TCC Ready

At times a life-threatening, hostile or hazardous situation may arise on or near Tacoma Community College requiring the implementation of a lockdown. Such a procedure exists to protect human life and property and makes resolution of a threatening situation easier for law enforcement agencies.

 

What to do:

CLASSROOMS/LABORATORIES & WORK AREAS

If you are in a classroom/laboratory or work area when you recognize an active threat, immediately do the following:

1. Secure the door by locking it. If you don’t have a key, wedge a door stop and/or other material against the door to prevent the shooter from opening the door.
2. Turn off the lights and close the blinds. If possible, covers the window in the door to prevent someone from seeing into the room.
3. Move away from the door and out of sight of the door.
4. Seek concealment underneath a desk or behind another piece of furniture. Stay as low to the floor as possible.
5. Turn off all cell phones or set them on silent mode so that the suspected shooter cannot hear them. Use one phone to quietly call 911 and Campus Public Safety (ext. 5111) to notify them of an active threat and give them your location and the number of the cell phone that you are using.
6. Remain in your concealed area until local law enforcement or Campus Public Safety says it’s clear.

HALLWAYS AND OTHER OPEN AREAS INDOORS OR OUTDOORS

If you are in a hallway or other open area when you recognize an active threat, immediately do the following:
1. If you are indoors, seek concealment in an open room or behind a substantial object.
2. Do not expect those in barricaded rooms to open the room to admit you because they have no way of knowing that you are not the suspected shooter.

More information about a lockdown:

A “lockdown” is a temporary technique utilized to limit exposure to an apparent life-threatening, hostile or hazardous situation or threat. When a lockdown is declared by administrative officials, occupants of any building within the impacted area are to remain in their respective spaces locking all doors and windows, not allowing entry or exit to a secured area until the “all clear” confirmation has been given. Individuals must follow directions given by administration officials and appropriate law enforcement officials. Example of a life-threatening or hazardous situation includes, but is not limited to:
1. Someone has a gun or weapon on campus or there is an active threat or shots are heard on campus.
2. Execution of a high risk search or arrest warrant of a potentially dangerous suspect
3. Serious crime that is actively occurring on campus (e.g.: homicide, hostage situation, aggravated assault, robbery with a deadly weapon, sexual assault, etc.)
4. Serious crime committed in close proximity to the campus or a campus building (e.g.: homicide, hostage situation, aggravated assault, robbery with a deadly weapon, sexual assault, etc.)

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Shelter-in-Place / Assembly Areas Procedure:

• Follow your designated Building Safety Officer during an evacuation.
• Follow instructions provided by the e2Campus (TCC Alert) emergency notification.

Purpose: Shelter-in-Place is used in some emergency situations when it is best to stay in the site to remain safe and to isolate staff, students and visitors from the outside environment.

Scope: This procedure outlines the steps to be taken by staff, students and visitors to prevent injury or death during an incident. The procedure covers staff and students who are indoors and outdoors. The need to shelter will be based on notification from local officials or weather forecasts.

Responsibilities:

• Identify shelter locations.
• Ensure shelter locations have emergency and first aid kits and supplies for sealing the rooms.
• Ensure shelter locations are marked, free of items that may fall, and have emergency lighting.
• Decide the need to shelter based on official notification.
• Seal the room – lock doors, close windows and close air vents.
• Close curtains and blinds.
• Shut off HVAC systems.

Download Assembly Areas (pdf)

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911 Tacoma or Gig Harbor Police or Fire Dept.

253.566.5111 Campus Public Safety

In the event of a bomb threat or threatening call do not dismiss or treat the call as a prank.

Do not hang up. Try to keep the caller talking to gain as much information as possible (see list below).

If possible notify someone nearby that you are talking to an individual making a bomb threat and have the person call TCC Campus Public Safety.

1. Write down the information relevant with the call and as close to verbatim as you can.

• Date
• Time
• Number on which the call was received?
• Caller ID displayed?
• Your Name (printed legibly)
• Sign and date all original notes or forms
• Notes should be attached to the original Bomb Threat form.

2. Write down the exact wording of the threat.

3. Ask the following questions and write down the answers:

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

Remember, always use common sense.
There are exceptions to all guidance and prescribed directions.

