Evacuation and Shelter

All campus personnel are responsible for being familiar with emergency procedures and the location of fire alarm pull stations, emergency exits, fire extinguishers, assembly areas and shelter-in-place locations.  Staff and faculty are highly encouraged to incorporate the needs of the disabled into emergency plans and exercising them routinely. 

Lockdown 

Temporary safety technique utilized to limit exposure to a direct threat. 

Examples which may result in a Lockdown: 

  • Armed intruder 
  • Active assailant 
  • Civil unrest 
  • Violent demonstrations 
  • Wanted suspect on the loose  

Actions to take:  

  • Run, Hide, Fight
  • Seek refuge in a locked room or office (less windows, the better) 
  • Move away from glass windows or doors  
  • Lock or barricade all perimeter doors into your area 
  • Cover windows or close blinds 
  • Turn off lights (if practical) 
  • Prohibit entry or exit to anyone  
  • Stay out of sight and minimize movement 
  • Set all noise-making communication devices to silent with no vibration, such as cell phone and pagers 
  • Keep calm and quiet 
  • Stay in Lockdown until you receive an “all clear” notification from police

Shelter-in-Place 

Temporary safety technique utilized to limit exposure to harmful atmosphere. 

Examples which may result in a Shelter-in-Place: 

  • Hazardous materials (i.e., chemicals) have been released into the atmosphere 
  • Wildfire smoke 
  • Air Quality emergency 
  • Severe weather or storms 
  • Nuclear detonation 

Actions to take: 

  • Go indoors immediately to isolate yourself from the external environment 
  • Select a small interior room, with no or few windows, and take refuge there 
  • Close all doors and windows to prevent outside air from entering 
  • Turn off all fans and Heating Ventilation and Air Condition (HVAC) systems (if possible) 
  • If not possible, attempt to cover vents 
  • Be prepared to improvise and use what you have on hand to seal gaps so that you create a barrier between yourself and any contamination 
  • Turn on air purifiers and/or air scrubbers (if available) 
  • Prepare to self-sustain until further notice and/or contacted by emergency personnel for additional direction. 
  • Monitor communications (e.g. Dateline, WarnMe) for updates on the situation and the 'all-clear' message. 

For Shelter-in-Place, you do not need to barricade your entire office.

Evacuation 

Full- or partial-campus movement of people, animals, and (potentially) research from a dangerous place to somewhere safe, if safe to do so.

  • Evacuation Order – A notification of immediate threat to life. Evacuate now. 
  • Evacuation Warning – A notification for imminent or potential threat to life and/or property. Prepare to evacuate. 
  • Evacuation Advisory – A notice to be on alert and follow recommendations by authorities.  

Actions to take:  

  • Immediately move out of and away from the building being evacuated.

Resources: