students hanging out on campus at night

Emergency Scenarios & Situations

Below are some basic steps to respond to a variety of emergency situations.

Active Shooter

If you are in a building when a shooting occurs, take the following steps:

  • If it is safe to do so, leave the building and get away from the incident
  • If you can’t leave, lock and/or barricade all doors
  • Close blinds and block windows
  • Stay away from doors and windows
  • Stay low/behind available heavy objects
  • Turn off lights, radios, and computer monitors
  • Keep yourself out of sight
  • Silence all cell phones
  • Call 911 to provide your location, report any injuries, or provide a description of the assailant(s) (e.g., name, number of suspects, gender, race, clothing, physical features, type of weapon(s)
  • Call 411 from a campus phone or notify security personnel
  • Call 419-574-3861 from a non-campus phone or notify security personnel
  • Remain in the secured area until you are certain that the shooter(s) is contained by law enforcement
  • Do not attempt to rescue anyone if it will further endanger the persons within the secured area
  • When in doubt, remain within the secured area. Check for LourdesALERT text messages
  • If you encounter police officers, raise your hands and follow their commands immediately and completely. They may not know who the shooter is

Bomb Threat

A bomb threat may be discovered accidentally or by having an individual notify you of the threat. The person aware of the threat should not attempt to evacuate the entire building, but initially focus on gathering as much information as possible. The majority of bomb threats are false in nature and are intended to elicit a response from the building occupants.

If a written bomb threat is received:

  • Ensure the document is handled by as few people as possible
  • Turn the document over to local law enforcement as soon as possible
  • If the threat is received via e-mail or voice-mail, save the message and notify a member of Administrative Council immediately

If a telephoned bomb threat is received:

  • Remain calm and attempt to ask a nearby person to notify a member of Administrative Council. Speak slowly, be polite and respectful of the caller to learn more about their plans
  • Pay attention to the phone display, if possible, and record the information on the phone window
    Keep the caller on the line as long as possible and attempt to gather as much information as possible
  • Make note of distinctive sounds, patterns and noises that may indicate who, or where the caller is
  • Attempt to obtain information on why there is a bomb, where it is, how and when it will detonate
    Immediately after the caller hangs up, notify a member of Administrative Council

A member of Administrative Council will make an informed decision on the need to evacuate a building or the entire campus or the need to lockdown a building away from the threat.

  • Ensure that other entities on campus are appraised of the threat and actions are being taken
  • Contact local law enforcement and request that they send appropriate personnel to campus
  • Follow the directions of local law enforcement, or other assigned agencies which will be in charge of directing the response to the threat

Local law enforcement will initiate a search of campus buildings with appropriate law enforcement and security personnel as needed.

Allow re-entry only after an “all clear” is given.

Important numbers:

  • Call 911: Emergency (Fire, Police, or Ambulance)
  • Call 411: Campus Security (campus phone)
  • Call 419-574-3861: Campus Security (off-campus phone)

Bomb Threat Information Checklist

Questions to Ask:

  • When is the bomb going to explode?
  • Where is it right now?
  • What does it look like?
  • What kind of bomb is it?
  • What will cause it to explode?
  • Did you place the bomb?
  • Why did you do it?
  • What is your name?
  • What is your address?

Caller Information:

  • Exact wording of threat
  • Gender of caller
  • Age of caller
  • Race of caller
  • Length of call
  • Date and time call was taken
  • Any additional notes

Caller’s voice:

  • Is voice familiar and who does it sound like?
  • What best describes the caller’s voice? i.e., calm, angry, excited, slow, rapid, soft, loud, laughing, crying, normal, distinct, slurred, nasal, stuttering, lisp, raspy, deep, rugged, clearing throat, deep breathing, cracked voice, disguised, accent

Background sounds:

  • Street noises, animal noises, clear, static, music, house noises, motor, factory, office, other voices

Threat language:

  • Well-spoken or educated, incoherent, foul, irrational/threats, taped, message being read

Chemical, Radioactive or Biological Spill

In the event of a spill, take the following steps:

  • Call 911: Emergency (Fire, Police, or Ambulance)
  • Call 411: Campus Security (campus phone)
  • Call 419-574-3861: Campus Security (off-campus)
  • Warn others nearby of the spill
  • Avoid breathing vapors from the spill
  • Direct potentially contaminated people to stay in a controlled area until they have been cleared of contaminants
  • Isolate and contain the spill. Post or tape off the affected area and establish a controlled entry point to the area
  • Do not allow others into the area, even to retrieve personal belongings
  • Do not spread contaminants. Take off your shoes before walking to other parts of the building
  • Cover wet spills with something absorbent. Cover dry spills with something slightly dampened
  • Discard towels in the garbage. Do not wash contaminants down the drain
  • Use appropriate kit to neutralize and absorb inorganic acids and bases or to absorb spills with vermiculite, dry sand, or diatomaceous earth.
  • Collect and dispose of as chemical waste
  • If spill is flammable, turn off ignition and heat sources. Don’t light burners or turn on switches