4. Note your impressions of the caller’s voice:

Checklist for characteristics of caller's voice:

____Calm	____Stutter	____Slow	____Deep	____Loud
____Deep Breathing	____Cracking voice	____Crying	____Normal	____Distinct
____Accent	____Laughter	____Familiar	____Disguised	____Slurred
____Nasal	____Excited	____Raspy	____Soft	____Clearing throat
____Angry	____Lisp	____Rapid	____Ragged

5. If the voice sounds familiar, who did it sound like?
6. Concerning the caller, do you have any opinion as to the person’s:

• Race or ethnicity?
• Gender?
• Age?

7. Did you hear any background sounds?

Checklist for Background Sounds

____Street Noises	____Crockery	____Voices	____PA system	____Music
____House noises	____Motor	____Booth	____Factory machinery	____Animal noises
____Clear	____Static	____Local	____Long distance	____Office machinery

8. Your observations of the language used by the caller in his / her threat:

Checklist for characteristics of language:

____Well spoken (educated)

____Foul

____Irrational

____Incoherent

____Taped

9. Remarks:_______________________________

10. It is critical that you provide all information to Public Safety as soon as the call is terminated.

• Provide a detailed oral briefing.
• Provide a written Bomb Threat Form.
• Sign, date and attach all original notes to the Bomb Threat Form.

11. Do not leave campus; the police will want to interview you.

• Remain with Public Safety.
• Await arrival of law enforcement authorities.

Download How to Respond to a Bomb Threat (pdf)

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If you are indoors when shaking starts:

• Drop, cover, and hold on. If you are not near a strong table or desk, drop to the floor against an interior wall and cover your head and neck with your arms.
• Avoid windows, hanging objects, mirrors, tall furniture, large appliances and cabinets filled with heavy objects.
• Do not try to run out of the structure during strong shaking.
• Stay away from buildings. Glass from tall buildings does not always fall straight down; it can catch a wind current and travel great distances.
• Do not use elevators.
• If you use a wheelchair, lock the wheels and cover your head.

If you are outdoors when shaking starts:

• Move to a clear area if you can safely move. Avoid power lines, buildings, and trees.
• If you’re driving, pull to the side of the road and stop. Avoid stopping under overhead hazards.

Once the shaking stops:

• Check the people around you for injuries; provide first aid. Do not move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger.
• Check around you for dangerous conditions, such as fires, downed power lines and structure damage.     
• If you have fire extinguishers and are trained to use them, put out small fires immediately.
• Turn off the gas only if you smell gas.
• Inspect your area for damage.

If you are trapped in debris:

• Move as little as possible so that you don’t kick up dust. Cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief or clothing.
• Tap on a pipe or wall so that rescuers can hear where you are. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort.

Download the Earthquake guidelines (pdf)

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• Calmly alert others in your area that they must leave.
• Assist those who need assistance, especially physically challenged persons, to evacuate or in relocating them to an area of safe refuge. Do not move injured persons unless it is absolutely necessary.
• Unless it creates an unnecessary delay, gather your keys, purse or wallet as you evacuate, keeping in mind you may not be allowed back into the building for an extended time.
• Evacuate the building by following the exit signs. Do not use elevators.
• Move to the building’s designated gathering spot or, as directed by Public Safety personnel.
• Try to account for all people who were within your vicinity, including visitors.
• Wait for Campus Public Safety to tell you when it is safe to return to the effected building.

Evacuating Disabled Individuals

Faculty/Staff Responsibilities:

Faculty and staff should take a few moments at the beginning of the first class each quarter to advise the class of evacuation procedures, nearest exits, building assembly locations, and Emergency Response flipcharts in each classroom.

Always ask someone with a disability or functional or access needs how you can help before giving assistance. Ask how he/she can best be assisted or moved, and whether there are any special considerations or items that need to come with the person. If you are unable to physically assist, inform a Building Safety Officer, Public Safety Officer or first responder of the person’s location. Co-workers may assist in evacuating disabled persons only if this places them in no personal danger.

Mobility challenges - Helping those in wheelchairs

People using wheelchairs should move to an Area of Refuge or Evacuation Assistance Location. Wheelchair users are advised to wait until the heavy traffic has passed before entering the stairway. Stairway evacuation of wheelchair users should be conducted by trained personnel.

If it is unsafe to evacuate the wheelchair user, move them to the stairwell and immediately notify Building Safety Officers, Public Safety Officers or first responders once outside the building.

Tacoma Community College has Stryker chairs located in all multi-storied buildings on campus.

1. If a person is in an electric wheelchair, leave the electric wheelchair behind; do not block exit routes.
2. If a person is in a manual wheelchair, leave the manual wheelchair behind; do not block exit routes.
3. To safely carry a person downstairs, two people must use specific techniques, practiced before an emergency.
4. To safely carry a person downstairs while they sit in their manual wheelchair. At least four strong people are needed to carry a person in a manual wheelchair down stairs.

