Adverse Weather / Emergency Closure Information for Employees

To ensure continuity of service to students and the public, it is the policy of the College to remain open. However, during extreme conditions due to severe weather, major utility failure, natural disaster, short-term emergency, or other reasons, the College may close all or part of its locations. 

Notifications will be sent by mass notification systems, or email. Updates and notices will be recorded on the Info Line (801) 957-4636.

The College President (or designee) may consult with various individuals on or off campus and ask for recommendations; however, the decision to open or close any location will be made by the College President. No one other than the required essential services personnel should be working in any location when it is closed due to an emergency or inclement weather. When the College President authorizes a release for employees from their work, employees may be given emergency leave with pay and are released from their normal work schedule. Release time not authorized by the President must be charged to vacation leave, compensatory time (for non-exempt employees) or leave without pay, unless alternate work arrangements or prior approval has been granted by the supervisor and department director. 

What are Essential Services? 

"Essential services" are those functions and personnel required to maintain or protect the health, safety, or physical well-being of campus personnel (students, staff, and faculty), academic mission, and facilities (including research projects), given the conditions of the emergency at hand. 

The Provost and Vice Presidents will determine which operations under their respective supervision should be designated as essential services (as defined above) and under what conditions specific individuals will be required to work during a general closing. The determination of essential services and personnel may vary depending on the emergency. Examples of emergency conditions include snow, ice, flood, power failure, explosion, or extreme heat or cold. Employees should contact their supervisors if they have questions about whether they are considered "essential services" personnel. 

Standard overtime rules will apply to non-exempt personnel that work over 40 hours per week, but emergency leave is not considered as hours worked for computing overtime. 

How is Employee Leave Handled During a Campus Closure? 

When the President decides to close or not open the campus, emergency leave is granted to full and part time employees for their scheduled work hours during the period of closure. Part-time employees are paid hourly, and those normally scheduled to work when a closure occurs are given emergency leave with pay for the scheduled work hours. This is submitted on the employee’s regular time sheet. Employees on approved vacation leave, sick, or other types of paid leave when a closure occurs are given emergency leave with pay for their scheduled work hours during the closure period. 

May Employees Take Time off During an Extreme Condition Prior to the Announcement of a Closure? 

Employees are urged to use their discretion in deciding whether they can safely commute to and from work. If personal health or safety is an issue in that decision, responsible judgment should be used. Employees may request time off before and without an official closure. With supervisor approval, employees must take vacation leave, compensatory time (for non-exempt employees), or leave without pay if no other leave is available. Supervisors are encouraged to be flexible in authorizing vacation leave for employees in these situations. 

What Should Faculty Do in a College Closure?

Faculty are encouraged to transition face-to-face and hybrid modality courses to a livestream format. Please monitor communications from the college and relay all relevant information to students via Canvas announcements or email. If students are scheduled for exams in Testing Centers, faculty should collaborate with Testing Services to determine the best plan for rescheduling.

 If you have further questions, please contact us at (801) 957-4210.

Be Prepared for Winter Driving

This coming Sunday evening, October 26, could bring the valley its first winter snowflakes. While the chance is already low, and the chance to accumulate even lower (near zero percent), it is time start preparing our minds and lives for winter safety. 

New rain and snowmelt could lift oils on the roads to the surface, making them slick and increasing the distance it takes for you to stop. Drive just a little more slowly than you normally do and keep a greater distance from the vehicles in front of you. Also make sure your tires and brakes are ready to do the stopping you need. 

On November 12 from 2 - 4 p.m. in the parking lots on the west side of the Taylorsville Redwood Campus, Utah Highway Patrol will be helping people check their cars for winter readiness. Students, staff, and faculty are encouraged to stop by to have their tire tread, air pressure, and brake pads reviewed for safety for free. You may also receive a free safety kit (while supplies last). 

It's also smart to assume there will be at least one day this winter with either a delayed class start time or campus closure due to snow. The best way to get that message is to download SLCC Safe and allow it to send you notifications. The only notifications you will ever receive from this app are hand-typed by me and intended to keep you safe. Use one of the links below to download it. 

