Be aware of the College Emergency Response Procedures below and plan to respond appropriately.
- Ensure the College has your cell phone, email and emergency contact details. The College may use these to alert students in the event of an emergency.
- Download the Columbia Safe app to receive notifications in the event of an emergency.
- Stay calm.
- Listen to your Instructors and College staff during an emergency. If you are under 18 years of age inform staff.
- Familiarize yourself with the College floor plan on each level and Emergency Exits for each campus that you attend classes.
- The Security guard (Main Campus ground floor) and Nurses (Main Campus Room 2xx and North Campus Room N4xx) can respond to first aid needs in the event of accident or injury.
- If you have to call 911 for an emergency, you must inform Security and Administration. The College can assist and advise the first responders on your location and the nature of the emergency.
- In the event of an Evacuation, Lockdown, Hold and Secure or Shelter in Place Emergency Alert, and you are off campus, do not proceed to the College campus. Await an “All Clear” message (College website, student College email, text). If you see an armed intruder call 911, take shelter and alert others around you.
Fire Evacuation
In the event of fire, the fire alarm sounds and strobe lights flash. If in class, your instructor will direct you. Remain calm and leave via the nearest exit. When leaving a room, close the door behind you. Assemble outside on pavement along the CN railway, near Long & McQuade (Main Campus) or on the payment along Terminal Avenue (North Campus) and await instructions. Stay off the road and away from the building. Only return to the building following “All Clear” from Vancouver Fire Department or an Administrator.
Earthquake (Drop/Cover/Hold)
Stay calm. Take cover under table. Protect your neck and head. Be aware of falling objects (move away from library shelves) and in labs, any hazardous materials Without tables for shelter, move to an interior wall.
Stay in place until shaking stops. Wait 3 minutes after last tremor. Listen for instructions. You will be directed to stay together as a class, exit the building calmly and assemble in the open area alongside the CN railway track, near Long and McQuade (Main Campus) or Thornton Park in front of Vancouver Pacific Central Station (North Campus).
Await instructions from the Crisis Management Team (orange vests). Do NOT call 911.
Lockdown
If you hear “LOCKDOWN” over the P/A or an administrator announces the lockdown in person, and you are in a Classroom:
- Stay calm. DO NOT CALL 911
- If present, the instructor will lock the classroom door and lower or close any blinds. If there is no instructor present, do this yourself.
- It is VERY important that you stay quiet.
- Turn off the lights in your room.
- If possible, barricade door and glass window by door.
- Move to the safest corner of the room (out of the sight line from the door).
- Stay low and seat yourself on the floor against the wall.
- Stay away from windows.
- Turn your cell phones and computer monitors off.
- Under 18? Identify yourself and stay with a staff member.
Open areas, stairs, washrooms, Student Lounges and corridors should be evacuated IMMEDIATELY!
- Stay calm.
- Seek shelter in a classroom with an instructor present immediately as classroom doors will be quickly locked and you will be unable to enter and take shelter.
- Follow directions of staff. Stay quiet.
- If you are unable to leave a washroom cubicle immediately, keep door locked and stand on toilet seat. Turn phone off.
- If you are in the Parkade, seek shelter in your vehicle. Do not try to access other floors.
- All students and staff will await instructions (Administrator over public address (P/A) system or Vancouver Police Department member)
- An Administrator will signal on the P/A system if the lockdown has been lifted. Remain calm and quiet until an “All Clear” and “Lockdown Over” message is communicated via the P/A system.
- Never open doors during a lockdown, even in the event of a fire alarm (unless you smell smoke).
- In the event of evacuation following lockdown, listen to staff. Once evacuated from the building, assemble along the CN railway, near Long & McQuade (Main Campus) or in Thornton Park, in front of Vancouver Pacific Central Station (North Campus), unless instructed to do otherwise by an Administrator, Vancouver Police or Fire Department.
- Await further instructions.
Hold and Secure
Hold and secure is used when it is desirable to secure the College due to a potentially threatening incident occurring outside and not necessarily related to the College e.g. a police incident or chemical fire.
An announcement will be made over the P/A system stating the College is in a “Hold and Secure” situation.
The College continues to function normally with the exterior doors being locked and parkade gates closed until the situation near the school is resolved.
Security will monitor student/staff access into the building. No one should leave the building. Students on campus should listen for P/A updates.
Remain calm until an “All Clear” message is communicated via the P/A system.
Students on their way to College will be advised via email/text to stay away from campus. An ’All Clear” message will be communicated via text/email/website.
Shelter in Place
Shelter in place is used when personal safety is considered to be in danger if anyone leaves the College e.g. an environmental event such as a chemical spill outside College or any situation where evacuation may pose a greater risk than sheltering in place.
An announcement will be made over the P/A system stating the College is in a “Shelter In Place” mode.
Entry to the building is allowed. Listen for P/A system updates and remain calm.
Students remain in building until an “All Clear” message is communicated via the P/A system by Administration. Students off-site are advised of emergency via email/text/website and are encouraged not to proceed to College. An “All Clear” message will be communicated via text/email/website.
Room Clear
Room clear is used to empty a room in the event of a medical emergency or altercation between individuals.
If Instructors/staff are present, they will clearly and firmly direct uninvolved students out of room or away from the local area. If you are instructed to seek help (Security/Nurse/ Counsellor), do so immediately and report back to the instructor/staff member . Stay clear of room/area involved. Await assistance.