Mobility challenges - Helping those with limited mobility

People with limited mobility may be able to negotiate stairs in an emergency with assistance. If danger is imminent, the individual should go to an enclosed stairwell and wait until the heavy traffic has cleared before attempting the stairs. Stairway evacuation should be conducted by trained personnel.

If it is not safe to evacuate the person with limited mobility, move them to an Area of Refuge or Evacuation Assistance Location and immediately notify Building Safety Officers, Public Safety or first responders once outside the building.

Hearing disabilities

Most buildings on campus are equipped with fire alarm strobe lights. People with hearing disabilities may not hear audio emergency alarms and will need to be alerted of emergency situations in those buildings without strobe lights. Emergency instructions should be given by gesturing or writing a short explicit note. Escort the person as needed.

Visual disabilities

Most people with a visual disability should be familiar with their immediate surroundings and frequently traveled routes. Since the emergency evacuation route is likely different from the commonly traveled route, people with visual disabilities may need assistance in evacuating. The assistant should offer their elbow to the individual with a visual impairment and guide him or her through the evacuation route. Communicate as necessary to assure safe evacuation.

A service animal could be disoriented in a disaster. If this is the case, people who are blind may need others to lead them and their service animal to safety.

Speech disabilities

People with a speech disability can hear standard alarms and voice announcements, and they can see visual indicators that warn of danger and the need to evacuate. Therefore, no special accommodation or additional planning is needed for people with speech disabilities.

Cognitive disabilities

People with a cognitive disability can hear standard alarms and see visual indicators to evacuate. However, the ability to recognize, understand, and respond appropriately to fire alarms and other emergency notification systems should be evaluated. Provide appropriate assistance or guidance as necessary.

Remember, always use common sense.

There are exceptions to all guidance and prescribed directions.

Download the Evacuate guidelines (pdf)

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Once The Alarm Is Activated

Calmly alert others in your area that they must leave.

Assist those who need assistance, especially physically challenged persons, to evacuate or in relocating them to an area of safe refuge. Do not move injured persons unless it is absolutely necessary.

Unless it creates an unnecessary delay, gather your keys, purse or wallet as you evacuate, keeping in mind you may not be allowed back into the building for an extended time.

Evacuate the building by following the exit signs. Do not use elevators.

Move to the building’s designated gathering spot or, as directed by Public Safety personnel.

Try and to account for all people who were within your vicinity, including visitors.

Wait for Public Safety to tell you when it is safe to return to the effected building.

If caught in smoke:

1. Crawl toward the nearest exit.
2. Breathe through your nose, covering your mouth and nose with a shirt or towel.

If trapped in a building:

1. Close all doors and windows.
2. Wet and place cloth material around and under the door to prevent smoke from entering.
3. Attempt to signal people outside of the building, and call for help using a telephone or cell phone.

Extinguishing a fire:

1. Do not attempt to extinguish any fire if such action is a direct threat to your safety, such as leaving you no avenue of escape.

2. Attempt to extinguish a fire ONLY after all evacuation and life safety measures have been taken and the alarm has been sounded. Your personal safety is the number one priority.

3. If you know that you have the proper extinguisher and the fire is small enough to extinguish safely, remember the P.A.S.S acronym to use your extinguisher as follows:

• Pull the safety pin at the top of the extinguisher
• Aim the nozzle, horn, or hose at the base of the flames
• Squeeze the handle of the extinguisher
• Sweep the nozzle from side to side until the fire goes out

Stop – Drop – Roll:

1. If you or another person’s clothing, hair, or any part of your person becomes engaged by fire DO NOT RUN or allow another to run. Running will actually ‘fan’ the fire and cause the clothes, etc., to burn at an accelerated rate, creating a greater risk for the victim.

2. When clothing, hair or other body part does become engaged by fire, follow the rules of Stop – Drop – Roll.

• Stop - Do not run.
• Drop - to the ground or floor and cover your face.
• Roll - Rolling may not extinguish the flames but this action will start to smother them and slow down the burning process.

3. There are no guarantees that Stop – Drop – Roll will prevent burns. This tactic will, however, help a person survive a clothing fire with less damage and allow for a better chance of survival.

Remember, always use common sense.

There are exceptions to all guidance and prescribed directions.

