For immediate emergencies, dial 911.
All on-campus emergencies should also be reported to Campus Police (423-697-4467).
All Injury Reports are required to call our claims administration team at CORVEL (866-245-8588).
What We Do
- The Chattanooga State Safety & Risk Management team provides a safe, healthy, and hazard free environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors. We also ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements.
- We oversee campus closing procedures, all crisis communication, and emergency alerting via the Tiger Alert system.
What Emergencies We Prepare For
In the event of a serious injury, illness or other medical emergency:
Call Campus Police immediately. Campus Police can be reached 24-hours a day at (423) 697-4467. If you call 911, call Campus Police right after your 911 call. Be prepared to provide the following information:
- Type of emergency
- Identify your location (building name or number, office or room number)
- Victim’s condition and information:
- what has happened
- nature of injury/illness
- medical history if known
- approximate age or age of victim
- male or female
- Give your name and phone number.
- Stay on the line until the Campus Security dispatcher or 911 dispatcher advises you it is OK to hang up.
While waiting for emergency personnel:
- Remain calm.
- Never attempt to move a seriously injured person, unless a life-threatening emergency exists in the immediate area.
- Provide first aid or CPR if you are trained and qualified to do so.
- Alert other employees and/or students that an emergency is occurring.
- Have someone stand by to flag down and direct any arriving emergency responders.
- Stay with the injured or ill person until emergency responders arrive.
All buildings have portable fire extinguishers placed in strategic and well-marked locations. The locations of fire extinguishers and fire alarm pull stations are marked on the emergency evacuation maps located in the hallways and rooms.
In the event you notice an open fire or smoke, immediately pull the nearest fire alarm pull station and call Campus Police. You may choose to utilize a nearby fire extinguisher if you are familiar with the proper operation of fire extinguishers.
In the event of a fire alarm sounding on campus the procedures listed below shall be followed:
- Campus Police will immediately respond.
- Exit the building as quickly as possible. Do not remain in lobby or near entrances. Move at least 500 feet away from the building so you do not obstruct emergency responders.
- Campus Police or other Plant Operations personnel will assist disabled persons in the evacuation.
- No one will be allowed to re-enter the building until Campus Police gives the all clear.
If you cannot evacuate:
- Remain calm, stay in place and close your door.
- If possible call Campus Police at (423) 697-4467 and/or 911 and advise them of your specific location.
- Prevent smoke from entering your room by blocking any openings. Wet towels or clothing works best.
- If there is smoke in the room, stay low to the ground and close to a window if you have one. Do not open or break the window unless absolutely necessary.
Persons with Disabilities:
Assist any disabled persons with evacuating if it is safe to do so. If they cannot fully evacuate, assist them to a secure location and notify Campus Police at (423) 697-4467 and/or 911 of their exact location.
Everyone is asked to assist in making the campus a safe place by being alert to suspicious situations and promptly reporting them.
If you observe a criminal incident call the Campus Police and/or 911 immediately. Campus Police can be reached 24-hours a day at (423) 697-4467.
Be prepared to provide them with as much information as possible:
- Where and what is happening (or happened).
- If anyone is injured.
- Description of the suspect(s) including their sex, race, height, weight, clothing, etc.
- Description of any weapons observed.
- The direction any potential suspects may have fled from the scene and by what means.
- If they used a vehicle try to provide the make, model, color, license plate and direction of travel.
- Be sure you provide the person with whom you are speaking with your name and a call back number.
In the event of an active shooter or active threat on the campus you must quickly determine the most reasonable way to protect your own life.
There are typically three steps to consider: Run, Hide or Fight.
Run (Evacuate)
- If there is an escape route, attempt to evacuate.
- Evacuate if others agree to or not.
- Leave your personal belongings behind.
- Help others escape if possible.
Hide
- Stay out of view.
- Lock doors if possible.
- Silence cellphone.
- Turn off lights.
- Remain silent.
Fight (Take action as a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger)
- Attempt to incapacitate the shooter or threat.
- Act with physical aggression.
- Use any object within reach to improvise as a weapon.
Call Campus Police at (423) 697-4467 and/or 911 as soon as it is safe to do so.
Be prepared to provide the following information:
- The location of the shooter or threat.
- The number of shooters, if more than one.
- The types of weapons being used (if you can determine this)
- The number of victims and their location(s).
- A description of the shooter: gender, race, clothing and distinguishing features.
When Law Enforcement Arrives
- Remain calm – avoid yelling and screaming.
- Immediately raise your hands and keep your hands free of objects such as cellphones.
- Avoid quick movements toward police.
- Be prepared to possibly be detained until the situation is under control, searched, identified, and interviewed.
Severe weather conditions or natural disasters may occur with little or no advance warning. If potential severe weather is predicted, the information will be communicated to you by the use of Tiger Alert, e-mail, or word of mouth.
