EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN
The Catawba College Emergency Response Plan formally establishes and documents a coordinated plan for responding to crises, whether large or small, which may arise in spite of all mitigation efforts. The aim for this plan is to provide a flexible framework of procedures which will be periodically reviewed and regularly exercised so that when crises occur the College’s response will be effective and efficient to protecting human life and health and in preserving College property and resources. The protection of human life and health is of the utmost importance and shall take precedence throughout this combined effort. The Emergency Response Group is a group of employees from across various areas of campus who meet regularly to keep the emergency response plan up to date, who work with local emergency response groups, and who undergo training for all types of campus emergencies. Catawba College emergency response information, including the Catawba College Threat Assessment Team (“TAT”) and Catawba Connect, can be found at catawba.edu/publicsafety.
THREAT ASSESSMENT TEAM
The mission of Catawba College’s Threat Assessment Team (“TAT”) is to promote: (1) the health and safety of the campus community, and (2) community members’ health, well-being, and successful experiences by coordinating information and developing support plans for people of concern. The TAT serves both students and employees and is charged with the task of determining if an individual poses, or may pose, a threat of violence to self, others, or to the Catawba College community and to intervene to avert the threat and maintain the safety of the situation. The TAT responds to behaviors exhibited by students, employees, visitors, and nonaffiliated persons prior to a critical incident in an attempt to prevent violence so that the Catawba College campus remains a safe and secure learning and working environment.
CATAWBA CONNECT (SAFEZONE APP)
Our safety at Catawba College will only be as effective as its reporting mechanisms for people and situations of concern. This is a free app designed to help keep you and those around you safe! Using the SafeZone platform, this app allows you to raise Duress, First Aid, and Help alerts for you and your community. Students, faculty, and staff are highly encouraged to sign up.
Remember:
• If there is an emergency in progress, call Public Safety at 704-637-4000 or dial 911.
• To report an incident or a concern online, use the Catawba Connect App.
• To report an incident or a concern by telephone, call 704-637-4000 Public Safety or 704-637-4410 Student Affairs.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Catawba College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all members of the campus community and guests of the College. The College provides public safety services 24 hours a day, every day of the year, through the Office of Public Safety, located in the Jann House. The Office is staffed by professional public safety officers who are specifically responsible for patrolling the campus, securing buildings and property, enforcing federal, state, and local laws as well as college regulations, providing escort services, assisting with traffic and crowd-control at college-sponsored events, responding to calls for emergency and motorist assistance, and providing campus-wide crime prevention education. Public Safety officers are not certified to make arrests but maintain an excellent working relationship with the Salisbury Police Department.
Ensuring a safe environment is the responsibility of all members of the Catawba community. Members of the campus community are encouraged to report emergencies or suspicious activities to the Office of Public Safety by dialing 4000 from any campus phone. Emergency telephones are also available in the West Campus Parking Lot, the parking lot behind the Library, the College Community Center, and five outside residence halls that automatically connect the caller to the officer on duty. If circumstances warrant, crime alerts are prepared and posted either selectively or campus-wide. Catawba’s history indicates the College exists in a relatively safe environment; however, when accidents or crimes occur, the College is prepared to respond with trained and qualified individuals. In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Act, Safety and Crime Statistics Report, the College maintains an annual security report on its website. For further information, contact the Office of Public Safety.