SHELTER IN PLACE
In an emergency many persons may think that the best response is to evacuate
the building and leave the area as quickly as possible. That may be true in
some situations (fire, explosion, etc.), but in other circumstances, evacuation
may not be the most appropriate action. It may be much safer to remain where
you are in some types of emergencies (tornados, hurricanes, ice storms, hazardous
chemical releases or spills, etc.) and you may be advised to do so by University
officials.
Certain emergencies will dictate that persons
stay inside or seek shelter indoors. Your initial instinct may be to flee,
but that could place you in more danger and subject you to other problems.
In some situations, for example, the roads may be congested, closed, icy or
flooded. Tornados may be occurring in the area. In short, it may be safer
to go to lower levels, move to the interior of the building, etc.
It may be a while before you are notified by
University officials about what is happening and when it is safe to leave.
Until then, you should remain in the shelter. During a power outage a portable
radio is a good source of information. You should not call relatives or friends
to pick you up unless you are sure that the situation is under control and
they will not be exposed to any danger. In emergency situations, outside phone
lines may be out of service or overloaded. If a campus emergency occurs while
you are at home, do not try to reach the campus until the danger is over.