Criminal Activity

If you become aware of criminal activity, take the following steps:

  • Call 911: Emergency (Fire, Police, or Ambulance)
  • Call 411: Campus Security (campus phone)
  • Call 419-574-3861: Campus Security (off-campus)
  • Do not attempt to apprehend or interfere with a criminal
  • Note the criminal’s characteristics: Height, weight, sex, race, age, clothing, weapon (if any), and direction and method of travel
  • If the criminal flees the scene in an automobile, note the license plate, make, model, color, and any other characteristics of the vehicle

Fire

If you discover a fire, take the following steps:

  • Manually activate the fire alarm
  • Immediately exit the building and close the door(s) behind you
  • Tell others in the area that there is a fire
  • Call 911: Emergency (Fire, Police, or Ambulance)
  • Call 411: Campus Security (campus phone)
  • Call 419-574-3861: Campus Security (off-campus)

If you are trapped during a fire, take the following steps:

  • Wet and place cloth material around and under the door to prevent smoke from entering
  • Close as many doors as possible between you and the fire
  • Be prepared to signal someone outside, but do not break glass until absolutely necessary as smoke may be drawn into the room

If caught in smoke, take the following steps:

  • Drop to the floor and crawl toward an exit
  • Stay as low as possible
  • Take shallow breaths through your nose and use a shirt or towel as a filter

Flooding

In the event of flooding, take the following steps:

  • If it’s safe to do so, turn off electrical equipment and secure experiments, vital equipment, records, and hazardous material by moving it to higher ground
  • Call 911: Emergency (Fire, Police, or Ambulance)
  • Call 411: Campus Security (campus phone)
  • Call 419-574-3861: Campus Security (off-campus)

Medical Emergency

In the event of a medical emergency, take the following steps:

  • Call 911: Emergency (Fire, Police, or Ambulance)
  • Call 411: Campus Security (campus phone)
  • Call 419-574-3861: Campus Security (off-campus)
  • Do not move the person unless he or she is in danger
  • Avoid leaving the person except to summon help
  • Render first aid or CPR if you are trained and qualified

Power Outages

In the event of a major campus-wide outage, take the following steps:

  • Remain calm
  • Unplug all electrical equipment, including computers
  • Do not light candles or other flames as they could ignite an explosion
  • If evacuation is required, secure all experiments and shut off research gasses. All chemicals should be stored in their original locations. Fully open fume hoods. If this is not
  • possible or natural ventilation is inadequate, evacuate the laboratory until power is returned.

Workplace Violence

If you notice workplace violence, including intimidation, threats, physical attack and property damage, take the following steps:

  • Call 911: Emergency (Fire, Police, or Ambulance)
  • Call 411: Campus Security (campus phone)
  • Call 419-574-3861: Campus Security (off-campus)
  • Seek cover behind a locked door

 

EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

One of Lourdes University’s goals is to ensure the safety of the Lourdes community. We seek to prevent or alleviate any emergency situations. Below is an outline of the types of emergencies that may occur on a college campus.

Health Emergency

A health emergency is the rare situation when something unusual creates the potential for widespread illness or possible death among a group of people.

Examples of health emergencies include:

  • Large outbreak of bacterial meningitis
  • Large food borne outbreak
  • Act of bioterrorism such as an intentional release of anthrax spores
  • Large chemical spill or release that results in multiple injuries
  • Influenza pandemic

Health emergencies, by their nature, are often longer term events than natural disasters, possibly lasting for weeks or months. An influenza pandemic may cause significant reductions in the available workforce and cause disruptions in normal services.

Severe Winter Weather

As a general practice, Lourdes does not close unless the health, safety or security of Lourdes personnel and students is seriously brought into question.

If the decision to close Lourdes is made, all official Lourdes notifications will be transmitted via a message on the Lourdes University website homepage, and through the local media (radio and television stations).

Weather Emergency

A tornado or severe thunderstorm watch means that conditions are right for severe weather to develop rapidly. If a watch is issued for Lucas County, students and Lourdes representatives should:

  • If possible, monitor the weather through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or a local TV and/or radio station
  • If outdoors, consider moving inside the closest building with safe areas
  • If indoors (such as in offices or laboratories), close windows and blinds, and be ready to move to safe areas
  • Faculty with classes in session should close windows, inform students of their building’s safe areas and be ready to relocate to those areas

A tornado or severe thunderstorm warning means that the severe weather is happening and the situation is dangerous. The National Weather Service will sound the sirens in the event of a tornado warning, but not in the event of other severe storms. Lourdes will communicate tornado and severe weather warnings via the LourdesALERT text messaging system, an email to your Lourdes University email address, phone messages to campus phones, and on the Lourdes University website homepage. When the warning message is received via the National Weather Service or Lourdes, the following steps should be taken:

  • Move students and Lourdes representatives to a safe area immediately. Safe areas include basements or interior hallways on the lowest floor
  • Close classroom, laboratory or office doors and stay away from windows
  • Remain in a safe area until the warning expires or until the all-clear notification has been issued