Download React to a Fire (pdf)

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Hazardous Material - Chemical or radiation spill

Tacoma Community College maintains small quantities of hazardous materials located in several areas on the campus. The science laboratories, nursing labs, and other academic centers using chemicals are primary locations for spills and accidents.

College Maintenance shops or vendors performing tasks on campus (i.e., roofers and painters) are another source.

Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are readily accessible to employees in their work areas. A master SDS database is maintained by the Facilities Department.

Emergency Showers

Emergency showers and eyewash stations are located in a variety of locations. It is the responsibility of instructors and students to know the locations of these stations.

• Immediately flush with generous amounts of water under an emergency shower
• Flush skin for 5 minutes
• Get medical attention immediately

Eye Contact

• Immediately flush eyes with water under an eyewash or with bottles of eyewash solution for 15 minutes
• Get medical attention immediately

Inhalation

• Remove victim to fresh air
• Get medical attention immediately

Reporting a spill

1. Report immediately any spillage of a hazardous chemical to Campus Public Safety (ext. 5111).

2. When reporting, be specific about the nature of the material involved and the exact location of the spill. Campus Public Safety will contact TCC Administration, Maintenance, and the necessary specialized authorities and medical personnel.

3. Move away from the spill and help keep others away. Do not walk into or touch any of the spilled substance. Try not to inhale gases, fumes, and smoke.

4. Those who may be contaminated by the spill should avoid contact with others, remain in the vicinity, and give their names to Campus Public Safety. As necessary, first aid and cleanup by specialized authorities should be started at once.

5. The key person on site should vacate the affected area at once and seal it off to prevent further contamination until the arrival of Campus Public Safety.

Diesel/Fuel Spill

Tacoma Community College has storage for diesel and heating fuels as well as natural gas. Most liquid fuel leaks from storage facilities or delivery vehicles can be contained and directed from waterways by TCC Maintenance personnel and cleaned up by a contract vendor. These same personnel will attempt to shut off any equipment – gas valves, faucets, etc. – to stem the flow of the material.

If the magnitude of the spill is beyond the resources of TCC and vendor personnel, the Tacoma Fire Department will be summoned for assistance.

If the size of the spill or the nature of the material appears to be a hazard to the campus population, steps for evacuation or containment of personnel will be taken at the direction of the fire official.

Emergency responders will inform the college when it’s safe to return to the impacted building.

Remember, always use common sense.
There are exceptions to all guidance and prescribed directions.

Download How to Handle Hazardous Materials (pdf)

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Medical emergencies should be reported immediately to Campus Public Safety (ext. 5111). Use any phone throughout the college to notify Campus Public Safety of the nature and location of the emergency.

During any emergency, particularly those requiring immediate emergency medical assistance, don’t hesitant to call 911 directly for assistance from any internal phone.

In the event that you contact 911 directly, it’s imperative to contact Campus Public Safety (ext. 5111) as soon as possible to facilitate an in-house response and to ensure coordination with emergency service personnel upon their arrival on campus.

Under no circumstances should any representative of the college provide any type of over-the-counter, home remedy or other type of medication to an injured or sick individual unless they have the appropriate training.

General guidelines are provided in assessing medical emergencies and initiating the appropriate response.

Life Threatening Emergencies

Life Threatening Emergencies include:

• Unconscious victim
• Victim who appears to be confused
• Difficulty breathing
• Choking
• Seizures
• Chest pain
• Serious bleeding
• Allergic reactions

An ambulance must be called for all situations listed above. This includes any ill or injured individual who is unconscious or otherwise displaying an altered level of consciousness who you suspect is under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

An ambulance must be called to transport any injured or ill individual under the age of 18 not accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Minor illnesses and other non-life threatening emergencies

• In a non-threatening life situation, students, who are over the age of 18, can refuse medical assistance by signing a waiver form with Public Safety.
• For students who are under the age of 18, Public Safety will make the decision for medical assistance based on injuries. A campus first aid kit maintained at the Security Desk contains Medical Incident Response forms with a section applicable to individuals refusing medical care and/or transport. This refusal should be completed, signed and should append the original Security Incident Report.

Basic First Aid as Needed:

1. Do not move the injured unless in a life threatening situation.
2. Call 253.566.5111 TCC Campus Public Safety.
3. Stay with the injured until Campus Public Safely arrives.
4. Campus Public Safety gives basic first aid and/or seeks additional treatment.

Outside Medical Assistance as Needed:

1. Do not move the injured unless in a life-threatening situation.
2. Call 911.
3. Tell the dispatcher you are reporting a medical emergency and give your name, location, and phone number.
4. Do not hang up until instructed.
5. Call Campus Public Safety at 253.566.5111.
6. Stay with the injured and try to keep them calm until help arrives.