SLCC Safe App for Android phones

SLCC Safe App for Apple phones

If you have any questions or concerns about your safety, you can message me using the app or email me at Michael.Gipson@slcc.edu and I will be happy to talk to you about your concerns. Stay safe, Bruins! 

A Note on Elevator Safety

Everyone has either watched a scene or imagined what it would be like to be trapped in an elevator. If any horror movies you’ve watched this Halloween season has had a scene like this, I’m sure it was quite terrifying. In reality, however, there is absolutely no need to be frightened. From time to time, elevators in any building may stop or become stuck. While this may initially seem pretty scary, the following information may help you see just how mundane of an event it is — you are much more likely to be bored for a few minutes than frightened. 

Every elevator is equipped with an emergency call button. These will reach help even if power is out and the elevator is stuck. The elevator doors may not be able to be opened by your strength alone, but technicians will be able to open the door regardless of where it is stuck. People tend not to be stuck for very long, and we can assure you the elevator will never fall to the ground. Elevators have many safety mechanisms in place to make sure you either never get stuck at all, or can reach help if you are. 

Take time to familiarize yourself with the buildings you frequent and their stairways and emergency exits. Visually locate the emergency call buttons in the elevators you use. And take a moment to download SLCC’s safety app, aptly named “SLCC Safe.” While the app won’t teach you how to repair stuck elevators, it will make that scenario and others like it far less frightening for you to deal with. 

If you have questions about your safety, you can submit them using the “Comments / Questions” button at the bottom of the app, and they will come directly to me, your friendly SLCC Emergency Manager. And as always, never use an elevator to evacuate during a fire alarm!

If you have questions, please feel free to contact Michael Gipson, Deputy Director of Emergency Management, at michael.gipson@slcc.edu or 801-657-4538.

An Important Message Regarding Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)

In the wake of numerous celebrity and athlete related cardiac arrests, SLCC’s Emergency Management Department wanted to remind everyone what they should do in case they witness a medical emergency of similar degree. We first encourage everyone to become certified in First Aid, CPR and AED (automated external defibrillator) use. 

Imagine a community in which every member is trained and prepared to respond to any medical emergency and how comforting it would feel to be amongst trained colleagues. Don’t let yourself be the weakest link in community safety. Secondly, we urge students, staff and faculty to take a walk around the buildings they frequent to locate AEDs, emergency exits, fire alarms and extinguishers, Evacutracs and shelters. 

 

While having an AED certification gives you familiarity and confidence, you are not legally required to be certified to use one. In fact, AEDs are made to be as user-friendly as possible. Not only do they provide audible, step-by-step instructions through a loudspeaker in English, but they also have images to assist the hearing impaired or non-English speakers. Ultimately, this means anyone physically capable of getting an AED is capable of using one. 

 

Lastly, please report any AEDs that are beeping to Michael Gipson, the Emergency Management Coordinator. A beeping AED indicates the unit requires service—usually a replacement battery for the AED unit itself or the storage cabinet. Any time unit or storage cabinet batteries are replaced, pads and equipment within them are inspected. Michael can be reached at Michael.Gipson@slcc.edu. Your education in emergency response is what could make the difference in saving the life of a friend or colleague. Stay safe, Bruins! 

 

Respectfully,

 

Michael Gipson (he/him)

Emergency Management Coordinator

Department of Public Health and Safety

Salt Lake Community College

801-957-4538

Happy—and Safe—Holidays

Ghosts and goblins aren’t the only things that can be scary as Halloween kicks off the holiday season. From fire hazards to online scams, following these tips can help you stay safe during the eventful time of year between Halloween and New Year’s.

• Rather than a candle, consider lighting up your jack-o’-lantern with a small, battery-operated flameless one. If you do illuminate it with a traditional candle, remember to blow it out before going to bed or leaving home.
• Only use nonflammable decorations indoors.
• Whether you’re making holiday cookies or the Thanksgiving turkey, practice cooking safety to avoid fires at home. Stay alert in the kitchen and turn off the stove when you leave the kitchen.
• Water your Christmas tree regularly. Dry branches are a fire hazard. Turn off the tree’s lights overnight or when you’re not home.
• Place your menorah on a sturdy, non-flammable surface out of the reach of small children and pets. Never leave lit candles unattended.
• When you shop online for holiday gifts, be cautious and avoid scams by shopping with trusted retailers. Be on the lookout for emails that seem too good to be true. Don't click on links!
• Learn the weather and climate risks for the area to which you’re traveling.

