Fire Alarm

If you work at the service desk, especially on an evening shift, you might be responsible for assisting in the evacuation of the building should there be a fire alarm or other emergency. For all student assistants, if a fire alarm should sound while you are on duty, please evacuate using the nearest exit. Do not use the elevators. If you are upstairs shelving books, leave the truck there and evacuate immediately.

If you smell smoke, see a fire, or hear a fire alarm:

1. IMMEDIATELY EVACUATE THE BUILDING.  Always use the stairs.  Never use elevators during a fire.
2. If the fire alarm has not been activated, then pull the manual fire alarm pull station by the nearest exit.  Assist any person in need.
3. Before opening doors, check for heat:
   1. IF THE DOOR IS COOL:
      1. Open the door carefully and proceed to the nearest exit.
      2. Close doors behind you and leave the lights on.
      3. If there is light smoke, stay low and cover your face with a cloth to filter out particulates.
   2. IF THE DOOR IS HOT, DO NOT OPEN IT!
      1. Seek another exit.
      2. If you are on a ground floor, try to exit through a window.
4. If you are trapped in a room on an upper floor:
   1. Call 911 to report your building, floor, room number, and the number of people with you.
   2. Prevent smoke from entering the room. If accessible, place wet towels or cloth material at the bottom of the door and cover any vents.
   3. If the room begins to fill with smoke, you can open the window slightly. Never break the window because this might cause a chimney effect and help spread the fire.
5. Assist the physically impaired as you evacuate the building.
   1. Offer to guide the visually impaired.
   2. Instruct the hearing impaired to evacuate with you. If you encounter a wheelchair-bound person, assist them to a refuge point and instruct them to wait for Fire Department assistance.
      1. The first choice for a refuge point would be a widened stairway landing that will accommodate a wheelchair without impeding patrons as they exit.
      2. If no stairway refuge exists, then have them remain in a room with a window.
      3. Make every attempt to ensure they have a phone or cell phone available.
      4. Make note of their exact location and continue to evacuate the building.
6. After you safely evacuate from the building, report to your designated assembly area.
7. Report to your supervisor or designated point of contact and communicate to them:
   1. The location of anyone who could not be evacuated.
   2. The location and phone number of any mobility impaired person you assisted.
   3. Any problems you witnessed while exiting the building, such as hallways/stairs filling with smoke or blocked by fire.
8. DO NOT go back into the building until the Fire Department or the Vanderbilt University Police personnel provide the All Clear.

DO NOT ENDANGER YOUR OWN LIFE ATTEMPTING TO PUT OUT A FIRE.

Note the fire extinguisher stored outside of Daisy's office:

Flood
Floods are a safety hazard and can also damage te library building and collections. If you notice water leaking from the ceiling or overflowing from a toilet, notify your supervisor immediately. They will place a call to either Housekeeping (weekdays) or Plant Ops (nights/weekends).

Tornado Safety

Be prepared - Tornado Season is March through May.

The most likely time for tornadoes to appear in Tennessee is March through May, but when conditions are right, tornadoes can appear at any time of the year.  Take steps now to be prepared if a tornado strikes.  Learn about the Vanderbilt Severe Weather Warning System, and the Vanderbilt Emergency Guide for Tornadoes, so that you can develop your personal severe weather plan for actions you will take in the event of a tornado emergency.

• Know where you plan to go if the sirens sound.
• Practice a "tornado drill" at least once a year.
• Use the buddy system to check in after an incident to keep others from worrying and have a pre-determined place to meet after an incident occurs.
• Make your friends and family aware of the potential for tornadoes in the area.
• Get informed about upcoming severe weather and stay alert for severe weather Watches and Warnings:
  • Monitor local television, radio and NOAA Weather Radio.
  • Monitor online sources for current weather conditions. 
  • Install weather apps on all your mobile devices

If you are caught outdoors and hear the Vanderbilt sirens or receive an AlertVU notice that a tornado may be approaching campus:

1. Immediately seek shelter in the closest substantial building.
2. Never try to outrun a tornado. If you cannot seek shelter in a building, lie in a ditch or low-lying area and cover your head and neck.

Once you are indoors:

1. Alert building occupants of the impending weather.
2. Move quickly to a safe area indoors such as an interior hallway or an interior room away from windows.
   1. 1. Basements, which are often recommended for shelter in private residences, may not be practical for high rise buildings or some campus facilities—move to the most interior portion of the building.
      2. Stay away from windows, doors and exterior walls.
      3. Close all doors leading to exterior rooms.
3. Once you are indoors, stay indoors until the threat has passed.  To determine when the threat has passed, monitor a weather radio, commercial radio/television station, Internet or other weather service.  Even when a specific storm cell has passed beyond the area, conditions may still be right for high winds, lightning, and other hazardous weather conditions.

If you are in a classroom or meeting area:

1. The instructor or staff member should direct occupants to the nearest interior hallways and interior rooms away from windows.
2. Monitor your weather radio, television, or other weather service provider for additional information.

3. Follow instructions from all AlertVU messages.

If someone is injured or there is damage caused by the weather, notify the Vanderbilt University Police Department:

1. Notify VUPD of the location and nature of injury or damage.
2. Exit a building that smells of natural gas or chemical fumes.
3. Do not tour damaged areas.
4. Do not go into damaged buildings.
5. If you must be outdoors, watch for downed power lines and for possible falling debris.
6. Use the telephone only to report emergencies.
7. Monitor radio and television for reports and guidance.
8. Assist special needs persons.