Automated Defibrillator (AED)

An Automated Defibrillator (AED) is used when a heart has stopped. Our AEDs have audio instructions and will not “shock” a person unless it will help them.

AEDs are located in every building on campus.

An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient, and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of electrical therapy which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm.

With simple audio and visual commands, AEDs are designed to be simple to use for the layperson, and the use of AEDs is taught in many first aid, certified first responder, and basic life support (BLS) level cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) classes.

Remember, always use common sense.
There are exceptions to all guidance and prescribed directions.

Download How to Respond to a Medical Emergency (pdf)

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An incident is a temporary disruption to everyday functioning. Action needs to be taken so that things can return to normal, but life, health, and/or property are not in imminent danger. Examples include:

• Temporary power outage
• Start time delay/closure due to snow.

What to do in case of an incident:

• Call Campus Public Safety, extension 5111 from your campus phone (253-566-5111 from your cell phone). Inform them of the nature of the incident and your building number or appropriate location.

An emergency is a situation that places life, health, or property in imminent danger.

Examples of emergencies include:

• Earthquake
• Life threatening health problem (heart attack, stroke).

What to do in case of an emergency:

• Report all emergencies by dialing 911 from your cell phone or campus phone. Do not hang up until the dispatcher instructs you to. Inform them of the nature of the emergency, number of injured people, and the exact address [6501 South 19th Street] and building number or appropriate location.
• Have a bystander contact Campus Public Safety by calling 253-566-5111.

Remember, always use common sense.
There are exceptions to all guidance and prescribed directions.

Download Report an Emergency (pdf)

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The United States Congress enacted the “Campus Sexual Assault Victims’ Bill of Rights “in 1992 as a part of Public Law: 102-325, section 486 (c). This law requires that all colleges and universities (both public and private) participating in federal student aid programs afford sexual assault victims certain basic rights.

The college is committed to preventing this violence through incorporation of educational programming and the adoption of clear guidelines informing students, faculty, and staff of the college’s procedures in handling such cases. Sexual assault crimes are heinous, and these crimes occurring on the college campus will not be tolerated under any circumstances. College community members found guilty of any sexual assault crime will be severely dealt with through the appropriate college office.

Tacoma Community College is strongly committed to the establishment of an educational environment in which students, faculty, and staff can work together in an atmosphere free of sexual assault.

The college views any act identified as sexual assault as a serious matter. Every member of the college community should be aware that all sexual assaults are prohibited by state law.

Definition of sexual assault

Sexual assault occurs when a person performs or compels another person to perform any sexual act or to have any form of sexual contact without consent. Consent requires mutually understandable and communicated words and/or actions demonstrating agreement to participate in the proposed sexual act. Lack of consent may result from inability because of impairment of the victim (due to, for example, intoxication), or physical helplessness of the victim (due to, for example, being asleep). Lack of consent may also result from intimidation (due to, for example, the aggressor’s language, size, or threatened or actual use of force) that silences the victim.

Attempted sexual assault occurs when a person intends to commit the offense and engages in conduct that would lead to it.

Procedure for responding to sexual assault

The college will vigorously prosecute and discipline persons identified as responsible for sexual assaults as identified and categorized under federal or state law. Victims of sexual offenses should be assured that the college provides resources and police assistance, if desired. Care and consideration of the victim’s wishes will be taken into account throughout the intervention process. The college will consider requests for changes in academic accommodations and work with victims to reach available and reasonable solutions.

In addition to criminal prosecution, the college may impose sanctions against students, student organizations, or college faculty or staff members identified as committing or participating in sexual assaults.

Students will also be disciplined for other sexual offenses which are criminal in nature or which violate other community standards.

The sanctions listed below may be imposed on individual students found guilty of sexual assaults. The severity and number of sanctions applied will be determined by the nature and degree of the individual act. Possible sanctions may include:

1. Expulsion from the college
2. Suspension for a specific time period
3. Probation for a specific period of time
4. Mandated psychological counseling or assessment

Title IX

No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is a form of sex “discrimination” prohibited under Title IX. Title IX protects students from sexual harassment by:

• Any school employee,
• Another student, or
• A non-employee third party

Duty to Investigate

Once Tacoma Community College knows or reasonably should know of a possible sexual violence, it must take immediate and appropriate action to investigate or otherwise determine what occurred.

