Emergency Management

Fires are extremely dangerous, deadly and can spread very fast. If you encounter a fire in your building, get out and away from the danger and follow the below procedures. You may be alerted to a fire via visual presence, smell of smoke, alarms sounding or strobe lights flashing.

Evacuate

• Activate nearest fire alarm
• Evacuation is mandatory
• Take personal belongings with you - dress appropriately for the current weather conditions as you could be outdoors for long periods of time
• Proceed to the nearest exit
• Use stairs not elevators
• Assist persons with mobility impairments
• Re-enter area only when directed by authorities

The National Weather Service issues various types of weather warnings to warn the public of weather. National Weather Service warnings are normally issued by geographic county and occasionally at the city level.

Seek Shelter

• Move quickly to an interior hallway on the lowest level
• Stay away from windows and exterior doors
• Do not leave the building unless instructed to do so
• If outside, seek shelter in a nearby building or find a ditch or depression in which to hide and cover your head
• Remain sheltered until all clear is given

An injury or illness could be more serious than it first appears, so don’t hesitate to call for assistance. Do not attempt to treat or transport the person.

Stay Clear

• Call 9, 911 from any campus phone and give the following information:
• Do not move the injured or ill person unless necessary
• Direct first responder to incident location
• Re-enter area only when directed by authorities

Natural gas can explode when exposed to a flame or sparks which may result in a rather dangerous situation on campus. It is important to report any suspected gas leaks immediately.

Stay Clear

• Leave area at once and go to an exterior location away from the building
• Do not operate electrical devices (cell phones, light switches, or equipment)
• Do not try to locate the gas leak
• Call Campus Public Safety or 9, 911 from a campus phone
• Reenter only when directed by authorities

Extended power outages may impact the whole community and the economy. A power outage is when the electrical power goes out unexpectedly.

Evaluate

• Secure all experiments, unplug electrical equipment, and shut off gasses
• Fully close fume hoods
• If people are trapped, do not attempt to open elevator doors
• Isolate hazardous areas to prevent harm
• Wait for instructions from Campus Public Safety

A hazardous materials incident may be a spill or release of chemicals, radioactive materials or biological materials inside a building or to the environment. Simple spills may be managed by trained person(s) or person(s) who are familiar with their departments spill protocol. Major spills or emergencies are chemical spills or incidents requiring assistance from 24-hour emergency agencies.

Evacuate

• Alert people in the immediate area to evacuate
• Avoid breathing vapors from spill
• Unless properly trained, do not attempt to clean up spill
• If contaminated – seek eyewash and/or emergency shower
• Activate emergency shutoff switches
• Do not operate electrical devices (cell phones, light switches, or equipment)
• Call Campus Public Safety or 9, 911 from a campus phone
• Re-enter area only when directed by authorities

An active shooter is an event in which one or more persons are actively engaging in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. In most cases, active shooters use firearms, and there is no apparent pattern or method to their selection of victims. These situations are dynamic and evolve rapidly, with immediate deployment of law enforcement officers to stop the shooting and mitigate harm to innocent victims.

Run

When an active shooter is in your vicinity:

• If there is a way out, and you can get out, GET OUT! This is your first and best option.
• Get out whether others agree to or not
• Leave your belongings behind
• Help prevent others from entering the danger zone
• Call Police at 9, 911 from a campus phone

Hide

If evacuation is not possible, find a place to hide.

• Lock and/or barricade the door
• Silence your cell phone, including the vibrate feature
• Hide behind large objects if possible
• Remain very quiet and do not leave until directed by law enforcement officers
• Your hiding place should:
  • Be out of the shooter’s view
  • Provide protection if shots are fired in your direction
  • Do not trap or restrict your options for movement
• You may be in your hiding space for an extended period of time while police clear the buildings

Fight

As a last resort, and only if your life is in danger:

• Attempt to incapacitate the shooter
• Act with physical aggression
• Improvise weapons
• Commit to your actions
• Once the shooter is incapacitated, call Police at 9, 911 from a campus phone

Police Response

When law enforcement officers arrive:

• Keep your EMPTY hands raised and visible, with your fingers spread apart
• Remain calm and follow instructions
• Avoid pointing or yelling
• The first police officers to arrive will not respond to or aid those who are injured. They will go directly to the shooter
• Know that help for the injured is on its way. Rescue team officers and emergency personnel will care for the injured as soon as possible
• The area is a crime scene. Police officers may secure all witnesses until identified and questioned
• Vehicles parked on campus will be considered part of the crime scene and cannot be removed until released by the police

A suspicious activity is an occurrence that is out of place on campus. Many times, people notice something suspicious but don’t report the activity because they assume someone else has. Don’t assume! Make the call. If you see something, say something.

When you call to report suspicious activity, be calm and ready to provide as many of the following facts as you have available:

• What happened?
• Where and when did it occur?
• Is anyone injured?
• Description of vehicle(s)
• License plate number(s)
• Time and direction of travel of suspect(s)
• Description of suspect(s), including clothing

While it may seem as though you are being asked a lot of questions, the information is for the safety of the responding officers. The officer/dispatcher is attempting to gather as much information about the situation as possible so the officers will have a clearer picture of what they may encounter when they arrive at the scene.

Stay Clear

• Do not attempt to apprehend or interfere with a suspect except in self-defense
• Do not touch or disturb suspicious objects
• Call Campus Public Safety or Police 9, 911 from a campus phone
• Gather description details of the suspicious person or object
• Re-enter area only when directed by authorities

Shelter in place refers to a safety measure where building occupants remain inside rather than evacuating. This is sometimes the best approach to take if there is an exterior hazard such as a police incident off campus, a weather emergency or hazardous contaminant in the air. In this type of emergency, building occupants will be advised of the risks outside and asked to remain indoors.

Shelter in Place

• To protect occupants inside the building from an emergency event outside of the building
• Lock and close all doors and windows
• Remain in place
• Await instructions from Public Safety or Law Enforcement