Emergency Management

View Central Piedmont's emergency procedures poster and preparedness tips at College Safety (login required).

Learn more about the college's Safety Moment focused on how to respond in case of emergency and download the Central Piedmont Safety Moment poster at College Safety (login required).

Behaviors of concern exist when an individual is threatening to harm themselves, others, or if you are concerned for their well being. If behaviors of concern occur:

• Never try to handle the situation without assistance.
• Call the College Safety and Security Services Emergency telephone number, 704.330.6911, and report that you need immediate assistance. Give your location and the nature of the situation.

If you hear shots fired on campus, or if you witness an armed person shooting people (active shooter) – or if a campus goes on lockdown due to an active shooter – immediately find a way to secure yourself.

Run

If you are outside – or feel that it is safe to do so where you are inside – exit the area and move away from danger to take protective cover.

Lock and Barricade

​If escape is not possible, or if you are in a building and/or are unsure of the location of the shooter, find the nearest classroom, office, or safe area to securely hide. 

• Close and lock the door, close the blinds, find a spot in the room to hide away from the windows and doors, and remain quiet and calm.
• Silence your mobile phone.
• If the door does not lock, use items from the room to attempt to barricade the door or to hide behind.
• Do not answer the door for anyone except first responders. 

Fight

​​Fight is a last resort. If you come into direct contact with the shooter, use any means at your disposal to fight and attempt to stop or disable the individual.

If there is a fire in your area:

1. If you discover a fire or smoke, leave the area and pull the fire alarm. From a safe location, call College Safety and Security Services at 704.330.6911 to report the fire.
2. If you are able to safely extinguish the fire, do so only  if you have been properly trained. Make sure that you have a safe exit from the fire area.
3. Evacuate the building as soon as the alarm sounds and proceed to the designated assembly area. Take personal belongings with you.
4. On your way out, warn others nearby.
5. Move away from fire and smoke. Close doors and windows if time permits.
6. Touch closed doors. Do not open them if they are hot.
7. Use stairs only. Do not use elevators.
8. Move at least 300 feet from the building and go to your building’s designated assembly area.
9. Do not re-enter the building or work area until you have been instructed to do so by College Safety and Security Services, Building Captain or emergency response personnel.

If there is a fire in your building, evacuate immediately following the fire exit plan posted in your area.

Designated Assembly Areas

• Central Campus designated assembly areas include:
  1. All Central Piedmont parking facilities
  2. The Quad
• Cato, Harper, Harris, Levine and Merancas:
  1. Designated assembly areas are the parking lots

1. If you receive a bomb threat by telephone: immediately record any telephone number that is displayed on your phone, then immediately dial 9*57 or *57 from a non-campus phone to electronically flag the call. Then, notify College Safety and Security Services at 704.330.6911 using a land-line telephone, not a cellular or radio device, and proceed as directed.
2. If you receive a bomb threat by other means – immediately call College Safety and Security Services at 704.330.6911 using a land-line telephone, not a cellular or radio device.
3. Provide information to College Safety and Security Services and proceed as directed.
4. Do not activate the fire alarm.
5. Turn off all cell phones, walkie-talkies, or other radio devices. Do not use this type of equipment until you are at least 300 feet from the potential bomb site.

The following information concerning the call will be helpful to law enforcement officials:

• Time of call and number from which call is made
• Location of the bomb and time of possible detonation
• Background noises that give clues to the location of the caller
• Apparent gender and age range of the caller, voice quality (calm, excited, slurred), accents, speech impediments, or other clues to the possible identity of the caller

Suggested tips for anyone who receives a bomb threat by phone:

1. Keep the caller on the line as long as possible. Ask them to repeat the message. Record every word spoken by the person.
2. Inform the caller that the building is occupied and the detonation of a bomb could result in death or serious injury to many innocent people.
3. Remain available, as law enforcement personnel will want to interview you.

