Emergency Management - Preparedness and Response
Flipchart -Emergency response procedures, security and emergency contacts, evacuation diagrams, evacuation drills, warden information.
In a life threatening emergency dial (0) 000,
then call University Security on 834 46666.
Book building emergency drills here
Keep your staff, students, and visitors safe by booking your building’s emergency event drill. Booking a drill is a great opportunity to ensure issues are identified and addressed early in the year, and ensure your building is well prepared for any emergency. For more information or assistance, contact Health and Safety Services.
Preparedness
The University places a high importance in emergency prevention and preparedness processes to maximise the safety of its people and the optimal functioning of the University. Separating these two functions allows us to focus more clearly on activities that support them effectively.
Requirements
Health & Safety: Emergency preparedness and response requirements
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Emergency plans
Emergency plans should be reviewed due to the changes in occupancy in buildings as a result of COVID-19. Plans need to take into account changes in availability of emergency personnel (eg Chief Warden, first aiders, etc.) where the building remains in use but occupancy has changed.
The documentation of emergency arrangements for a campus, precinct or building which includes preparedness, prevention and response activities. It includes agreed emergency roles, responsibilities, plans and localised emergency response procedures additional to the University’s emergency response procedures.
This Building emergency plan can be used and easily adapted for all emergency plans for buildings, precincts and campuses. The Emergency management plan Parkville campus is available for reference.
The Chief Warden (or other designated agreed person) is responsible for developing and maintaining the emergency plan. The Chief Warden (or other designated agreed person) will work in conjunction with an Emergency Control Organisation where applicable.
For further information, please refer to our Emergency Response Requirements.
All emergency plans should be forwarded for review to the Emergency & Business Resilience Team.
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Emergency personnel and training requirements
Being a warden is a specialist role with specific requirements and procedures that all wardens should be aware of. Detailed information on training, equipment, responsibilities and what to do in an emergency can be found on the Warden information page.
Personnel Training required Resources Visitor None Visitor Emergency Guide Staff, contractors, relevant students Health and Safety - Roles and Responsibilities Enrol in TrainME* Local induction Direct Supervisor Participate in yearly evacuation drill Chief Warden Customer facing (eg reception, library staff, Health Services) Suspicious packages Enrol in TrainME* Handling unhappy and angry customers Enrol in TrainME* Chief Warden, Deputy Chief Warden, Warden Conduct yearly evacuation drill Local area responsibility Fire extinguisher training (elective) Enrol in TrainME* Suspicious packages (elective) Enrol in TrainME* First Aiders Provide First Aid (Level 2) - HLTAID003 Enrol in TrainME* Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) – HLTAID001 (elective) Enrol in TrainME* *You can search for Health and Safety training in the TrainME Course Catalog under the Health and Safety category.
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Evacuation diagrams
Each building in the University is equipped with building evacuation diagrams. Building occupants should check the contents of these diagrams for buildings they enter and as a part of building inductions. Information of Fire orders is displayed on the building evacuation diagrams.
These diagrams are located at emergency exits and other key locations inside a building. The diagrams contain information on egress pathways, emergency assembly areas, evacuation procedures and the location of fire-fighting and first aid equipment.
All staff with IT Access can request access to view evacuation diagrams on the Emergency Management Community SharePoint Site. Evacuation diagrams are no longer stored in Meridian.
Health & Safety - Obtain an evacuation diagram provides information on this process. If you have any further questions regarding the ongoing review of all out of date diagrams please contact:
- Existing buildings: Emergency & Business Resilience Team
- New or refurbished buildings: Project Manager
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Emergency drills
Building evacuation drills should be organised yearly (except Childcare centres which require drills quarterly).
Drills ensure that your building is prepared and ready to undergo an evacuation. Detailed requirements for evacuation drills are outlined in the Health & Safety - Emergency preparedness and response requirements.
To book a building evacuation drill, Chief Wardens or Health and Safety Business Partners are asked to review the Emergency Drill SharePoint calendar for an available time and then book a building drill via Staff Services specifying building name and number in the subject line. A calendar invite will be sent from Emergency & Business Resilience to confirm the drill booking.
For all confirmed drills, technicians will arrive at the building's fire panel at the designated time to trigger the fire evacuation alarms.
To view all scheduled drills across the University in your Outlook, go to the Emergency Drill SharePoint and add yourself as a 'member' of the site.
Following an evacuation drill, the Chief Warden or the fire technician (if present) completes the emergency event report which will be sent to Emergency & Business Resilience Team directly for review and retention.
Guidance
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Special evacuations
Special instructions for lecture theatres, laboratories and classrooms.
The person in charge of the class shall maintain control of the class, and take direction from Wardens or Security staff if attending.
