Safety drills
Christina Ruiz
Issue date: 9/25/07 Section: News
Mt. SAC marches forward with a revamped evacuation plan and monthly drills keeping campus safety a priority.
Both a federal and state law mandates that all public agencies in California comply with an evacuation plan in correlation with the Homeland Security Act. Karen Saldana, director of safety, health benefits and risk management at Mt. SAC is at the helm of the operation.
In the 1980s Standardized Emergency Management Systems (SEMS) were implemented in California as a tool for emergency management. But it wasn't until recently that a nationwide plan was ordered. It took a most memorable day in American history before National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) were put in place.
"The federal government stepped in and mandated these operations because of 9/11," Saldana said. "California had such a good working plan in place already for public agencies that the (federal) government chose its plan of an infinite command system as its model for everyone."
After some tweaking, Mt. SAC's original paper format was transformed to be SIMS and NIMS compliant and a little more physically involved. Saldana hopes to pilot the concept she adopted from the existing Cal State system, the building marshal concept, and share it with surrounding community college districts.
"I heard from many faculty who teach at other community colleges that other schools don't have a plan in place like ours," she said.
The Mounties "plan of attack" was modified from the building marshal concept and utilizes key personnel responsible for facilitating an exit or lockdown if necessary.
A building manager will be assigned to each building on campus. These managers will accountable for making sure evacuation maps are easily located and posted throughout their buildings. Building marshals are responsible for receiving information from the floor captains and make sure all people in the buildings are accounted for.
Floor captains are in turn responsible for locking doors in the event of a lockdown and check all rooms while directing people safely from the building. An infinite command post is set up and directed by the person who would take charge of any emergency that may occur.
Both a federal and state law mandates that all public agencies in California comply with an evacuation plan in correlation with the Homeland Security Act. Karen Saldana, director of safety, health benefits and risk management at Mt. SAC is at the helm of the operation.
In the 1980s Standardized Emergency Management Systems (SEMS) were implemented in California as a tool for emergency management. But it wasn't until recently that a nationwide plan was ordered. It took a most memorable day in American history before National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) were put in place.
"The federal government stepped in and mandated these operations because of 9/11," Saldana said. "California had such a good working plan in place already for public agencies that the (federal) government chose its plan of an infinite command system as its model for everyone."
After some tweaking, Mt. SAC's original paper format was transformed to be SIMS and NIMS compliant and a little more physically involved. Saldana hopes to pilot the concept she adopted from the existing Cal State system, the building marshal concept, and share it with surrounding community college districts.
"I heard from many faculty who teach at other community colleges that other schools don't have a plan in place like ours," she said.
The Mounties "plan of attack" was modified from the building marshal concept and utilizes key personnel responsible for facilitating an exit or lockdown if necessary.
A building manager will be assigned to each building on campus. These managers will accountable for making sure evacuation maps are easily located and posted throughout their buildings. Building marshals are responsible for receiving information from the floor captains and make sure all people in the buildings are accounted for.
Floor captains are in turn responsible for locking doors in the event of a lockdown and check all rooms while directing people safely from the building. An infinite command post is set up and directed by the person who would take charge of any emergency that may occur.
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