TCC Obligations Under Title IX

If sexual violence has occurred, a school must:

• Take prompt and effective steps to end the sexual violence
• Prevent its recurrence
• Address the effects, whether or not the sexual violence is the subject of a criminal investigation

• TCC must take steps to protect the complainant as necessary, including interim steps taken prior to the final outcome of the investigation
• TCC must provide a grievance procedure for students to file complaints of sex discrimination, including complaints of sexual violence
• TCC grievance procedures must use the preponderance of the evidence standard (50.1%) to resolve complaints of sex discrimination
• TCC must notify both parties of the outcome of the complaint.

Reporting

The victim should report all incidents of sexual assault, including date or acquaintance rape/assault, and domestic violence to 911, the Title IX Administrator and/or Campus Safety. These two parties may contact the Tacoma police Department as needed as part of the investigation into the incident.

If you are a victim of a sexual assault at this college, your first priority should be to get to a place of safety. Contact any staff member to gain assistance. You should then obtain medical treatment in a timely manner. You should also immediately contact the above noted police authorities to report the incident, and initiate protection of evidence. Time is a critical factor for evidence collection and preservation.

The survivor should make every attempt to preserve any physical evidence of the assault.

• Do not change your clothing. If you must change, place your old clothes in a paper bag.
• Do not wash or clean your clothing.
• Do not take a shower, bathe, or clean up.
• Do not apply medication or cosmetics.
• In effect, do not move, or destroy anything in the area where the offense happened. An assault should be reported directly to the Dean of Students or Campus Public Safety. Filing a report with any of the above offices will not subject the reported victim to scrutiny or judgmental opinions from college officials.

Filing a report will enable the college to refer a person who reports being a victim of a sexual report:

• For necessary medical treatment and tests
• To those that may assist in the proper collection of evidence helpful in prosecution, which cannot be obtained later
• To confidential counseling from counselor specifically trained in the area of sexual assault crisis intervention (these individuals are not members of the TCC staff, but of outside agencies)

Remember, always use common sense.

There are exceptions to all guidance and prescribed directions.

Download Report a Sexual Assault (pdf)

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Some characteristics of suspicious packages and envelopes include the following:

1. Inappropriate or unusual labeling:
   • Excessive postage
   • Handwritten or poorly typed addresses
   • Misspelling of common words
   • Strange return address or no return address
   • Incorrect title or titles without a name
   • Not addressed to a specific person
   • Marked with restrictions, such as “Personal,” “Confidential,” or “Do Not X-Ray”
   • Marked with any threatening language
   • Postmarked from a city or state that does not match the return address
2. Appearance:
   • Powdery substance felt or appearing on the package or envelope
   • Oily stains, discolorations or odor
   • Lopsided or uneven envelope
   • Excessive packaging material such as masking tape, string, etc.
3. Other suspicious signs:
   • Excessive weight
   • Ticking sounds
   • Protruding wires or aluminum foil

If the package or envelope appears suspicious, do not open it!

What you should do:

1. Do not panic.
2. Report the incident to your supervisor and Campus Public Safety (ext. 5111).
3. Turn off the local air conditioner or fan if possible.
4. Cover the item.
5. Secure the room and prevent others from entering.
6. Wash hands with soap and water or use bacterial wipes.
7. Move to an isolated room nearby if possible – if not stay at the site.
8. Obtain names and phone numbers of all persons in the area.
9. Wait for further instructions.

If you receive and open a package, letter, or note threatening anthrax contamination, or if a suspicious substance is present:

Do not panic. Follow the below steps:

• Call Campus Public Safety (ext. 5111) or the police department (911).
• Be prepared to provide the location of the package, a description, and your location and contact numbers.
• Set it down gently at the location where you first opened it.
• Do not clean up the area. Keep others from entering the room or area.
• Turn off any fans in the area.
• If in a room, close the window(s) and door(s). Leave the room or area and go to an area that will minimize your contact with others.

• Wash hands with soap and water if possible.
• If material is on clothing, don’t brush off vigorously.
• Notify your supervisor, who should instruct people not to enter or exit the area.
• Make a list of all people who had actual contact with the suspicious substance or were in the room or area.
• Follow further instructions given to you by Campus Public Safety or TPD.

Do not:

• Do not pass the letter or suspicious package to others to inspect.
• Do not transport contents to a hospital, emergency room, or the clinic.
• Do not disturb any contents in the letter or package. Handling the letter or package can spread the substance and increase the chances of it getting into the air.
• Do not ignore the threat; it must be treated as real until properly evaluated

Download Respond to a Suspicious Package (pdf)

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