Emergency Preparedness, Health, Safety, and Security Information and Resources

Emergency - Dial or Text 9-1-1

Emergency Preparedness, Health, and Safety on each of our campuses and at our educational sites is everyone's responsibility. Appropriate and timely planning for emergencies is essential to minimizing the potential affects to college faculty, staff, and students, as well as the impacts on college operations and facilities. The College's campuses are served by a combination police officers, public safety, and security professionals. Additionally, Virginia Peninsula Community College collaborates with state and local public safety agencies through mutual-aid and concurrent jurisdiction agreements.The information and links to additional resources below are provided to support emergency preparedness, health, and safety at the individual, organizational, and community levels.

Emergency - Dial or Text 9-1-1

Department of Police, Safety and Security

About the Department of Police, Safety, and Security

Safety and Security Reports: The Annual Security Report is published in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, codified at 20USC 1092 (f). The report includes information concerning reported crimes that occurred: on-campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Virginia Peninsula Community College; and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.

Active Shooter/Hostile Threat Event Response (ASHER): If you see or know a person has a firearm or other weapon on campus, dial or text 9-1-1 immediately. If an act of violence is in the process of being committed RUN, HIDE, FIGHT® and dial or text 9-1-1 when it is safe to do so.

  • RUN If there is an accessible escape path, try to evacuate the area 
  • HIDE If evacuation is not possible, find a place to hide where the offender is less likely to find you 
  • FIGHT As a last resort, and only when your life is in danger, attempt to disrupt and/or incapacitate the offender

(Viewer Discretion Advised - video depicts/portrays acts of violence, trauma, significant injury and/or death) -  "The Coming Storm" an FBI production that draws from real-life active shooter incidents.

(Viewer Discretion Advised - video depicts/portrays acts of violence, trauma, significant injury and/or death) -  "In the Aftermath" an FBI production that focuses on best practices after school shootings.

Suspicious Person/Activity: Everyone is encouraged to be vigilant, "If You See Something, Say Something®." Report suspicious activity as well as suspicious email messages or other messaging by dialing or texting 9-1-1.  NON-EMERGENCY REPORTS, call 757-825-2732 

When reporting, remember to use the 5W’s:

  • Who did you see?
  • What did you see?
  • When did you see it?
  • Where did you see it?
  • Why is it suspicious?

Please remember, we are an educational institution, it is not unusual to see backpacks, satchels and other bags located around campus, these should be considered suspicious packages ONLY if they appear to emit or display suspicious items or are located in an unusual location where you would not expect to find a backpack, satchel, etc.

The "If You See Something, Say Something®" campaign respects citizens' privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties by emphasizing behavior, rather than appearance, in identifying suspicious activity.

Medical Emergencies: Dial or Text 9-1-1

  • Provide the location of incident
  • Nature of illness or injury
  • The number of victims
  • Your name and telephone number

Fire Emergencies: Dial or Text 9-1-1

  • DO NOT use elevators. Use stairs only
  • Leave the area, pull fire alarm and close the door
  • Evacuate the area and proceed to your assembly point 

Gas Leak:

  • DO NOT turn lights on or off
  • DO NOT use cell phones or radios
  • DO NOT activate fire alarm
  • Evacuate the area and proceed to your assembly point
  • Once safe, dial or text 9-1-1

Hazardous Material: Dial or Text 9-1-1

  • DO NOT attempt to clean spill
  • Notify other persons in the area of the hazard
  • Evacuate the area and proceed to your assembly point 

Severe Weather:

  • Seek shelter immediately 
  • Move to lowest level in building 
  • Move to interior area of building (hallways/rooms)
  • Stay away from windows, skylights and glass

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Safety and Crime Prevention Tips

  • Lock your vehicle
  • Don't leave your vehicle running and unattended
  • When leaving your class at night, walk to your vehicle with a friend
  • Engrave your valuables
  • Document the last four numbers of your social security number in a page of your textbooks
  • Carry a whistle or some other type of noisemaker when walking alone
  • Put a bell or some other noisemaker on the knob of office doors to serve as a means of attracting attention
  • Don't leave personal items unattended

Health, Safety, and/or Security Videos

  • Run Hide Fight (video) - Viewer Discretion Advised - video depicts/portrays acts of violence, trauma, significant injury and/or death
  • The Coming Storm (video) - Viewer Discretion Advised - video depicts/portrays acts of violence, trauma, significant injury and/or death
  • Hands Only CPR (video)
  • AED (video) The College has strategically staged LifePak CR2 AEDs within all campus buildings

Infectious and/or Contagious Diseases/Illnesses

Faculty, staff, students, and visitors to our campuses and educational sites are encouraged to employ socially responsible behaviors when they are feeling ill, or have a confirmed illness that may be infectious and/or contagious to others, and not come present in person for work and/or class activities. Faculty and staff should notify their supervisor, and students should notify their course instructional faculty. Those persons experiencing an infectious and/or contagious disease/illness should follow the guidance of a medical professional, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC), and/or the Virginia Department of Health VDH), and should not present for work and/or class until they are determined to no longer be infectious and/or contagious.

COVID Specific Resources: CDC, VDH

Influenza Specific Resources: CDC, VDH

Environmental Health and Safety

Stormwater management is a critical element of environmental health, safety, and wellness mitigation and the protection of our regional waterways.

What is stormwater runoff and why does it have to be managed? Stormwater runoff is the water that is not absorbed into the ground, but flows or drains from grass, flowerbeds, pathways, sidewalks, and roadways and enters the College's gutters, retention areas, drains, drainage piping, ditches, and/or outfalls. Stormwater runoff collects pollutants including, but not limited to inappropriately lawn debris, discarded trash, litter, animal waste, fertilizers, pesticides, oils, and other motor vehicle fluids that are spilled or dropped or discharges on lawns, roadways, and within gutters. There pollutants can create obstructions and complete blockages within the stormwater drainage system which can lead to polluted flood waters baking up from the stormwater drainage system. These pollutants can also flow unobstructed and untreated through the stormwater drainage system directly into local waterways, including surrounding tributaries, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.

Stormwater management involves the development of plans, programs, policies, public education, as well as community and public assistance to mitigate against and/or reduce the human, mechanical and/or environmental causes of stormwater pollution, flooding, and erosion.

How can we do our part to protect our stormwater drainage systems, reduce pollution, and improve the quality of our waterways? 

  • Use pesticides or herbicides sparingly
  • Seed bare spots on lawns to encourage grass growth to prevent soil erosion
  • Pick up behind your pets
  • Properly discard lawn, tree, and shrub waste
  • Properly discard trash and other litter
  • Properly secure lawn ornaments that may be blown or dislodged and become obstructions and clogs in stormwater drains and pipes
  • Never discard (Illicit Discharge) chemicals or other products onto lawns or into ditches, curb and cutter areas, or storm drains

Remember, only rain down the storm drain!

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Emergency Preparedness Resources

Understanding hazards and risks is the first step to being prepared and mitigating the hazard and/or risk. Ready.gov provides a comprehensive resource for individual, as well as community preparedness.

National Weather Service Safety Tips

Wireless Emergency Alerts

Subscribe to Campus Alerts

United States Department of Homeland Security DHS)

Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA)

Virginia Department of Emergency Management VDEM)

Emergency - Dial or Text 9-1-1

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