Boston College has an experienced Emergency Team in place. Its members have a comprehensive set of emergency response procedures to deal with crisis situations and have undertaken extensive training to prepare for emergencies.  All members of the University community should have some knowledge about what to do when an emergency occurs.

To report a campus emergency:
Call BC Police @ 617-552-4444

In case of Fire call 911

Communication

In the event of an emergency, the University has the capacity to communicate with all of its students, faculty and staff through e-mail, text messaging, and BC websites, as well as its emergency information line at 1-888-BOS-COLL (1-888-267-2655).

 

Emergency Planning

Our Emergency Team reevaluates plans on an ongoing basis with the goal of maintaining a model emergency response system that meets the federal government's National Incident Management System. 

In the event of an emergency, the University Community may be asked to Evacuate or Shelter-in-Place

Evacuation

Written plans for building evacuation that are compliant with federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations have been developed for all facilities at Boston College in the event of a fire or other emergency.

These plans are available in the Safety Contacts office for each department in academic/administrative buildings. Plans are also available in the Residential Hall Director’s office. Maps showing a means of egress can be found on the exit doors leading from each residential space and in hallways of other buildings. You should become familiar with these exit routes for any building you frequent. 

In case of a fire or other emergency that requires all occupants to immediately leave a building or area, evacuation will be signaled by the internal building alarm or by the direction of emergency personnel. Please follow the directions below:

  • Leave the building or area immediately through the nearest exit. Evacuation is REQUIRED when the alarm is sounding, for every individual in the building, whether student, faculty, staff or visitor.
  • Do not use elevators during an evacuation.
  • Exit in an orderly fashion. Do not run or push. Running can lead to falls and injuries.
  • Gather at a designated meeting place or at a safe distance from the building or area, taking care not to block entrances and exits. Emergency personnel will need a clear path into and out of the building or area.
  • Stay together. Assess who is present. Faculty members who were leading classes should gather names of students; supervisors should gather names of staff, residence hall directors should gather names of residents.
  • Report the condition and location of any persons unable to leave the building or area or who need assistance to emergency personnel.
  • Wait for the all-clear from emergency personnel before attempting to re-enter the building or area. If a fire or other incident makes a building or area unsafe to enter for a significant period of time, students,faculty, staff and/or visitors will be directed to a temporary shelter.

 

People with Disabilities:

During an evacuation, follow the same protocol outlined above. If you need assistance leaving a building or area, notify a co-worker, friend, roomate, etc. that you will wait by the nearest stairwell. Do not use an elevator during an evacuation. Also, call BC Police at 617-552-4444 from your cell phone and let the operator know of your exact location. Stay calm until help arrives.

Shelter in Place

In emergency situations where the risk is outside (e.g., severe weather or airborne toxin), it will be important to minimize exposure to the risk and to deliver information to the University Community quickly and efficiently. In these circumstances, Shelter-in-Place may be required.

Shelter-in-Place will be signaled by emergency alerts to the campus community 

  • Upon the Shelter-in-Place alert, students, faculty and staff who are not already indoors should immediately enter the nearest building.
  • If already indoors, remain in place until directed by BC Police or emergency responders.
  • Faculty members who are conducting class should remain in their classroom.
  • Close all doors and windows, turn off air conditioning or heating units where possible, and wait for further instruction. Stay away from windows and doors.
  • Faculty and supervisors should assist in keeping order.
  • Stay inside until informed by emergency personnel it is safe to go outside.

The University has made preparations to provide food and water during a prolonged Shelter-in-Place emergency.

The University will disseminate information—including the all-clear to exit a building—as soon as it is available through campus alerts, broadcast e-mail, voice mail, the emergency information line 888-BOS-COLL (88-267-2655) 

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