Dear West Hills Community College Students,
As we closely monitor fire activity in the Coalinga area, we want to bring your attention to some critical information for your review in accordance with the district’s emergency response plan. We remain in close contact with our local emergency service personnel and the City of Coalinga City Manager. Currently, there are no plans to evacuate the area.
In the event of an emergency requiring an evacuation, affected areas will receive orders and instructions for evacuating via telephone, text message, and/or two-way radio. Unless notified differently, all employees, students, and visitors should evacuate to the primary evacuation site/zone according to their location at the time of the incident. Please contact your supervisor or the Human Resources department for information regarding evacuation sites and policies and procedures.
EVACUATION NOTICE
At the evacuation site/zone, employees, students, and visitors will receive information on the reason for evacuation (if not already announced), evacuation routes, road conditions, assembly points for those without transportation, and the location of mass care facilities if needed.
Persons should expect:
- Traffic controls at key intersections and access points to major routes as needed to expedite traffic flow.
- No re-entry into evacuated and/or hazardous areas unless authorized by the Incident Command after consultation with the ICST, law enforcement, fire department, or other public safety agency. Controlling re-entry protects employees, students, and the public from exposure and injuries and protects unattended property within the evacuated area.
In the event of an evacuation, employees, students, and visitors should:
- Immediately exit the building by the most appropriate route
- Proceed to the established gathering point
- Wait at the gathering point until given further instructions by the appropriate emergency personnel
- Stay off cell phones to free up frequencies for emergency personnel
AIR QUALITY
As air quality may continue to worsen as a result of the fire. To check the current Air Quality Scale, click here.
Please consider the following steps and strategies to stay ahead of protecting your health:
- Air quality awareness. Review local air quality reports and be aware of fire/smoke-related news and health warnings.
- Wear a mask. If you must go outside, wear a well-fitted N95 mask.
- Engaging in physical activity. Avoid vigorous activity when smoke is present. If you need to engage in physical activity, consider planning activities earlier in the day, when the air quality is usually better.
- Air conditioning and re-circulated air. If you have an air conditioner, set it to recirculate mode to filter and cool the air without bringing in smoke.
- Consult a physician. Talk to your doctor. If you have heart or lung disease or problems, are pregnant, or are an older adult, talk with your doctor about when and if you should leave the area.
Your health and safety remain a top priority. Please contact your college's student services if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Dr. Robert Pimentel , West Hills Community College Distirct Chancellor