Safety and Security

Emergency Situations and Procedures

Shelter-In-Place - Fire - Earthquake

Shelter-In-Place (Building Lockdown)

Shelter-in-Place(Building Lockdown) is a procedure to isolate persons from certain types of emergencies/catastrophic events that may affect the safety of a small part of the campus or the overall safety of the entire campus community. Shelter-in-Place (Building Lockdown) means: a process where individuals occupying campus buildings receive instructions to stay inside that dwelling in an effort to protect themselves from potential dangerous situations. Depending upon the nature of the situation, the locking of the doors of some or all campus building may be necessary.

Events That May Require Activation of Procedure:

  • Active Shooter/Mass Shooting
  • Major Criminal Activity Occurring in Area Around Campus (Bank Robbery)
  • Hostage Situation
  • Riot/Large Uprising
  • Severe Weather - Thunderstorm/Tornado
  • Chemical Spill/Toxic Gas or Biological Release

If the decision is made to initiate a campus wide Shelter-In-Place(Building Lockdown), the University's Emergency Notification System will be activated. The Office of Safety and Security will send an InformaCast notification through the IP phone system notifying all Building Safety Coordinators and the rest of the campus of the activation of the procedure and a brief explanation of the emergency causing the activation. A similar text message will be sent through UE Alert.

Once a building is secured, doors will be monitored, if possible, from a position that provides safety and an outside view. Any person locked outside may be admitted to the building, providing the person does not fit the description of any dangerous suspects, is known by persons inside the building to not pose a threat, or is in possession of a valid University ID card.

Campus security personnel and university staff will assume responsibility for assisting persons locked outside to locations of safety. In most cases, this will involve verifying that the person is not a threat and then providing access to the nearest locked building. In the event many persons are outside at the time of a "lock down", security personnel and university staff may direct these persons by use of loudspeakers.

When the emergency has been resolved and the "lockdown" is no longer needed the Office of Safety and Security will send an InformaCast notification through the IP phone system that the emergency has ended and the "lockdown" has been terminated and the buildings can be unlocked. A similar text message will be sent through UE Alert.

Fire

The Office of Safety and Security and Residence Life have established:

In the event of fire:

  • Pull the fire alarm to warn others.
  • Call campus security, if possible at 6911, and provide them with as much information as possible.
  • Attempt to extinguish the fire ONLY if it is very small and you know how to do it safely.
  • If the extinguisher does not put out the fire within a minute, leave immediately.
  • If not in immediate danger, remain at the scene to direct security officers or firefighters to the fire.
  • Do not reenter the building until the proper authority has given the all clear.

Earthquake

Although earthquakes are not common in this area, Evansville is close to the New Madrid fault line. The Office of Safety and Security has developed guidelines in case such an event occurs.

Basic guidelines for an earthquake:

  • Do not attempt to exit a building or vehicle

  • If in an office or room:

    • Get under a table or desk or brace yourself in an interior doorway.
    • If no desks, drop to knees, fold arms close to knees and bury your face in your arms, use notebooks or jackets for added protection for your head.
    • Stay clear of windows, bookcases, refrigerators, light fixtures, or other heavy objects which might slide or fall.

  • If in a hallway, take the following actions:

    • Get in an interior doorway, brace yourself against the side jambs.
    • Drop to knees, fold arms close to knees, bury your face in your arms, use notebooks, or jackets for added protection of your head.
  • If outdoors, move away from buildings, power lines, utility poles, and other structures.
  • In an automobile, stop in the safest place available, preferably an open area away from power lines, light poles, and trees.
  • Stay in the vehicle for the shelter it offers.

After a significant* earthquake:

  • Most importantly REMAIN CALM.

  • In case of a significant* earthquake, evacuate buildings after the initial shock and things settle down, be alert of aftershocks and move to one of the two designated assembly points as follows:

    • The Front Oval away from trees.
    • McCutchan Stadium sports field.
  • Take clothing as weather dictates.
  • Remain at assembly areas until given instructions by emergency personnel.
  • DO NOT REENTER BUILDINGS UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY EMERGENCY PERSONNEL!

*A significant earthquake is of a nature where property damage or personal injury may be sustained.

When in doubt, calmly and cautiously exit the building and head to the designated assembly points.

If communication is available, TextCaster will be used to provide timely updates.