Convention Emergency Information

Upon Issuance of a Warning

• Council Chair/CEO/Convention Staff will implement Severe Weather Safe Area procedure.
• All students and attendees shall proceed to designated safe areas and remain quiet to hear further instructions.
• Sponsors should follow standard student accounting procedures and notify National Beta Club staff of any issues.
• Occupants of shelter areas shall remain in that area until the “all clear” is given.
• In the event of building damage, students and attendees shall be evacuated to safer areas of the building or from the building.
• If evacuation occurs, do not reenter the building until given the “all clear.”

Drop, Cover, and Hold (For use in the event of an earthquake or other imminent danger to building or immediate surroundings).**

• DROP to the floor, take cover under a nearby desk, table, or chair and face away from the windows.
• COVER your eyes by leaning your face against your arms.
• HOLD on the desk, table, or chair legs and maintain present location/position.
• If no cover is available, get against inside doorway or crouch against inside wall and cover head; stay away from outside walls, windows or other expanses of glass, and potential falling objects.
• Leave doors open to minimize jamming if the building shifts.
• Do not attempt to run through the building or outside due to risk of falling objects.
• Wait for further instructions.

Fire

• Implement evacuation procedures to outside assembly area.
• Assist any students needing special assistance.
• Follow standard student accounting procedures.
• Do not re-enter the building until being given the “all clear” to do so.

Bomb Threat

• If an evacuation response is initiated, modify evacuation routes as necessary based on the possible location of bomb.
• If what appears to be a bomb is found, DO NOT TOUCH IT; the police department will take charge.
• Turn off cell phones and DO NOT transmit with radios.
• Leave the environment as it is.
• Avoid altering any electrical items or systems (DO NOT turn on or off lights, DO NOT change thermostat, etc.).

General Safety Tips

Sponsors

• It is recommended that sponsors collect parental consent forms and emergency contact forms from
• students. It is also recommended that sponsors bring these forms and keep with them at all times
• during the convention.
• Sponsors may also choose to take a digital photo of each student traveling with them to convention
• and carry them on a memory stick or flash drive. In the unlikely event that a student becomes lost, the
• photo will help convention staff and local authorities locate the student.

Hotel Safety

• Read the emergency instructions on the back of your hotel room door. Familiarize yourself with the fire escape route.
• Count the number of doors between your room and the nearest exit.
• Do not leave your door open and always use the dead bolt.
• Do not open your hotel door to anyone you don’t personally know. Call the front desk to verify hotel staff, security guards, and others requesting entrance to your room.
• If you encounter questionable individuals, report them to the front desk.
• Do not leave valuables out in the open. Many hotels provide lock boxes for your security.
• Keep your room key with you at all times.

Weather Emergencies

Watches: Indicate that conditions are right for the development of a weather hazard. Watches cover a larger area than Warnings. Watches usually have lead times of approximately 1-2 hours (tornado or thunderstorm), 3-12 hours (flash flood), and 12-36 hours (river flood or winter storm).

Warnings: Indicate that a hazard is imminent and the probability of occurrence is extremely high. Warnings are issued based on eyewitness reports or clear signatures from remote sensing devices (radar, satellite). Warnings usually have lead times of approximately 30 minutes or less (for thunderstorm type events), and 6 -18 hours (for river floods and winter storms).

Advisories: Issued when weather is expected to disrupt normal routines, but is not expected to be life threatening (e.g., 2-3 inches of snow, dense fog, etc.). Advisory lead times are the same as Warnings.

Upon Issuance of a Watch or Advisory: Council Chair/CEO/Convention Staff will monitor weather reports for change in conditions.