Emergency Preparedness

Violent Intruder/Weapons Threat

General Guidelines

Specific information for Academic and Administrative Buildings, Residence Halls and Building Exteriors/Campus Grounds listed below

Physical hostile confrontation is an immediate life-threatening danger that is unprovoked and unpredictable. Hostile confrontations include, but are not limited to, violent/hostile students, robbery, and terroristic acts. In the event a person confronts you with a weapon or an explosive device, or a person claims to have a weapon or device:

YOU SHOULD:

  • REMAIN CALM. Your reactions to the situation can provoke the hostile individual(s).
  • Listen to all demands, DO NOT disagree or attempt to reason with the individual(s). Avoid direct eye contact with individuals(s), if possible.
  • If you have access to something the individual(s) demands, move slowly, keeping your hands visible at all times and give them whatever they request. Do as requested and remain calm and quiet.
  • If you observe a hostile confrontation in progress, do NOT get involved. Calmly move away from the area, providing it is safe to do so. Once clear, call 911.
  • Completely describe what you observed, how many individuals are involved, physical descriptions of those individuals involved and exact location of the activity.
  • Be prepared to seek protection under desks or behind solid walls or objects and keep close to the floor. Be prepared to seek immediate shelter.

IF CONFRONTED:

  • DO NOT panic.
  • DO NOT attempt acts of heroism by rushing or attempting to disarm or  subdue the individual(s).
  • Do NOT look the individual(s) directly in the eyes or stare at  him/them.
  • DO NOT activate a fire alarm.

Academic and Administrative Buildings

  • Faculty and/or Staff should immediately lock students and themselves in the classroom or office.
  • Call 911 immediately. Then, place a call to SCSU Public Safety (320-308-3333).
  • If possible, cover all windows or openings that have a direct line of sight into the hallway.
  • Do NOT activate the building  fire alarm system.
  • Lock all windows and close any curtains or blinds.
  • Stay away from windows and doors.
  • Turn off all lights and audio equipment.
  • Try to remain calm and keep everyone together and quiet.
  • If you are not in a classroom or office get to one as quickly as possible.
  • Remain in the classroom or office until emergency response personnel notify you that it is safe.
  • If you are in close proximity to an exit, you will have to make a decision whether or not to exit the building or seek shelter in an available room or office. Circumstance and your level of confidence should be a determining factor in how you proceed. If you decide that exiting the building is your only or best chance for survival, do so quickly. When running from a building, DO NOT run in a straight line and use whatever cover may be available. When you feel you are safely removed from the situation, find the nearest telephone and call 911.

Residence Halls

  • Lock yourself in your room.
  • Call 911 immediately and report the occurrence.
  • Place a second phone call to SCSU Public Safety (308-3333).
  • If in a lounge or common area, move to the nearest securable area.
  • DO NOT activate the building’s fire alarm system.
  • Barricade yourself in your room with whatever material is available.
  • Lock all windows and close any curtains or blinds.
  • Stay away from windows and doors.
  • Turn off all lights and audio equipment in the room.
  • If you are close to an exit, you will have to make a decision whether or not to exit the building or seek shelter in an available room or area. Circumstance and your level of confidence should be a determining factor in how you proceed.
  • If you decide that exiting the building is your only or best chance for survival, do so quickly. When running from a building, DO NOT run in a straight line and use whatever cover may be available. When you feel you are safely removed from the situation, find the nearest telephone and call 911 and SCSU Public Safety (320-308-3333).

Building Exterior/Campus Grounds

  • If you are in a parking lot, quickly exit the area using the parked vehicles as cover.
  • If you are in an open campus area, quickly exit the area using trees, bushes, buildings or whatever other cover is available as you go.
  • When running from the area, DO NOT run in a straight line.
  • If you are confronted by responding police officers, follow the instructions you are given by the officers. You may be asked to stop and put your hands on your head or to lie on the ground.
  • When you have removed yourself from the area of danger, call 911 and SCSU Public Safety (320-308-3333) as quickly as possible.

No Option of Escape

  • If you have exhausted all options of escaping and avoiding confrontation, the last thing you can do is protect yourself
  • Make a plan of what to do with the people around you and stick tithe plan
  • Barricade the door with anything you can use to stop the intruder from getting in
  • Have something to protect yourself with and use to stop the intruder if they confront you
  • As a group you may be able to overpower the intruder
  • NOTE: This is a last effort to protect yourself and others, but is not advised when other options are available. Remember to stick to the plan you create and that you are fighting for your life.

What to Expect from Responding Officers

  • Officers are trained to neutralize the threat first to create a safe environment. If you are hurt, do not expect the officers to help you right away. There will be a second trained group to come in and help the individuals who are hurt.
  • Officers are looking for the threat and may point their weapons at you. Always keep your hands up and open to show you are not the threat.
  • Remain calm and always comply with commands from law enforcement officers. In a stressful situation, law enforcement need to focus on the threat.