1. This contingency plan has been developed for the Hillsborough Community College (HCC) Veterinary Technology Program in accordance with the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Hillsborough Community College (USDA customer number 38000) is considered a Class R Research Facility as defined by the USDA and holds certificate number 58- R-0138.
2. This plan is in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), specifically the following:
a. Additions to Part 2, section 2.134 added
b. Additions to Part 2, Section 2.38 including additional paragraphs (i)(4), and (l)
c. Additions to Part 2, Section 2.102 including additional paragraphs (a)(4) and (b)(3)
d. Additional sentence to Part 3, Section 3.101, paragraph (b)
3. The plan addresses how HCC will respond to and recover from emergencies most likely to happen to the veterinary technology facilities. There are no animals normally maintained overnight in the veterinary technology facilities. However, there are occasionally laboratory animals including rats, mice, and rabbits housed for short periods of time during the laboratory animals course in the Spring Term. During weekends and holidays the lab animals are taken home by students. Animals other than lab animals are brought in for the day from the local county animal services only on an as-needed basis for teaching purposes, treatments, surgeries, or diagnostic procedures. Therefore, emergencies such as employee absences, faulty heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), disruption in access to the facility (i.e. road closures), or disruption in clean water or feed supplies would not apply to our situation because these emergencies would lend themselves to lead times long enough to cancel animal visits for the day or for students/faculty to take lab animals home. In addition, weather emergencies such as hurricanes would also allow enough lead time so that the school would either be closed or animal visits would be cancelled or students/faculty can remove lab animals from the facility. Therefore, emergencies most likely to impact our facilities while animals are present would include structural fire and electrical outage. Therefore, this plan will concern itself mainly with emergency evacuation for those emergencies.
4. In the event of an emergency such as fire, bomb threat, or power outage which would shut down the HVAC systems the facilities would be evacuated in accordance with the following emergency evacuation plan. The exception for evacuation of perioperative animals during a power outage is listed in paragraph 6 below. All veterinary technology full-time and adjunct faculty members are provided with this plan. In addition, this plan is communicated to all veterinary technology students during the first day of Fall Term classes and is permanently posted in all veterinary technology rooms.
5. During an emergency, the chain of command includes the following individuals in the order listed: College President, Campus President, Dean of Academic Affairs, Veterinary Technology Program Director, and Veterinary Technology Faculty Members. Directions given by on-scene emergency or security-related personnel take precedence. The point of contact for this contingency plan is the Veterinary Technology Program Director.
6. In the event of power outage, the emergency evacuation plan would be followed as listed for the evacuation of all animals in the facility with the exception of perioperative animals. This is because there is emergency lighting in the surgery room which would allow the surgeon to complete the surgery and/or close the incision. All other animals would be evacuated if necessary. In addition, post- operative, sick, or injured animals that require veterinary care following evacuation would be relocated back to the local animal shelter from which they originated or taken to one of the veterinary facilities with which the respective animal shelter has arrangements. If county animal service transport vehicles are unavailable for immediate pickup or transport of animals, the veterinary technology program will transport animals in the climate controlled veterinary technology program vehicle.
Emergency Evacuation Information for Plant City Campus Veterinary Technology Facilities in the Plant City Multi-Purpose Facility (PMPF)
Emergency Evacuation of Individuals:
• Never ignore a fire or emergency alarm. All alarms are to be considered real and buildings must be evacuated as per instructions and supervisors.
• Know location of fire exits, extinguishers, and alarm pull stations. Know how to use them.
• When alarm is sounded, leave building immediately by the nearest exit. If exit is blocked, use nearest alternate exit or proceed to a safe haven evacuation area. Alert others to do the same.
o PMPF Room 149: use room 149 east door which opens to outside
o PMPF Room 150: use room 150 west door which opens to outside
o PMPF Rooms 152, 154, and 155: use room 152 east door which opens to outside
o PMPF Room 156: use room 156 west door which opens to outside
• Take belongings with you. The situation may not allow you to enter inside the building for some time.
• Help disabled persons and anyone who is having a difficult time.
• Do not block doorways, streets, fire lanes, hydrants or walkways.
• Move to your assembly point at least 100 feet away from the building.
o PMPF assembly point is across Cherry Street in the parking lot
• Follow instructions of security personnel, instructors, supervisors and emergency personnel.
• If you get trapped in a building, place an article of clothing outside a window as a marker for rescue crews.
• If there is no window, stay near the floor where the air is less toxic. Shout at regular intervals to alert emergency crews of your location. DO NOT PANIC!
• Do not return to the building until the “all clear” is given by authorized persons.
Emergency Evacuation of Animals:
• Remove dogs from runs or kennels and place leashes on all dogs; walk dogs to assembly point.
• If the dog if fractious or aggressive, place a muzzle on the dog.
• Remove cats from cages and place in carriers; move carriers to the assembly point.
• Remove cages containing laboratory animals from the facility; move cages to the assembly point.
• If there is an animal under general anesthesia that is not intraoperative:
o Remove the animal from anesthesia.
o Deflate the endotracheal tube cuff, but do not remove the endotracheal tube.
o Place the animal on a cart or stretcher and remove the animal to the assembly point.
o Remove the endotracheal tube when the animal regains the swallowing reflex.
• If there is an animal under general anesthesia that is intraoperative:
o The veterinarian will close or otherwise cover the surgical site as circumstances permit.
o If time has permitted surgical site to be closed, the animal will be removed from anesthesia and removed to the assembly point as per the instructions for an animal that is not intraoperative.
o If time has not permitted the surgical site to be closed, but only covered, the animal will be transferred to a portable anesthesia machine. The animal will be placed on a cart or stretcher. If feasible, there will also be placed with the animal an unopened surgical pack, unopened blade, unopened suture pack, and unopened surgical gloves. The portable anesthesia machine, the animal, and surgical supplies will be removed to the assembly point or other safe location at least 100 feet from the building and preferably where the surgery can be resumed or the surgery site can be closed.
Evacuation of Disabled Persons:
For evacuation purposes instructors shall designate students to assist students who have disabilities that restrict mobility. If voluntary assistance cannot be provided for a particular student, then that student should notify the Security Office, and the campus Dean of Student Services.