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Room, Building, or Campus Lockdown Response

A lockdown is used when movement through a building or across campus may expose people to a violent person, active threat, dangerous police activity, or another immediate security hazard.

A lockdown may apply to a single room, one building, a portion of campus, or the entire campus. Because the nature and location of a threat may change quickly, community members should read the complete emergency message and use the College’s Avoid–Deny–Defend continuum to make decisions based on conditions in their immediate area.

  • Avoid: Move away from the threat when a safe route is available.

  • Deny: Prevent or delay access to your location when escape is unsafe.

  • Defend: Take action to protect yourself and others when directly confronted with an immediate threat to life.

These options are not necessarily sequential. You may need to change your protective action as conditions change.

Emergency Notification

The College may communicate a lockdown through CSC ALERT text messages, email, desktop alerts, emergency displays, campus telephones, the College website, verbal instructions, or other available methods.

When a lockdown message is received:

  • Read or listen to the entire message.

  • Pay particular attention to the location of the threat and any areas to avoid.

  • Immediately take the protective action appropriate for your location.

  • Share the instruction with people nearby when it is safe to do so.

  • Continue monitoring official College communications for updates.

Do not delay protective action while waiting for additional information.

Room Lockdown: Deny Access

If you are in a classroom, office, residence hall room, or another securable location and leaving would place you closer to the threat:

  • Remain in the room or enter the nearest securable space.

  • Announce the lockdown to others in the immediate area.

  • Bring people from the hallway into the room only when they are immediately nearby and doing so will not expose you or compromise the room.

  • Lock the door.

  • Barricade the door with heavy furniture or other available objects.

  • Secure or block secondary entrances when possible.

  • Close and lock windows.

  • Close blinds, shades, or curtains.

  • Turn off lights.

  • Silence phones and other electronic devices, including vibration, but keep them available for emergency alerts or communication with 9-1-1.

  • Remain quiet and limit unnecessary movement.

  • Move away from doors, windows, and interior glass.

  • Position yourself behind substantial objects that may provide protection.

  • Spread out rather than gathering in one visible location.

  • Do not post your location or information about emergency-response activity on social media.

  • Prepare to move away or defend yourself if the room is breached or conditions change.

Once a room has been secured, do not open the door for an unknown person. Follow instructions from identifiable law-enforcement officers, emergency dispatchers, or official CSC ALERT messages.

Calling 9-1-1

Call 9-1-1 as soon as it is safe to communicate. Do not assume someone else has already called.

Provide as much of the following information as possible:

  • The building and room number or specific location;

  • The location and direction of travel of the person creating the threat;

  • The number of people involved;

  • A description of the person, clothing, and identifying characteristics;

  • The type of weapon, if known;

  • The number and location of injured people;

  • The number of people secured with you; and

  • Your name and callback number.

Speak quietly when necessary. Follow the dispatcher’s instructions. When a voice call could expose your location, use another available method of emergency communication when permitted by local 9-1-1 capabilities.

Notify Campus Safety at extension 3300 when it is safe and practical to do so.

If Remaining in the Room Becomes Unsafe: Avoid

A lockdown instruction does not require you to remain in a location that is being directly threatened.

If the threat enters your area, fire or smoke makes the room unsafe, or a safe route away from the threat becomes available:

  • Move away from the threat immediately.

  • Use the nearest safe exit, including an emergency exit or window when appropriate and safe.

  • Leave personal belongings behind.

  • Encourage others to leave, but do not delay your own escape if they refuse or cannot move.

  • Use available cover and concealment as you move.

  • Continue moving until you are well away from the affected area.

  • Do not report to the building’s normal fire-evacuation assembly area unless directed. It may be near the threat or interfere with emergency operations.

  • Call 9-1-1 when you reach a safe location.

  • Warn others not to enter the dangerous area when this can be done safely.

Move in a direction away from the threat. Do not use a predetermined pattern, such as running in a zigzag manner.

If You Are Directly Confronted: Defend

If you cannot safely Avoid or Deny and are directly confronted with an immediate threat to life:

  • Act decisively to protect yourself.

  • Attempt to disrupt or incapacitate the attacker.

  • Use available objects to distract, block, or defend against the attacker.

  • Move, create distance, and look for an opportunity to escape.

  • Work with others when possible.

