Safety and Security: How to Respond in an Emergency

Evacuation

An evacuation is implemented under conditions when it is no longer safe for students, faculty, and staff to remain in a building or a specific area in a building. This requires occupants to move out and away from a building to a designated building area of refuge or out and away from a specific area within a building. These are most commonly used when there is a suspected fire or hazardous material spill in a building.

Procedures

• Notify occupants and help those needing assistance in the immediate area
• Activate the nearest fire alarm pull station
• Confine the fire by closing doors as you exit
• Evacuate the building at the nearest exit and call Campus Security at 312.899.1230 or push the EMERGENCY button on any in-house phone
• DO NOT, under any circumstances, enter the building until authorized to do so by emergency personnel

Shelter-in-place

Shelter-in-place is a procedure where the entire building population is moved to a single or multiple location(s) in a building. Most commonly used during weather emergencies or when an extremely hazardous substance is released into the outside atmosphere.

Procedures

• Stay inside your building, or immediately go into the nearest building
• Close all windows
• Immediately go to an area inside the building, away from exterior walls and windows
• Await further instructions from emergency personnel
• DO NOT evacuate the building until you receive an "all clear" from emergency personnel

ACTIVE SHOOTER

An active shooter is an event in which one or more persons commit harm to multiple victims, in a short period of time, through the use of firearms.

Procedures

• If possible, exit the building immediately and call Campus Security at 312.899.1230 or push the EMERGENCY button on any in-house phone
• If you can not exit: Clear the hallway immediately; remain behind closed doors in a locked or barricaded room; stay away from all windows; remain calm and quietly call Campus Security at 312.899.1230 or push the EMERGENCY button on any in-house phone
• DO NOT: Leave or unlock the door to see what is happening
• DO NOT: Attempt to confront or apprehend the shooter, unless this is a last resort
• DO NOT: Assume someone else has called Campus Security, YOU make the call
• Evacuate the room only when emergency personnel have arrived and given the all clear