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Medical Emergencies

  1. Overview
  2. Injury/Illness Prevention Tips
  3. Pandemic Flu Preparedness
  4. Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV)

Overview

When an injury or illness occurs, evaluate the situation:

  • In case of a minor injury or an illness, assist the victim if possible using proper precautions and/or refer them to Cheshire Medical Center, their family physician, Health Services for students, or the emergency room.
  • In case of a life-threatening injury or illness:
    • Stay calm and assess the situation. Do not put yourself in more danger.
    • Get help! Yell or call 358-2228 or 911. Tell them you need an ambulance. Give your name, describe the nature and severity of the problem, and describe the exact location of the victim.
    • Keep victim still. Do not attempt to move a person who is ill or injured unless he or she is in immediate danger of further injury (fire, chemical spill, etc.).
    • If possible, isolate the affected person.
    • Check breathing and initiate first aid if trained to do so.
    • Help stop bleeding (apply direct pressure to the wound or elevate the wound). Protect yourself from bodily fluids.
    • Remain to assist the emergency personnel with pertinent information about the incident.
  • Call Campus Safety to request an ambulance or if you need assistance with a sick or injured person. In medical situations that result from more complex building emergencies or area-wide disasters, professional help may be delayed. Stay with the victims unless a building evacuation is ordered.
  • In the case of any injury on campus, remember to fill out the appropriate incident report form as quickly as possible. The form is available at /ksc/assets/files/19030/incident_report.pdf.

Note: Health Services does not provide emergency medical services.

Injury/Illness Prevention Tips

  • Falls are the most common accidents both at home and on the job. Keep walking surfaces in your home, office, and classroom clear and free from obstructions and trip hazards. Simple housekeeping is the best prevention.
  • Clean up all spills as soon as possible to prevent others from slipping and falling. Contact the Physical Plant if you need assistance to address any large spills on campus.
  • Wear helmets when riding bicycles, motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, and horses, and when skiing. Along with helmets, wear protective padding on elbows and knees when rollerblading or skateboarding.
  • Always wear a seat belt when you are in a vehicle.
  • Contact EHS if you have concerns about a safety hazard on campus.
  • Stay Healthy! Some common sense measures can go a long way in preventing colds and the flu:
    • Wash hands often, especially when handling food, after coughing or sneezing, or using the bathroom.
    • Use a tissue when coughing or sneezing, or sneeze into your elbow.
    • Stay home when you are sick.
    • Avoid close contact with others who are ill by staying about three feet away from them.
    • Get a flu shot if possible.

Pandemic Flu Preparedness

Keene State College has created a Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Plan to help the campus prepare and respond to a pandemic influenza outbreak. We are also working with local, state, and federal officials to develop response plans to pandemics and other medical emergencies.

In the event of a suspected outbreak or problem, you will be given detailed instructions via campus communication channels about steps to take or procedures to follow to deal with the medical emergency.

Animals and Insects

Any direct physical contact with an unknown animal, especially if it results in a bite or scratch, could have serious consequences (such as rabies). Any animal that is wandering loose on campus should be reported to Campus Safety or the Grounds Department (358-2702). If a wild animal such as a bat or a raccoon is inside a building, try to safely isolate it in a room by closing the doors behind it and keeping people away. Do not attempt to handle any dead wild animals. Contact the proper authorities for assistance. Only trained animal technicians should handle animals.

In the case of a bite or other injury caused by an animal or venomous insect (e.g., a black widow or brown recluse spider) or a severe allergic reaction to an insect or other animal, call Campus Safety immediately for emergency medical assistance. Be prepared to give your name, location, and, if possible, the species or type of animal involved.

Try to remove the affected person and yourself from danger. Tell others to vacate the area if a dangerous animal may still be nearby. Help the victim immobilize the bite area and make the victim as comfortable as possible until medical or other assistance arrives.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV)

Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV) ar Eastern e viral illnesses spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Birds are the source of infection for mosquitoes, which can sometimes transmit the infection to horses, other animals, and, in rare cases, people. EEE and WNV appear sporadically in New Hampshire.

  • Report any dead birds on campus to the Physical Plant or the EHS. Off campus, contact your town’s health officer. In Keene, contact the Health Officer at 356-1253.
  • Eliminate mosquito breeding areas by regularly cleaning or eliminating areas where water can quickly stagnate, such as small pools, birdbaths, trash cans, empty planters, etc. Contact Physical Plant if you see such areas on campus.
  • To avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, the State of New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services (NHDHHS) recommends the following:
    • Use insect repellent when outside during mosquito season.
    • If possible, stay inside between dusk and dark, when mosquitoes are most active.
    • When outside between dusk and dark, wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts.
    • Keep screens on windows and make sure they do not have holes.
Emergency Handbook – Page 7 of 12

About this Policy

Ownership: Environmental Health and Safety; Campus Safety
Last Modified: Mar 25, 2021 – bcaulfield@keene.edu
Categories: Safety
For questions regarding this policy, please contact the policy owner.
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