  • Continue until the threat is stopped or you can reach safety.

Defend is a last-resort survival action. It does not mean pursuing, searching for, or moving toward the person creating the threat.

If You Are Outdoors or in an Open Area

If you are outside when a lockdown is announced:

  • Determine whether the reported threat is inside a building, outdoors, or in an unknown location.

  • Move away from the known or suspected threat.

  • Leave campus or enter the nearest safe, securable building when doing so will move you away from danger.

  • Do not cross campus or move toward your usual classroom, residence hall, office, or vehicle if doing so could bring you closer to the threat.

  • Use buildings, walls, vehicles, terrain, or other substantial objects as cover while moving.

  • Continue to a secure location and call 9-1-1 when safe.

  • Monitor CSC ALERT for instructions and areas to avoid.

Do not remain in an exposed location solely because the lockdown message says to stay where you are. Use the information available and move away from an immediate threat when a safe route exists.

Fire Alarm During a Lockdown

During an active-threat lockdown, do not automatically enter a hallway or other exposed area solely because a fire alarm sounds.

  • Look, listen, and smell for signs of fire or smoke.

  • Check the door and surrounding conditions without exposing yourself.

  • Call 9-1-1 if you believe there is a fire or another immediate hazard.

  • Follow instructions from CSC ALERT, law enforcement, the fire department, or emergency dispatchers.

  • If fire, smoke, heat, or another condition makes the room unsafe, use the safest available route away from both the fire and the known or suspected threat.

The safest response will depend on the location of the fire and the location of the active threat.

Building or Campus Lockdown

Campus Safety or law enforcement may initiate a building or campus lockdown. During a lockdown, the College may secure exterior doors, restrict access to buildings or campus areas, cancel outdoor activities, and direct community members to remain secured.

When a building or campus lockdown is ordered:

  • Begin protective action immediately.

  • Secure your room or work area.

  • Do not prop open or unlock exterior doors.

  • Do not admit unknown or unauthorized people.

  • Stay away from entrances, lobbies, exterior windows, and other exposed areas.

  • Do not leave a secure location unless directed, unless a direct threat enters your area, or unless remaining there presents a greater danger.

  • Cancel or suspend outdoor activities.

  • Do not travel across campus until authorized.

  • Follow all instructions from Campus Safety and law enforcement.

  • Continue monitoring CSC ALERT.

People who are off campus should not come to campus until the restriction has been lifted.

When Law Enforcement Arrives

Law-enforcement officers will focus first on locating and stopping the threat. They may move past injured people until the threat is controlled.

When officers approach:

  • Remain calm.

  • Put down anything you are carrying.

  • Keep your hands empty, raised, and clearly visible.

  • Spread your fingers.

  • Avoid sudden movements.

  • Do not point, shout, grab an officer, or run toward officers.

  • Follow all commands immediately.

  • Do not stop officers to ask questions or request assistance unless they direct you to speak.

  • Provide information about the threat when asked or when the information is essential.

Officers may search, restrain, or temporarily detain people until identities and circumstances can be confirmed.

Medical Emergencies and Stop the Bleed Kits

Do not leave a secure location or move toward a known threat to assist an injured person.

Once you are away from the threat and it is safe to provide aid:

  • Call 9-1-1 and report the location and number of injured people.

  • Apply firm, continuous pressure to life-threatening bleeding.

  • Use a nearby Stop the Bleed kit when it can be retrieved without entering an unsafe area.

  • Use wound-packing materials or a tourniquet within your level of training and according to the kit’s instructions.

  • Provide first aid, CPR, or AED assistance within your level of training.

  • Follow instructions from emergency dispatchers and responders.

Stop the Bleed kits are located throughout campus. Never delay your own protective action, leave a secured room prematurely, or move toward the threat to obtain a kit.

Remain Secured Until the All-Clear

Do not leave a secure location merely because:

  • Conditions become quiet;

  • A fire alarm or other alarm stops;

  • Someone knocks on the door;

  • An unverified message says the incident is over; or

  • Other people begin leaving.

Remain secured until:

  • Law enforcement reaches and releases you;

  • CSC ALERT provides an official all-clear or specific evacuation instruction; or

  • Remaining in place creates a more immediate danger.

Follow all law-enforcement instructions during evacuation. Do not re-enter a building or restricted campus area until authorized.