Reporting: During normal business hours, report utility failures in campus buildings to Facilities Services by calling (610) 519-4420. After normal business hours, report utility failures to Public Safety by calling (610) 519-6979 (voicemail option #7).
Be prepared to provide the following information:
- Your name
- Phone number where you can be reached
- Building name
- Nature of incident
- Floor(s) or area affected
- Room number
- Electrical Failures
Facilities Services will assess the situation and determine the appropriate course of action. In buildings equipped with emergency generators, the emergency generator will provide limited electricity to crucial areas of the building, inclusive of the fire alarm system and emergency lighting. Fire alarm systems also have 24 hours of battery back-up.
Some buildings’ emergency lighting source is provided by battery, and will have a limited amount of time the emergency lighting will remain on. In this instance, you should evacuate the building when emergency lighting comes on; this is especially important if there is limited or no natural lighting available along your exit path. Do not reenter the building until the power has been restored.
Turn off all electrical equipment, including computers. Do not turn any equipment back on until power has been restored or you are advised to do so by Facilities Services. In the event of an extended, campus wide, or area wide power outage, instructions and information will be provided through the Nova Alert system.
Elevators will not function during a power failure. Use the stairs to evacuate the building. If you are trapped in an elevator, use the elevator’s emergency phone to notify Facilities Services. If there is no emergency phone in the elevator, trigger the elevator’s emergency alarm button.
Steam Leaks: If the steam leak is inside a building, evacuate the area and close the door behind you. Steam can cause severe burns, displace oxygen, and moisture from steam can conduct electricity.
A steam leak may cause the buildings fire alarm to sound. Even if you have ascertained the problem is a steam leak, exit the building immediately.
Water Leaks/Flooding: In the event of water leaks, try to contain the leakage in a container to minimize damage or safety hazards. If it is a significant water leak, avoid the areas where water has accumulated, and wait for help. Water makes an excellent conductor of electricity; thus electric shock is a strong possibility.
