Communication to college community

Once the ERT identifies a potential emergency or president or his designee declare an actual emergency, the college president will notify the chancellor and ERT members. Accurate information will be disseminated to faculty and staff in the most effective methods possible, given the emergency situation and conditions. Communications vehicles may include:

• recording on college switchboard/5400 (director for external affairs)
• global voice mail recording (director for external affairs)
• global e-mail message (president or his designee)
• media advisories (director for external affairs)
• departmental telephone calling tree (vice presidents)

Under the direction of each vice president, the directors and associate deans will create and coordinate a telephone tree system to be used if necessary.

Emergency number for family and friends of victims: 281.618.5400 or another designated number that will be given out through 5400.

Communications backups

Should the telephone switch fail, these backups will be used to maintain communication among team members and to external agencies (team member who will be responsible for ensuring they are available and operational):

• police radios (director of public safety)
• technology radios (dean of technology)
• buildings and grounds radios (director of buildings and grounds)
• analog switch-over to extensions: 5400, 5555, 5444, 5440, 5553, 5551 and 5552 (dean of technology)
• cellular phones (with battery backups) (EMRT)
• pagers (EMRT)

Communication with the media

In the event of an emergency, these three individuals will have factual, timely information and are the only college staff authorized to speak officially to the media on behalf of the college. No other employee may disseminate information to the media unless authorized by the president or executive director for external affairs.

President
Dr. David Sam

Vice President for Administrative Services
Steve Megregian

Interim Director for External Affairs
Andre Perez

In an emergency, media will be escorted by authorized college representatives, as designated by the college president or executive director for external affairs. Escorts will coordinate media arrival times with police, coordinate photography as needed, and relay information from the emergency scene to crisis response.

If necessary, media headquarters will be located in the president's conference room or academic teaching theater where the external affairs office will coordinate written releases and access to college faculty and staff.

A fact sheet will be distributed to all team members and appropriate personnel as needed.

Media communications policy for emergencies

• In the event of a crisis, North Harris College's authorized spokespeople will proactively provide open, forthright and candid information to the media.
• Communication will be factual, accurate, complete, timely and presented in a calm, positive manner that focuses on the college's response to the crisis.
• College spokespeople will return all media phone calls and will respond as promptly as possible to reporters who telephone.
• Authorized spokespeople will be have fact-sheets and prepared, bullet-point statements that reinforce the message we wish to communicate.
• When appropriate, subject experts will respond to technical questions, as authorized by college president or external affairs executive director.
• College spokespeople will not respond to questions based on "hypothetical" situations but will draw the reporter back to the facts.
• Under no circumstances will a spokesperson respond "no comment."
• Should a college spokesperson not have adequate information to answer a reporter's questions, he or she should be candid about that and offer to investigate - and/or offer a reasonable estimation of when (if ever) the information might be available.

College closing

The procedures for closing the college will ensure accurate, open communication.

• College presidents makes decision and informs chancellor on closing.
• President calls external affairs director.
• President or external affairs director calls vice presidents.
• Vice presidents call directors to begin the telephone chain of information.
• Instructional vice president calls satellite center directors.
• Satellite center directors call key staff members.
• Administrative services vice president calls college police director.
• Police director calls officers and instructs them on securing the campus.
• External affairs director calls radio and TV stations to announce closing: KPRC Channel 2, KHOU Channel 11, KTRK Channel 13, KRIV Fox 26, KNWS Channel 51, KTRH 740 AM, KSEV 700 AM, KPRC 950 AM, KODA, KIKK, KILT, KHMX, KNUZ, KQUE, KSBJ
• External affairs director re-records PBX message: Message: "Thank you for calling North Harris College. The college is closed because of the weather. We plan to re-open for classes on _________. However, should poor weather conditions persist, please stay tuned to local radio and TV stations for news of campus closings."
• External affairs director sends broadcast voice mail to college staff: Message: "The college and satellite centers are closed because of the weather. We plan to re-open for classes on _________. However, should poor weather conditions persist, please stay tuned to local radio and TV stations for news of campus closings."

Communication with external agencies

In an emergency, communication with external agencies may also include emergency response personnel, insurance agencies, hazardous waste management firms, disaster clean-up services, utility firms, auditors and municipal services. The president and vice president for administrative services will designate college representatives to contact these agencies as appropriate.

Personal injury or death communications

• The college president and the director for external affairs are the only individuals authorized to release the names of injured or deceased people.
• Names of the injured or deceased will not be released until after the next of kin are notified.
• After notification of next of kin, the college will immediately release names.
• All inquiries regarding the safety or condition of employees and/or students should be referred immediately to the office of external affairs, 281.618.5441 or 618.5442 or 618.5400.

Emergency number for family and friends of victims: 281.618.5400 or another designated number that will be given out through 5400.

Post-crisis counseling

If necessary, the college EMRT will authorize and secure crisis counseling for faculty, staff and students immediately after a campus tragedy.