For more safety tips and information visit the SLCC Emergency Management Emergency Preparedness webpage at What is Emergency Management? | SLCC

June Is Pet Preparedness Month

Your pets are an important part of your family, and they rely on you to keep them safe. Are you prepared to keep them safe when a disaster occurs?

You may have to evacuate quickly or may be separated from them when something happens. By making a plan to prepare your pets for disasters, you can prevent having to make impossible decisions about your beloved pet and can give them their best chance of staying safe during and after a disaster.

Things to consider when making a plan:

• Have an evacuation plan for your pet. Many public shelters and hotels do not allow pets inside. Know a safe place where you can take your pets before disasters and emergencies happen.
• Develop a buddy system. Plan with neighbors, friends or relatives to make sure that someone is available to care for or evacuate your pets if you are unable to do so.
• Have your pet microchipped. Make sure to keep your address and phone number up-to-date and include contact information for an emergency contact outside of your immediate area.
• Contact your local emergency management office, animal shelter or animal control office to get additional advice and information if you’re unsure how to care for your pet in case of an emergency.

Keep that plan, and what you need for your pet’s care in an emergency kit tailored specifically to their needs. Here are the top ten items recommended for your kit:

• Food. Keep several days’ supply of food in an airtight, waterproof container.
• Water. Store a water bowl and several days’ supply of water.
• Medicine. Keep an extra supply of the medicine your pet takes on a regular basis in a waterproof container.
• First aid kit. Talk to your veterinarian about what is most appropriate for your pet’s emergency medical needs.
• Collar with ID tag and a harness or leash. Include a backup leash, collar and ID tag. Have copies of your pet’s registration information and other relevant documents in a waterproof container and available electronically.
• Traveling bag, crate or sturdy carrier, ideally one for each pet.

For more pets and animals preparedness tips, visit Ready.gov.

This blog post was prepared by John Flynt, SLCC's Emergency Manager. 

Emergency Preparedness Points

A primary goal of Salt Lake Community College is to provide the safest educational and work environment possible for students, faculty and staff. To meet this endeavor, the college’s Public Safety Department and Emergency Management Division provide educational tools and training opportunities for the college community to play an active role in their personal and family preparedness.
 
One of the tools provided by SLCC is the Crisis Manager app that can be downloaded on your phone. This app provides protective actions, emergency procedures, and reporting phone numbers by category for quick reference. 

SLCC’s Emergency Management department recently published instructions on how to create an account for the Crisis Management App in order for you to be more informed and safer during emergencies. It was brought to our attention that the previous instructions included some extemporaneous steps that may have caused confusion. Your ability to use the app does not require you to create an account. Please follow these simplified instructions to better protect yourself and others from any emergencies that may take place on campus. In our effort to continually improve safety and security, we appreciate and welcome feedback from the college community. If you have any questions or issues, please contact either John Flynt (957-4963) or Michael Gipson (957-4538) for assistance.
 
Also, April is Earthquake Preparedness Month. Each year we welcome many new students, faculty, and staff who may be new to Utah and the Salt Lake Valley and who may be unaware that we live on one of the world’s longest continuous faults. The Utah fault approximately 240 miles long and divided into 10 segments, each segment roughly 25 miles long.  
 
This month there are two simple steps you can take to enhance your level of personal preparedness:

1. Download the SLCC “Crisis Manager” app (https://www.slcc.edu/emergency-prepare/docs/crisisappflyer.pdf to have emergency procedures and incident reporting information on your phone.

2. Visit the SLCC Emergency Preparedness webpage (What is Emergency Management? | SLCC) for information about earthquake potential in the Salt Lake Valley and plan to participate in the Great Utah ShakeOut.