Rules of the Game

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Rules of the Game

• Presented by
• Mark Dougherty Nick Lawson

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Calling the AC Duty Phone

• Professional staff is on-duty to provide
  assistance, information and guidance to the
  paraprofessional staff. A RD/RA should contact
  the AC on-duty for the following reasons
• To receive assistance when responding to
  incidents.
• To receive support.
• To share information about incidents as they
  occur.
• To share information that professional staff
  needs to know (e.g. a situation that has already
  been dealt with by an RD/RA or University Police,
  information received from students, University
  Police or others).
• To seek clarification. No question is a stupid
  question!
• To seek assistance regarding a maintenance or
  custodial need.
• Any time University Police are called to assist.
• IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT WHETHER
• OR NOT TO CALL, CALL !

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Points to Ponder Prior to Calling

• Am I capable of handling the present situation on
  my own?
• Am I comfortable handling the present situation
  on my own?
• Am I in need of further clarification before
  proceeding?
• Is there an unresolved safety/security issue?

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Points to Ponder Prior to Calling

• Are drugs suspected and/or involved?
• Has the incident resulted in a medical transport?
• If after the fact, the situation has been
  concluded/resolved, does the AC need to know
  right now, or can it be conveyed via an
  Information Report for review and appropriate
  follow-up later?

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Remember . . .

• All reports dont have to be discipline
  confrontations or negative reports
• Use information reports to pass general
  information, concerns, positive news, etc.

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General Concepts

• No matter the circumstances, if you feel
  uncomfortable responding to a situation, contact
  the AC on-duty.
• You can always contact another staff member for
  backup.
• Unless it is an emergency, you may choose to
  handle situations on your own, according to your
  own comfort level.
• For any situation that involves or that has the
  potential to involve physical violence, or that
  is or may be a threat to you, a student or
  students, or a facility, contact University
  Police immediately.
• At times when the presence of non-students,
  alumni, and other visitors or guest are high,
  e.g. during Homecoming Weekend, Halloween, Greek
  Week, or during the first and last weekend of
  each term, paraprofessionals (RDs and RAs) are to
  seek the assistance of the AC on-duty and/or
  University Police before approaching any
  situation.

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• For all incident types that follow, you must
  complete an information report.

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Alcohol

• Depending upon what you have seen or heard, you
  may wish to contact University Police to solicit
  their assistance and wait for the officers to
  respond to the situation.
• University Police should be contacted if more
  than a six-pack of beer is found in a location
  (e.g. students room, lobby, or other area inside
  or directly outside of a facility).
• If non-students are involved in a situation
  contact Campus Police.
• If alcohol is present that shouldnt be, the
  resident should dispose of it down the nearest
  drain. Never touch the alcohol yourself!
• Contact AC on-duty to inform her/him of incident.
  The AC on-duty must always be notified when
  police are called (525-6117).

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Alcohol, Upper Division Halls

• If amount of alcohol is deemed excessive(e.g. an
  amount beyond that which is allowed by University
  Policy) or students are underage
• Contact AC on-duty (525-6117)
• Contact University Police (x7222)
• Collect Information and file an information
  report
• Open Container
• Public Area (e.g. walking, parking lot,
  sidewalks)
• Contact University Police
• Directly outside a facility
• Individual
• Identify yourself as an RD/RA.
• Politely ask individual to dump alcohol or take
  it inside.
• If individual does not comply, contact University
  Police.
• Group
• Contact University Police and ask that they
  respond to the situation

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Drugs

• Do not approach resident
• Do not enter room nor touch substances
• Contact University Police
• Contact AC on-duty
• Under NO circumstances should a RA/RD investigate
  a drug violation on his/her own.

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Excessive Alcohol Use

• If excessive use of alcohol is suspected (odor of
  intoxicating beverage, slurred speech, difficulty
  walking, or vomiting)
• Contact University Police (x7222). University
  Police will make the determination of how to
  treat the person.
• Contact AC on-duty for assistance
• Do not leave the person alone or with other
  persons to be monitored. The student must be
  evaluated by University Police.
• In the event that the student leaves the scene,
  do not chase or hold her/him. Observe where s/he
  goes and report information to University Police

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Fire/Personal Injury

• Call University Police (x7222).
• Give as much information as possible including
• Your name and contact info.
• Specific location of injured or ill person
• Problem, if known.
• Info on person
• Age
• Weight
• Conscious/Unconscious
• Coherent/Incoherent(i.e. knows who and where they
  are)
• Breathing - any difficulty?
• Medications, if known.
• Allergies to medications, if known.
• Call AC on-duty (525-6117).
• Complete Information Report Form following
  closure of incident.

