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How to Respond in an Emergency

The Emergency Operations Center is the university’s organization for the management of campus responses to major disasters. The EOC’s major decision-makers come together to facilitate a coordinated effort during a major campus emergency. 

Quick Tips

See below for how you should respond during an emergency on campus:

A watch lets you know that weather conditions are favorable for a hazard to occur. During a weather watch, monitor the weather to find out if severe weather conditions have deteriorated and discuss your protective action plans with your family.

At the time a Hurricane Watch is posted for our area, the CSU Emergency Operations Center will notify the campus community via BUC Alert as to what action steps to take.

A warning requires immediate action. This means a weather hazard is imminent – it is either occurring (a tornado has been spotted, for example) – or it is about to occur at any moment. During a weather warning, it is important to take action: grab the emergency kit you have prepared in advance and head to safety immediately.

At the time a Hurricane Warning is posted for our area, the CSU Emergency Operations Center will notify the campus community via BUC Alert as to what action steps to take.

A tornado watch is issued when there is a good possibility that a tornado will touch down. A tornado watch usually encompasses many counties and last several hours.

A tornado warning is issued when severe weather is happening. When a tornado watch is issued, go to designated Shelter areas immediately. Tornadoes can strike with little or no warning.The campus will be notified via BUC Alert when the weather bureau issues a tornado warning for our area.

If you are unable to get to a shelter, go to an interior room away from windows. If caught outside, lie face down in the nearest spot and cover your head. See the following for shelters on campus:

  • Art Building: Interior rooms, restrooms.
  • Ashby Hall: First floor restrooms, interior walls crouch and cover.
  • Athletic Center: Locker room, interior hallways, restrooms, training rooms.
  • Athletic Performance Center: Interior rooms and restrooms.
  • Athletic Training Classroom: DO NOT SHELTER in this building. Move to a permanent building structure nearby like the Field House classrooms or hallways.
  • Brewer Center: Interior rooms and restrooms, STAY OUT OF THE GYM AREA.
  • Communications Center: Interior hallways, pool restroom.
  • Dining Hall: Restrooms, kitchen hallways, and storage areas.
  • Field House: Locker rooms, classrooms, restrooms, interior rooms, weight room, and hallways. STAY OUT OF THE ARENA AREA.
  • Health Science Building: 1st floor interior rooms, restrooms, hallways without windows.
  • Hunter Center: Interior storage rooms, hallways, and restrooms.
  • Jones Hall: First floor restrooms, interior walls crouch and cover.
  • Lightsey Chapel: First floor chapel restrooms and basement, the lower level of the music building.
  • Music Building: Basement, interior hallways.
  • New Residence Hall: 1st Floor interior hallways, stairwells, inside dorm room away from windows.
  • Norris/Wingo Halls: First floor restrooms, interior walls crouch and cover.
  • Nursing Building: First floor interior hallways and restrooms.
  • Physical Plant: Interior offices, restroom.
  • Physical Therapy Building: 1st floor interior rooms, restrooms, hallways without windows.
  • Quads: First floor restrooms or rear of any room on the first floor.
  • Rivers Library: Library basement and restrooms.
  • Russell West/East: First floor restrooms or rear of any room on the first floor.
  • Science Building: First floor interior hallways and restrooms.
  • Singleton Baseball Complex: Interior area, restrooms.
  • Softball Center: Interior area, restrooms.
  • Student Center: First floor interior hallways and restrooms, faculty suite.
  • Whitfield Center for Christian Leadership: First floor restrooms, first floor hallways away from glass windows and doors.
  • Whitfield Stadium Center: Downstairs in concession area and restrooms.
  • Whittington Hall: Interior classrooms and restrooms. DO NOT GO INTO LARGE BAND ROOMS.
  • Wingate by Wyndham Hotel: First floor interior hallways and restrooms.
  • Women’s North/South: First floor restrooms or rear of any room on the first floor.

If indoors, seek refuge in doorways, under desks or heavy tables. Stay away from windows, shelf units or heavy equipment. Crouch and cover.

If outdoors, move quickly away from buildings, utility poles and other structures. Go to outside safe areas.

After the initial shock, evaluate the situation in your immediate area. If damage seems serious, activate the building alarm and leave the building as soon as it appears safe. Protect yourself and others at all times.

The facility services director will inspect each building and will consult with Campus Security and ranking officials as to the safety of the structure.

DO NOT RETURN TO A BUILDING UNTIL TOLD TO DO SO.

After all buildings and areas have been inspected, the ranking senior officer will decide if we should return to normal operations, restricted operations or close and evacuate campus.

As with all emergencies, the ranking senior officer and the executive director of marketing and communication will handle the press.

Injured persons will be treated as medical emergencies and will be treated by campus first responders until local EMS units can get to campus.

Be informed and make a plan in the event of an active assailant. Click here for more info and watch the video below.

Remember during an active shooting to RUN – HIDE – FIGHT.