information is provided as a guide to assist us in protecting you in a hostile/active shooter situation.
- Be alert. Any number of things can alert you to a shooter situation: gunfire, witnesses, unusual commotion on campus, phone/text/email alerts.
- Any type of incident of this nature is unpredictable, and your immediate response depends on the situation you face. The Campus Safety and Security Department has developed the guidelines based on the best practices established by law enforcement experts.
- Call 911 when possible and provide as much information as possible.
- What to Expect from Responding Police Officers:
- Police are trained to proceed immediately to the area in which shots were last heard. Their purpose is to stop the shooting as quickly as possible.
- Responding officers can be single officers or in teams. They may be in regular patrol uniforms or wearing external bulletproof vests, Kevlar helmets, and other tactical gear. The officers will be armed with guns. Regardless of how they appear, remain calm, do as the officers tell you, and do not be afraid of them.
- Put down anything you may be carrying and keep your hands visible at all times.
- Do not have your cell phone in your hand.
- The first officers will not stop to aid injured people. Other officers and emergency medical personnel will follow to remove injured persons.
- Keep in mind that after you have escaped to a safer location, the entire area is still a crime scene.
- Police will usually not let anyone leave until the situation is fully under control and all witnesses have been identified and questioned.
- Until you are released, remain where authorities designate.
EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS AT DACC
- Campus Security: 217-443-8888 or dial 8888 if using a DACC phone line.
- 911 or dial 911# if using a DACC phone line.
ONLINE INCIDENT REPORTING