Upon hearing the alarm signal or becoming aware of an emergency, the person in charge of the class should direct students to:
- Stand and push chairs, large bags, etc under desks or benches.
- Turn off electrical devices and laboratory operations that are not safe to be left unattended.
- In controlled sequence, move along gangways to main aisles and exit in an orderly manner through the nearest appropriate exit.
- On leaving the building, stay together as a group until contacted by the emergency services or University Security.
- When directed to do so, recover any effects left in the building.
Response
The University publishes emergency preparedness and response information including:
- processes
- information, including training and responsibilities
- guidance, and
- forms and templates
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Emergency response procedures flipchart
The University’s Emergency response procedures flipchart contains guidance on evacuation and shelter in place procedures, and hazard-specific instructions for response to a range of scenarios including active threats, electrical outages, suspicious packages.
Hard copies of the flipchart are installed across all University owned and occupied buildings at Fire Indicator Panels (FIPs), main entrances to buildings, lifts and at key locations such as libraries, receptions, lecture halls and other teaching spaces.
It is expected that where possible University staff, students, contractors and visitors will follow these University wide emergency response procedures. Where local area procedures are more detailed or contain site specific instructions, this information can be captured in Building emergency plans and local areas are responsible for making those procedures known to building occupants.
For more information on the flipchart or their physical installation across the University, please contact the Health and Safety Assist.
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Advice for specific emergencies and hazards
- Earthquakes
- Bushfires & Grassfires - Country Fire Authority (CFA) website
- Flooding - Victoria State Emergency Service (SES) website
- Storms - Victoria State Emergency Service (SES) website
- Extreme heat and heatwaves - Victorian Department of Health website
- Epidemic thunderstorm asthma - Victorian Department of Health website
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SafeZone app
The University's SafeZone app is available for download by staff and students to help make our campuses and University-affiliated locations safer. Through the app, which also allows the University to send mass communications in the event of emergencies and critical incidents, users can request emergency and first aid support, or general help from the University Security team and/or emergency services directly (Police, Fire, Ambulance etc.).
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VicEmergency app
The VicEmergency app is the official Victorian Government app for access to community information and warnings for all types of emergencies in Victoria. The app brings together emergency information and warnings from agencies including the Country Fire Authority (CFA), Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV), the Victorian State Emergency Service (VICSES), and the Department of Health. The app is managed by Emergency Management Victoria and supported by the Department of Justice and Community.
You can download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Staff and students who work, study, live or travel through areas of increased bushfire or grassfire risk are strongly encouraged to download the VicEmergency app to ensure access to timely emergency warnings and information when it matters most.
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Security contacts
University Security provides a 24-hour emergency response. If you have called emergency services, please call Security immediately afterwards so that access to the campus can be provided.
Security can be contacted at each campus on:
- Parkville: (03) 834 46666 or 1800 246 066 (free call)
- Burnley: (03) 834 46666
- Creswick: (03) 5321 4333 / After hours: 0425 700 042
- Dookie (: (03) 5833 9200
- Southbank: (03) 834 46666
- Werribee: (03) 834 46666
Emergency Services activation is vital for events that are beyond the local capacity to respond effectively. If in doubt ring the appropriate emergency service and also inform University Security on (03) 834 46666. -
Emergency contacts and support
Internal Emergency Services
- Health & Safety Business Partner for general health and safety advice.
- Building emergency information spreadsheet for Chief Warden, drills, evacuation diagram, etc..
- Security for crime prevention, access and security issues.
- Transport and Parking for parking and traffic guidelines.
- Facilities for building and grounds maintenance, fire protection equipment, and exit signage.
- The Health & Safety Services team offer a variety of emergency management training sessions for staff.
- First Aid for information, training, first aid kits and automated external defibrillator locations.
- Emergency & Business Resilience Team for assistance or questions regarding training, drills, warden equipment, publications and general emergency management matters.
External Emergency Services
- National emergency number for fire, police or ambulance: 000
- State Emergency Service (SES) for storm or flooding emergencies: 132 500
- Poisons Information Centre: 131 126
Forms
- Bomb/substance and phone threat checklist
- Building emergency procedures poster
- Health & Safety: Emergency event report
- Emergency contacts poster
- Health & Safety: Building emergency plan - a basic template to develop an emergency management plan relevant to a specific area
- Personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP)
Guidance
- Automated external defibrillators campus locations
- Automated external defibrillator (AED) - standard operating procedure
- Building emergency fittings visual guide
- Building emergency information spreadsheet (info in specific folders)
- Emergency response procedures (flip chart)
- Fire extinguisher types and their uses
- Fire order A5 poster
- Managing spills
- Visitor emergency guide - email the Health and Safety Services for replacement guides