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Fire-Related Situations

• Fire (Hearing Alarm)
• Contact University Police to notify them of fire
  alarm activation
• Check in with your buildings staff at designated
  area to ensure complete evacuation.
• Knock on doors telling residents to evacuate the
  building
• Ensure that residents are assembled at designated
  area (see attached map) and complete head count
• Keep residents away from building until
  University Police give all clear.
• If someone refuses to evacuate because s/he
  believes it is just a drill, inform University
  Police. They will take the appropriate action
  
• NOTE Make your calls from another building if
  unable to call from your own.

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Fire-Related (Cont.)

• Fire (See/Smell Smoke or Flames)
• EXIT BUILDING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
• Pull Alarm if it is not already activated.
• Contact University Police
• Give location of problem, name and your title
• Give nature of problem (i.e. I smell something
  burning, I see smoke, I see fire).
• Knock on doors as exiting the building, but only
  if safe to do so.
• Check in with your buildings staff to ensure all
  areas have been cleared
• Once outside, contact AC (525-6117).
• Ensure that residents are assembled at designated
  area and complete head count.
• Keep residents away from the road and building
  until University Police give all clear.
• NOTE If you discover a small fire, and you are
  reasonably certain that you a) can
• extinguish it by using a fire extinguisher and,
  b) you will not jeopardize your own safety,
• you may attempt to extinguish the fire. However,
  if your safety is in doubt or one fire
• extinguisher does not work, exit the building
  immediately. We will have training for Fires
  Extinguishers later in the week.
• NOTE Make your calls from another building if
  unable to call from your own.

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Disturbances

• Assess the situation
• How many people are involved?
• What is the noise level?
• Is there any violence and/or vandalism occurring?
• Is there a clear leader or leaders?
• Is the situation threatening?
• Who does the situation involve (students,
• on/off campus)?
• Does anyone require medical attention?
• If someone requires medical attention, call
  University Police (x7222).
• If the situation involves violence, vandalism, or
  is threatening, call University Police and then
  the AC on-duty. You should be prepared to answer
  the above questions when you call

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Bomb Threat

• If bomb threat is called in
• Ask the following of the caller
• When is bomb going to explode?
• Where is it right now?
• What does it look like?
• What kind of bomb is it?
• What will cause it to explode?
• Did you place the bomb?
• Why?
• What is your address?
• What is your name?

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Bomb Threat (Cont.)

• Take note of the following
• What will cause it to explode?
• Did you place the bomb?
• Why?
• What is your address?
• What is your name?
• (see form in hard copy of SOP)
• After phone conversation has ended, contact
  University Police immediately.
• Contact AC on-duty (525-6117).

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Weapons/Explosives

• If you suspect that a student has an illegally
  stored firearm, offensive weapon
• or explosive in his/her room/ apartment, contact
  University Police
• immediately.
• RD/RA should leave the vicinity of the weapon and
  immediately contact University Police (7222).
• Please have the following information available
  if known
• Room number and/or location of the firearm
• The specific location of weapon/explosive within
  the room
• Type of weapon/explosive
• How the staff member became aware of the
  existence of the weapon/explosive
• The name of the student suspected to be in
  possession of the firearm/explosive
• Any other relevant information (e.g. shes a
  hunter, he plays paintball a lot, they went to
  Maryland this weekend and brought back
  fireworks).
• Contact AC on-duty (525-6117)
• After situation, complete Information Report Form

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Weather Emergencies (Flood)

• For all emergencies, it is important to keep
• your duty phone on and with you at all times!!!
• If you come across flooding consider the
  following
• Floodwaters may carry raw sewage, chemical waste,
  and other disease-spreading substances. If you've
  come in contact with floodwaters, wash your hands
  with soap and disinfected water.
• Avoid walking through floodwaters. As little as
  six inches of moving water can knock you off your
  feet.
• Don't drive through a flooded area. If you come
  upon a flooded road, turn around and go another
  way. A car can be carried away by just 2 feet of
  flood water.
• Electric current passes easily through water, so
  stay away from downed power lines and electrical
  wires.
• Look out for animals -- especially snakes.
  Animals lose their homes in floods, too.
• If flooding occurs in a building, contact
  maintenance, University Police or AC on-duty
  immediately.
• Report any outside flooding to maintenance and AC
  on-duty (525-6117) or University Police.

