Emergency Notifications:
Savannah Technical College has a notification system that allows for alerts to be sent to staff desk phones, staff and student cell phones, staff and student email addresses, staff and student home phones, and staff and student text addresses through Regroup, as well as speakers set up in certain hallways to broadcast messages. These alerts are authorized by the Chief of Police or the on duty supervisor and issued immediately upon notification and verification of any dangerous or threatening situation on any campus. Any alert issued will address the specific campus and or area of said campus, along with an accompanying notification/safety watch to all other campuses or areas of the College not immediately adjacent to the specific problem area. The content of the alert will be selected from a list of pre-recorded templates and can be edited based on the facts and circumstances of the situation. Also the notifications will be put on Facebook as needed to notify parents and the larger community of any serious event. The Executive Director of Institutional Advancement and Communications will contact the local media outlets to provide information on the emergency for the larger community.
Savannah Technical College will, without delay, and taking into account the safety of the community, determine the content of the notification and initiate the notification system, unless issuing a notification will, in the professional judgement of responsible authorities, compromise efforts to assist a victim or to contain, respond to, or otherwise mitigate the emergency.
A complete procedural outline is contained in the Savannah Technical College Emergency Operation Plan which lists names, contact information and procedures for evacuation in an emergency. In addition, information regarding emergency procedures can be found in the Emergency Information Pamphlets which are located in every classroom, work space and office throughout the College.
On an annual basis, no later than December 31st of any calendar year, the emergency notification systems and crime alert process will be tested through an actual drill and/or tabletop exercise and will include all police personnel, public safety personnel, impacted employee staff and/or administrative personnel, as required, to affect said testing of the system. These tests may be announced or unannounced and for at least one drill each calendar year the emergency response and evacuations procedures shall be publicized. Documentation for these drills shall include a description of the drill, the date, time, and whether it was announced or unannounced.
Some examples of emergencies requiring notifications include: outbreak of meningitis, norovirus or other serious illness; approaching tornado, hurricane or other extreme weather conditions; earthquake; gas leak; terrorist incident; armed intruder; bomb threat; civil unrest or rioting; explosion; nearby chemical or hazardous waste spill.
Anyone can report an emergency to the Savannah Technical College Police Department by calling 912-443-5200.
Timely Warnings:
Timely Warnings are issued immediately upon notification of the following crimes, if the crimes are reported to Campus Police and occur in certain geographic locations as defined by the Clery Act as well as pose a continuing and serious threat to students and employees:
- Murder and non-Manslaughter by Negligence
- Manslaughter by Negligence
- Forcible and non-forcible sex offenses
- Robbery
- Aggravated Assault
- Burglary
- Motor vehicle theft
- Arson
Timely warnings will be issued by the Police Department and will be authorized by the Chief of Police or the police supervisor on duty. Timely warnings may be sent through email, text messages, or messages on employee desk phones.
Timely warnings will be issued for all Clery Act crimes that occur on Clery Act geography that are reported to campus security authorities or local police agencies and considered by the institution to represent a serious or continuing threat to students and employees but not for crimes reported to Pastoral or professional counselors.
Making the decision to issue a timely warning must be decided on a case-by-case basis in light of all facts including the nature of the crime, the continuing danger to the campus community, and the possible risk of compromising law enforcement efforts.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) as it relates to Timely Warnings: An institution may, in appropriate circumstances, include personally identifiable information in a timely warning. Although this is normally protected under FERPA it may be released in emergency situations.