Unattended Items

If you become aware of an unattended or suspicious item:

• Call College Safety and Security Services at 704.330.6911.
• Proceed as instructed by emergency personnel.
• Do not use cellular phones, two-way radios, or other electronic devices.
• Do not handle the suspicious package or other items. Call College Safety and Security Services.

Suspicious Mail

If you become suspicious of any mail items:

• Stop! Put the item down quickly and gently.
• Do not open any package that has made you suspicious.
• Notify everyone in the area.
• Evacuate the room. Put two or more walls between you and the item.
• Call College Safety and Security Services at 704.330.6911.

In the event there is a release of a hazardous chemical or material:

• Do not attempt to clean up the spill.
• Evacuate the area immediately.
• Call College Safety and Security Services at 704.330.6911.
• Let authorities know if the spill is still active.

If you are Indoors

• If it is safe to do so, activate emergency shut-off valves.
• Close all the doors behind you when exiting to prevent further contamination.

If You are Outdoors

Proceed immediately upwind from the spill location.

During a severe weather event:

• Seek shelter immediately.
• Move to the lowest level of the building, basements are safest.
• Move to the interior area of the building (interior hallways and rooms).
• Crouch as low as possible to the floor, facing down; and cover your head with your hands
• Stay away from exterior walls, windows, skylights and other areas containing glass.
• Stay out of areas with a large roof expanse (auditoriums, gymnasiums).

Tornado shelter areas have been identified in every building at all campuses. Please review the Fire Evacuation Map located in every building to locate the Severe Weather Shelter in Place location.

Central Piedmont employees and students will receive information through emergency communication methods, such as the Critical Alert Emergency Notification System, when a tornado warning is issued by the National Weather Service.

A tornado warning means that a tornado has been spotted or indicated by weather radar in the area. If a tornado warning is issued by the National Weather Service for the area, College Security Services and Building Emergency Captains will notify classes in session of the warning. You will be notified by the Central Piedmont Critical Alert-Emergency Notification System, by email, the Central Piedmont website, and Central Piedmont TV and instructed to move to a safe location in your building. Safe locations include lower levels and interior corridors of the building, away from glassed areas such as windows, doors, and skylights. Move out of areas with a wide roof expanse (gymnasiums, auditoriums).

Medical Emergency

When in need of medical assistance, call College Safety and Security Services at 704.330.6911. Be prepared to provide the following information:

• Location of the incident (be as specific as possible).
• The nature of the illness or injury (if known).
• The number of victims.
• Your name and phone number.

Once EMS providers arrive, they will assess the situation and transport the patient to the most appropriate medical facility based on their condition.

Blood/Bodily Fluid Spill

In the event you notice blood or bodily fluids:

1. Call College Safety and Security Services at 704.330.6911.
2. Security will notify housekeeping for cleanup.
3. Dd not attempt to clean up a blood/bodily-fluid spill unless you are properly trained and equipped to do so.

Central Piedmont has a pandemic preparedness plan to guide the college in preparing for and responding to a pandemic outbreak. The purpose of this plan is to minimize the impact of a pandemic on students, faculty, and staff by describing the specific actions to be taken by the college based on the following objectives:

• to protect the lives, safety, and health of all students, faculty, staff, and visitors at every Central Piedmont campus
• to effectively communicate with all involved parties throughout the duration of a pandemic
• to provide for the continuation of as many college operations and services as possible as long as it is safe to do so
• to prevent the spread of infection through health and hygiene education

The following resources were used in developing the current plan:

• Colleges and Universities Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist (PDF), a guide developed by the Centers for Disease Control
• North Carolina Department of Public Health

Coronavirus

Coronavirus information and updates

Central Piedmont has an emergency operations plan to minimize the impact of an emergency on students, faculty, staff, visitors, and facilities. The emergency operations plan is an intercollegiate plan, which guides the emergency response of personnel and resources on all campuses. The plan provides policies and procedures and assigns roles and responsibilities necessary to respond effectively to an emergency.