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Weather Emergencies (Cont.)

• High Winds/Tornadoes
• If advanced warning is available, University
  Police may decide to evacuate students to a
  secure location. All information and directions
  will originate from University Police.
• If there is no time for a warning
• If possible and safe, move to an underground
  shelter or substantial steel-framed or reinforced
  concrete building
• Interior hallways of the basement of most
  facilities are ideal. If your building has no
  basement, take cover under heavy furniture on the
  ground floor in the center of the building, or in
  a small room on the ground floor away from
  outside walls and windows
• If you are outside, drive/walk away from the
  tornados path, at a right angle. If there is
  little time to do this, take cover and lie flat
  in the nearest depression.
• Staff should move residents to inside walls of
  the hall or designated safe area and wait for
  further instructions from AC, University Police,
  or other designated safety personnel.

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Report of Student Death/Serious Injury

• If a report is received about a student serious
  injury or death, which has occurred away from
  campus
• Verify that the report of the student
  death/injury is true.
• Contact AC on-duty (525-6117).
• AC will contact
• Associate Director of Housing
• and Residence Life
• University Police if needed.

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Report of Student Death/Serious Injury (Cont.)

• If serious injury or a student death occurs on
  campus
• Contact University Police.
• Contact AC on-duty.
• AC on-duty will contact Associate Director of
  Housing and Residence Life
• Position staff to greet and escort police,
  ambulance, and or other emergency personnel to
  student.
• Assist responding police officers and medical
  personnel as needed (crowd control, materials,
  etc).
• Do not get in the way of police or medical
  personnel.

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Power Outages

• Contact AC on-duty (525-6117) to confirm whether
  it is a local blackout or campus-wide blackout.
• Keep duty phone on you at all times
• Advise students to unplug all electrical
  appliances.
• In colder weather, remind residents to
• keep all doors and windows closed to keep
• heat in.
• Remain visible to residents.
• Share information with residents as it becomes
  available.
• In the event of a prolonged power outage and
  severe cold weather, be prepared to assist
  students in moving to the LLC or Student Union.
• Contact AC on-duty when power has been restored.

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WHO YOU GONNA CALL?
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Nope. Not Ghostbusters or Batman
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AC on DutyMaintenance Campus PoliceHandle
YourselfNot an Important Issue
Your Options
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You are friends with the residents of the room
and are not comfortable confronting the situation.
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You see drugs in a residents room.
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You discover that a front door alarm in your
First Year residence hall has been going off
continuously for a couple hours.
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You find a covered smoke detector in a
residents room.
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You see a bottle of liquor in a room in a First
Year residence hall.
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The fire alarm goes off. You call Campus Police
and clear the building. Campus Police informs
you that the alarm was triggered by a resident
burning popcorn in their microwave.
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A resident approaches you about another resident
wanting to hurt himself/herself.
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While doing a round in an Upperclassmen area, you
notice residents drinking unregistered alcohol.
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You find a skunk in a residents room.
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You approached a fraternity about a suspected
unregistered party. While doing so several
students fled the scene.
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A student is laying face down outside of your
building after a long night of partying.
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Points to Ponder Prior to Calling

• Am I capable of handling the present situation on
  my own?
• Am I comfortable handling the present situation
  on my own?
• Am I in need of further clarification before
  proceeding?
• Is there an unresolved safety/security issue?

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Points to Ponder Prior to Calling

• Are drugs suspected and/or involved?
• Has the incident resulted in a medical transport?
• If after the fact, the situation has been
  concluded/resolved, does the AC need to know
  right now, or can it be conveyed via an
  Information Report for review and appropriate
  follow-up later?

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Reasons to Call

• Clarification is needed. No question is a dumb
  question.
• To receive assistance with the situation (whether
  it be backup or coaching).
• To share info that the AC on call needs to know.
  (e.g. a situation that has already been dealt
  with by an RD/RA or Campus Police, information
  received from students).

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CALL!!!

• If you are unsure of whether to call or not

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This presentation will be available on the
websitehttp//www.upj.pitt.edu/5166/
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Questions, comments?