By WHITNEY OLSON, MARY LUANNE FARLEY and JONATHAN SCHMIDT      

Flame Staff Writers

     Emergency evacuation is something that is generally not thought about until there is a need for it. Students walking through the halls of Allen Community College generally are carefree and may tend not to be very observant. For example, many students may not have noticed the fire evacuation plan diagrams that are posted around the school. Most likely are also unaware of the designated tornado shelter areas. The possibility of an emergency occurring is scary, as is the thought that students might be caught in an emergency unaware; however, the plans are in place.

     Fire and tornado safety is a priority at Allen, said President John Masterson. The standard procedure for a fire in the building is to locate and move to the nearest fire exit. Maps are posted around campus showing the nearest exits, and there are fire alarms that would sound in case of a fire.

     The procedures for a tornado warning are spelled out in the Faculty Handbook. There is a tornado siren near the campus, Masterson noted, so Allen personnel and students will get first notice of an approaching storm.

     According to the procedures in the handbook:

             Students and personnel in the Activities Building (Red Barn) should not stay in the building. They should go immediately to the main building. 

            Students and personnel in the Technology Building also should not stay in the building and should go immediately to the main building. 

            Students and personnel in the Student Center should go to one of the above locations in the main building or to Horton Hall. 

           Anyone in Horton and Winter Residence Halls should go to the ground floor hallways of Horton Hall. In Masterson Hall, students should go to the Main Academic Building to take shelter in Barclay Lecture Hall, as should residents of the Red Devil Duplex. At the Zahn House on Allen’s farm, students should go to the underground tornado shelter between the north barn and the Zahn House. 

Ryan Bilderback, director of Student Life at Allen, oversees the residence halls. He said student residents have their own handbook detailing fire, tornado and other emergency procedures.

The chemistry lab in the A Complex of the Main Academic Building also poses a potential threat, should there be either a fire or an explosion. In case of an emergency there, students should move out of the lab and trip the fire alarm, Masterson said.

Another question regarding campus safety could involve a gun or bomb threat. Masterson said the Iola Police Department has a great response time in showing up if there would be a threat. The security cameras around campus are a first response to these events. Students are also asked to help in this matter by calling 911 if they see any threatening or suspicious activity.

When asked if there was any means of communication between the Iola Campus buildings besides land lines and cell phones, Masterson said there was an intercom system put in place when the building was constructed, but it had fallen into disrepair. There was a plan to fix the system, but the price was hefty, so telephones are the only means of communication between buildings today.

Handbook procedures for cases of tornado warnings at the Burlingame Campus are to

Reavis said in bad weather situations, staff in the front office watch the weather and let faculty and other personnel know when it is time to evacuate. From there the instructors take the lead to ensure safety of the students.