EPSCO Ideas and Recommendations – 10-7-2015
The Emergency Preparedness and Safety Committee (EPSCo) held a special meeting on October
7, 2015 to review workplace and student safety issues in light of the recent tragedy at Umpqua
Community College. Campus constituencies including staff, faculty, and managers, and
representation from Eureka and Del Norte were in attendance. Humboldt County Sheriff’s
Lieutenant Dennis Young participated in the meeting as well. Also, Burk McBride met
separately with Tom Dewey, retired Police Chief for HSU Police, to discuss safety and related
issues. Below is a summary of the initiatives discussed and recommendations:
1. Enhance campus communications.
a. Additional cell phone boosters.
b. Finalize the installation of the campus siren and public address system.
c. Install speakerphones in each classroom. In addition to a phone, install two way
loudspeaker with text screen in larger or noisier rooms.
d. Accelerate the digital signage project and the new marquees for DN and EKA.
e. Program a “panic” button on existing telephones to call Public Safety and/or 911.
Provide training on existing phones to access the panic button.
2. Complete the Districtwide inventory of door locks and make corrections.
a. Press the State to complete the install of the card lock system in SS/Admin bldg.
b. Push the install date to this summer for lock system upgrades in the AT bldg.
from the Utility Infrastructure state bond capital project. Check in with GHD.
c. Replace room door locks that do not include an interior key lock mechanism.
d. Train employees on best practices for doors, such as only unlocking one door to a
classroom where multiple doors exist to better control the normal flow of students
and to reduce lockdown time in an emergency.
e. Locked doors for CDC.
3. Install window coverings on first floor windows to limit the ability to “see in”.
Investigate window laminate to create shatter resistant glass.
4. Enhance exterior lighting and fencing for safety.
a. Review exterior lighting at Del Norte and Eureka.
b. Install a street light at the Eureka north entrance.
c. Request that the County install additional street lights on Tompkins Hill Rd.
between the US101 exit and the CR’s campus.
d. Explore installing fencing at Del Norte and Eureka to better control the flow of
students and channel access to “forested” areas.
e. Enhance lighting at CDC.
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EPSCO Ideas and Recommendations – 10-7-2015
5. Districtwide safety preparedness training.
a. On a more regular basis, schedule small scale events, such as tabletop exercises
and smaller drills focused on a single building or smaller area of a campus.
b. Make plans for a larger scale, all campus drill.
c. Will need to educate employees on the importance of having planned events, but
also that we need unannounced events even if it creates some disruptions, as
emergencies are not planned.
d. One hour class given by Sheriff’s office and Public Safety on Basics for
emergencies and Active shooter situations as soon as possible (setting it up now).
e. We need to get all those who are required to get their NIMS training that is
required. We are not compliant in that. The first thing after any major emergency
the Feds are going to ask us, when we ask for any type of reimbursement is “What
training have you had and did you follow the NIMS”. Here is a link showing
NIMS Training Matrix:
http://www.caloes.ca.gov/PlanningPreparednessSite/Documents/04%202011%20
Combined%20Training%20Matrix%20Updates%202011-2012%20Rev%20125.pdf
f. Add a required orientation for all new students that would cover Safety, Title IX,
VAWA, etc. (Newly hired employees).
g. Safety training item at Convocation and other District wide activities.
6. Safety preparedness “walk throughs”. Public Safety and local law enforcement will
schedule annual joint visits to walk each CR campus and visit buildings to identify needs,
including DN, EKA, EKA downtown, CR at Eureka High School, Garberville, and KT.
a. Undersheriff Honsal walked around the campus and his concern was a lack of
signage. If our cars hadn’t been parked in front of Public Safety, he wouldn’t
have known where PS office was. Same for buildings like Humanities, Science,
Admin, Bookstore, Cafeteria, etc. He suggested some of those “You are here”
type signs would also help showing the campus.
b. Evacuation arrow signs pointing toward Evacuation zones.
7. Work with ASCR on safety Campaigns such as “See Something, Say Something”, a
Safety Booth every now and then, monthly Safety article written and put on website.
8. Need to bank a block of keys and keycards to provide to first responders during an
emergency.
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EPSCO Ideas and Recommendations – 10-7-2015
9. Additional training for Public Safety officers, additional equipment and services for
Public Safety. Additional staffing for the Public Safety Office. All of these need to be
reviewed.
10. Work with local Sheriff’s office on a substation and plans for a more visible presence on
campus for DN and EKA. Investigate options for the Klamath-Trinity site.
11. Behavioral intervention Team needs. Identify the team’s outstanding needs.
12. Provide more access to therapists and mental health services. The Humboldt County
Mental Health Service has taken budget cuts and reduced services. Need to investigate
the possibility of adding a mental health benefit to the Student insurance program, if
feasible and if not cost prohibitive.
The Committee) will create a Matrix which includes something like, Infrastructure / Training /
Communications with anticipated timelines and priorities, so we can keep up to date on progress
and be able to report successes and completions.
epsco 10-7-2015.docx
10/13/2015 10:32 AM
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