Emergency Management

Emergency Response and Evacuation Testing

Lamar State College Port Arthur regularly reviews and annually updates plans and procedures for emergency response and evacuation for the campus community. Emergency plans and procedures as well as a variety of additional resources are available for viewing through the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) & the Hazardous Communication Program (HCP). These plans outline incident priorities; emergency notifications; campus organization; specific responsibilities of particular units or positions; and shelter-in-place and evacuation guidelines

The primary law enforcement response to emergencies occurring on LSCPA property are LSCPA Campus Safety, Port Arthur Police Department, and Fire Department/EMS (Emergency Medical Services). Emergency response is provided by local EMS services. LSCPA Campus Safety is usually first to respond to emergencies occurring on the LSCPA campus and works with the City of Port Arthur first responders when necessary to resolve the situation.

Emergencies occurring on campus should be reported by calling 911 or the Campus Safety Office at 409-984-6255 (extension 6255 from on-campus landlines). After hours and on weekends, the Campus Safety Office can be reached at (409) 548-2048.

General information about the emergency response and evacuation procedures for LSCPA are publicized each year as part of the institution’s Clery Act compliance efforts, and that information is available on the College website and accessible via the Campus Safety web page.

Evacuation Procedures

Emergency Evacuation Procedures

The emergency evacuation procedures are tested at least twice each year. Students and employees learn the locations of the emergency exits in the buildings and are provided guidance about the direction they should travel when exiting each facility for a short-term building evacuation. The Campus Safety Committee does not tell building occupants in advance about the designated locations for long-term evacuations because those decisions are affected by time of day, location of the building being evacuated, the availability of the various designated emergency gathering locations on campus, and other factors such as the location and nature of the threat. In both cases, Campus Safety staff on the scene will communicate information to students regarding the developing situation or any evacuation status changes.

The purpose of evacuation drills is to prepare building occupants for an organized evacuation in case of a fire or other emergency. At LSCPA evacuation drills are used as a way to educate and train occupants on fire safety issues specific to their building. During the drill, occupants ‘practice’ drill procedures and familiarize themselves with the location of exits and the sound of the fire alarm

General Evacuation Procedures

If you receive instructions to evacuate or a fire alarm is activated, immediately proceed to the nearest exit and leave the building. During an evacuation, the fire alarm will generally be the first notification system utilized. However, depending upon the circumstances of the emergency, you may receive a text message through the eLERTS system (Blackboard Connect). If you are the first to recognize a fire situation, activate the alarm, evacuate to a safe location using the nearest exit, and notify the LSCPA Campus Safety Office at 409-984-6255 or dial 911.

During an evacuation, please follow the following guidelines:

Remain calm.
Do not use elevators, use the stairs.
If needed, assist persons with access or functional needs.
If a person is unable to evacuate, attempt to move them to a safe location. Once you have evacuated the building, immediately inform first responders of the person’s location.
Proceed to a clear area at least 150 feet from the building. Keep all walkways clear for emergency vehicles.
Do not re-enter the building.

Shelter-in-Place Procedures

What it Means to “Shelter-in-Place”

If an incident occurs and the buildings or areas around you become unstable, or if the air outdoors becomes dangerous due to toxic or irritating substances, it is usually safer to stay indoors, because leaving the area may expose you to that danger. Thus, to “shelter-in-place” means to make a shelter of the building that you are in, and with a few adjustments this location can be made even safer and more comfortable until it is safe to go outside.

Basic “Shelter-in-Place” Guidance

If an incident occurs and the building you are in is not damaged, stay inside in an interior room until you are told it is safe to come out. If your building is damaged, take your personal belonging (purse, wallet, access card, etc.) and follow the evacuation procedures for your building (close your door, proceed to the nearest exit, and use the stairs instead of the elevators). Once you have evacuated, seek shelter at the nearest College building quickly. If police or fire department personnel are on the scene, follow their directions.

How You Will Know to “Shelter-in-Place”

A shelter-in-place notification may come from several sources, Campus Safety Office, Housing Staff members, other College employees, Port Arthur Police Department, or other authorities utilizing the College’s emergency communications tools.

How to “Shelter–in-Place”

No matter where you are, the basic steps of shelter-in-place will generally remain the same. Should the need ever arise, follow these steps, unless instructed otherwise by local emergency personnel:
If you are inside, stay where you are. Collect any emergency shelter-in-place supplies and a telephone to be used in case of emergency. If you are outdoors, proceed into the closest building quickly or follow instructions from emergency personnel on the scene.
Locate a room to shelter inside. It should be:
- An interior room;
- Above ground level; and
- Without windows or with the least number of windows. If there is a large group of people inside a particular building, several rooms maybe necessary.
Shut and lock all windows (tighter seal) and close exterior doors.
Turn off air conditioners, heaters, and fans.
Close vents to ventilation systems as you are able. (College staff will turn off the ventilation as quickly as possible.)
Make a list of the people with you and ask someone (hall staff, faculty, or other staff) to call the list in to Campus Safety Office so they know where you are sheltering. If only students are present, one of the students should call in the list.
Turn on a radio or TV and listen for further instructions.
Make yourself comfortable.

BlackboardConnect Emergency Notification System (eLerts)

Providing a safe and secure environment for our students, faculty, and staff is a top priority at Lamar State College Port Arthur. In the event of a College or Campus emergency, the BlackboardConnect Emergency Notification System will be activated. The System will contact members of the College community through a combination of email, voice and text messages. Lamar State College Port Arthur employees and students are automatically enrolled in the emergency alert system with their lamarpa.edu email as the primary communication source.

Emergency Manuals & Plans

Coming Soon