Once notified, you should immediately move to the nearest building shelter area. These areas include the bottom of interior stairwells, first floor interior hallways and rooms, interior doorways, restrooms, and other areas away from windows and exterior doors. Maps located in rooms and hallways detail the location of shelter areas.
In the event of severe weather, a determination regarding the cancellation of classes and activities at Chattanooga State will be made independent of other local schools’ decisions. Announcements will be made as soon as possible in order to give all personnel adequate notice.
When the campus is closed due to inclement weather, no admittance will be allowed. Only essential personnel and executive staff will be permitted to remain on campus after the announced closing time.
Emergencies requiring an evacuation can occur when you least expect them, day or night, during any type of weather. You must be prepared to evacuate. If a fire alarm sounds or a building evacuation is ordered:
- Immediately evacuate the building in a calm, orderly manner.
- If you are supervising students, instruct them to remain calm and to stay together.
- Assist people in immediate danger, but only if it is safe to do so without endangering yourself.
- Assist people with disabilities with evacuating as outlined in the Evacuation Plan for Persons with Disabilities.
- Do not use elevators.
- Use stairways for emergency evacuation.
Once you have evacuated the building:
- Do not remain in lobby or near entrances.
- Move well away from the building so you do not obstruct emergency responders.
- Follow all directions given by Campus Security and/or arriving emergency responders.
- Report the names of any persons with disabilities that you know require additional assistance and their last known location.
- • Report the names of anyone missing to Campus Security or emergency responders with their last known location.
- • Do not attempt to re-enter the building until told to do so by Campus Security or emergency responders.
Utilities on campus in the form of electricity, natural gas, or sewage can pose a health risk if normal distribution means are disrupted. Contact Campus Police at (423) 697-4467 if you suspect a hazard from utilities or unexpected power failure.
Electricity
The buildings are equipped with emergency lights, exit signs and other devices to provide illumination during power outages.
Natural Gas
In the event that a possible natural gas leak is detected, Campus Police should be notified immediately and the area evacuated. No phones, cell phones, alarms, electrical devices, radios, or any other devices that may cause a spark should be used. The area will remain off limits to the public until Plant Operations gives the all clear to resume normal activities in the area.
When instructed to evacuate the building, walk quickly to the nearest marked exit and alert others to do the same.
Illuminated exit signs are located throughout the buildings. Follow these signs to evacuate the building during an emergency. Emergency evacuation routes can be found on the building maps located in each room and on the hallway walls.
In buildings with multiple stories, there are evacuation chairs at the top of select stairwells. The cabinets contain emergency evacuation chairs that are used to evacuate disabled persons when the elevators are inoperable. Only trained personnel are authorized to operate the emergency evacuation chairs. The location of the emergency evacuation chairs are indicated on the campus maps.
In the event of an emergency evacuation, Police personnel or other designated persons will be posted near all entrances to insure no unauthorized individuals re-enter the building.
Once outside, move to a clear area at least 500 feet away from the affected building(s).
Keep streets, fire lanes, hydrants, and walkways clear for emergency vehicles and crews. If requested, assist emergency crews as necessary.
DO NOT RETURN TO AN EVACUATED BUILDING unless told to do so by an official of The Chattanooga State Police Department.
In the event of an emergency, it may not be possible to know the exact location of all disabled students, employees or guests on campus at any given time.
Planning
- Individuals with mobility issues or other disabilities that may restrict or limit an independent evacuation are encouraged to discuss alternate plans with instructors, supervisors, or Campus Police in advance of any emergency.
- Become familiar with your area by knowing of at least two exit points, the locations of stairwells, fire alarm stations, fire extinguishers and emergency telephones.
Assistance
- Faculty and staff are asked to assist persons with disabilities during building evacuations.
- During a building evacuation, assist persons with disabilities by helping them move to the nearest marked exit. A person who uses a wheelchair or a person with mobility impairment may use the building elevator, but never in the case of a fire or explosion.
- During a fire, assist persons with disabilities to the nearest stairwell and help them exit the building. If the person’s disability prevents you from helping them exit the building, you should immediately call Campus Police at (423) 697-4467 for help.
If evacuation is not possible
- Remain calm, stay in place and close your door if you have one.
- If possible call Campus Police at (423) 697-4467 and/or 911 and advise them of your specific location and type of assistance you need.
- Prevent smoke from entering your room by blocking any openings. Wet towels or clothing work well.
- Do not open or break the window unless absolutely necessary. Doing so can further increase the fire.
- If there is smoke in your room, stay low to the ground and close to a window if you have one. If possible place a wet towel over your mouth and nose.
The Tiger Alert system has been implemented by Chattanooga State Community College in order to quickly notify our students, faculty and staff in the event of an emergency.