Emergency Notifications
Emergency Notifications
During an emergency incident, Rutherford County Communications and/or Isothermal Community College officials will seek to alert the campus community through at least one or all of the following methods, depending on the severity of the incident:
Outdoor warning system (Rutherford Campus)
Fire alarms
ICC Alert (participants must be registered)
College telephone intercom system
College email
Isothermal webpage, Facebook page, and Twitter
Alertus-Desktop Notification
Outdoor Warning System (Rutherford Campus): An emergency warning may be broadcast over the tower if there is an imminent, life-threatening emergency, such as a weather-related emergency issued in the close vicinity of the College, a major chemical spill, or an armed or dangerous person on campus. An emergency tone will sound, followed by a message describing the type of emergency and the immediate actions to take. Should an emergency warning be broadcast, take the following steps:
Listen carefully to the tower message and any Isothermal personnel’s directions.
Take immediate action to ensure your safety. See Basic Emergency Procedures below for more information.
Stay secure until an all-clear message is communicated.
The outdoor warning system is intended for outdoor use only; instructions from this system may not be clearly heard inside a building on Rutherford Campus.
Fire Alarms (Rutherford and Polk Campuses): In the event of a fire, the fire alarm will sound, indicating the need to evacuate a building, or if the building does not have a fire alarm system or the audible system malfunctions, every effort will be made to provide a verbal message to each classroom and office in the building. An emergency warning may be broadcast over the tower. Should fire notification be given, take the following steps:
Evacuate and move quickly to a safe distance from the building and emergency vehicle access areas.
Remain out of the building until an all-clear notification is given by the proper authorities. Do not re-enter the building unless advised to do so.
Never assume it is a false alarm and stay in the building. The law requires all occupants to evacuate the building when fire notification is given.
ICC Alert (participants must be registered): In the event that there is an imminent, life-threatening emergency, such as a weather-related emergency in the close vicinity of one of the campus locations, a major chemical spill, or an armed or dangerous person on campus, an emergency alert message may be sent to registered users of the ICC Alert system. The message may describe the type of emergency and the immediate actions to take. To receive these types of messages, employees and students must register by texting “isothermal” to 888777. There is no charge for this service, but message and data rates may apply.
College Phone Intercom System (Rutherford and Polk Campuses): In the event that there is an imminent, life-threatening emergency, such as a weather-related emergency in the close vicinity of one of the campus locations, a major chemical spill, or an armed or dangerous person on campus, an emergency alert message may be broadcast over the phone system. The message may describe the type of emergency and the immediate actions to take.
College Email (Rutherford and Polk Campuses): In the event that there is an imminent, life-threatening emergency, such as a weather-related emergency in the close vicinity of one of the college locations, a major chemical spill, or an armed or dangerous person on campus, an emergency alert message may be sent to those with college email accounts. The email may describe the type of emergency and the immediate actions to be taken.
Website and Facebook (Rutherford and Polk Campuses): In an emergency situation, Isothermal will post safety-related announcements on Isothermal’s webpage and/or Isothermal’s Facebook page or X page. Please remember that it may take time for authorities to investigate the situation, verify the facts, and provide the campus with instructions or updates. Call or text 911 for emergencies only. Do not call 911 or campus resource officers for general information.
An informational message will be issued via Isothermal’s webpage if a situation is not an emergency and does not pose an immediate threat, but is of significant interest to the campus. These messages are intended to inform people of a particular situation. Examples include inclement-weather notifications and important announcements about events critical to Isothermal's operations. An informational message will be sent via email prior to on-campus alarm testing.
Alertus Desktop Notification (Rutherford and Polk Campuses: In the event that there is an imminent, life-threatening emergency, such as a weather-related emergency in the close vicinity of one of the campus locations, a major chemical spill, or an armed or dangerous person on campus, an emergency alert message may be sent to take over and display the alert on desktops of Isothermal Community College-owned computers. The message may describe the type of emergency and the immediate actions to take.