Lockdown

The College may face a threat posed by an intruder or an emergency situation outside of campus that prevents the evacuation of the building. In these situations, you should be prepared to take steps to isolate students, faculty, staff and visitors from danger by instituting a lockdown.

Purpose

A lockdown can serve several functions during an emergency, including the following:

• Removing students, faculty, staff and visitors from the threat
• Isolating the dangerous situation from much of the campus
• Allowing for an accurate accounting of students within each room
• Depending on the situation, facilitating an organized evacuation away from the dangerous area

Procedure

When ordered to lockdown, you should immediately take the following actions:

• As with all emergency communications, compliance with directives is mandatory for anyone on St. Louis Community College property. Read or listen to the message to ensure you understand the reason for the lockdown.
• Remain calm. Encourage others to remain calm.
• Immediately cease all activity (i.e., teaching, group work, meetings, etc.).
• Immediately close and lock the door. If the door cannot be locked, wedge or barricade it in a manner that will prevent it from opening. Once closed, do not open the door for anyone.
• Turn off lights and close or cover any windows.
• Move away from doors and windows. Remain out of sight by hiding under or behind furniture or other solid objects. Stay as close to the floor as possible.
• Silence all cell phones. Call 911 if safe to do so and notify them of the situation and provide any information you have about the incident and any suspects.
• Instructors or supervisors should record attendance within the room, if possible without attracting attention, by name if possible, but at a minimum by making a head count. This will help ensure everyone is accounted for once the situation is resolved.
• Do not leave the room, unless it becomes unsafe to stay there. Wait quietly in your location until law enforcement and/or campus officials notify you it is safe to leave. This could take several hours, depending on the circumstances.
• Do not activate fire alarms since this will trigger people to leave safe areas and go outside where it might not be as safe or put them in a position where they encounter the threat.
• Faculty or staff in control of students at the time of the lockdown are responsible for those students at that time. Faculty and staff members are responsible for accounting for students and ensuring that no one leaves the safe area. When the condition causing the lockdown has been cleared, an “all clear – lockdown is over” announcement will be made through the campus emergency notification system.

There may be a different type of lockdown called for known as a “secure in place” or “shelter in place” order.  These orders are used to reduce exposure to external chemical leaks, gas leaks or bomb threats.

If you are in hallways or other common areas:

• Immediately enter an open room and follow the procedure described above. Do not expect people in barricaded rooms to allow you inside. If you cannot find an open room, seek any available object that will provide concealment.
• Silence cell phones. Call 911 if safe to do so and notify them of the situation and provide any information you have about the incident and any suspects.
• Remain in your concealed location until law enforcement and/or campus officials notify you it is safe to leave unless it becomes unsafe to stay there.

If you are outside of a burning building:

• Hide behind any substantial object: cars, trees, rocks, etc. Stay where you are unless it becomes unsafe.
• Do not approach the buildings. If you can safely leave the area, do so, keeping obstructions between you and the building(s) as much as possible.
• Call 911 if safe to do so and notify them of the situation and provide any information you have about the incident and any suspects.

Preparation

Remember that you are your best defense. Be prepared before an event occurs.

• Always be aware of your surroundings. Report any suspicious persons or occurrences to College Police — “See Something, Say Something!”
• Keep your office or classroom door locked, even if the door is open. This can facilitate securing the room you are in quickly if the need arises.
• Know your best escape routes. Practice your escape routes by changing your daily routine.
• Take the time to review the Emergency Procedure https://stlcc.edu/about/police-safety/emergency-procedures/

Remember: All emergencies are different and may require response changes as events unfold. Information that you receive about the event may be erroneous and constantly changing.