Evacuations, Lockdowns, and Shelter in Place

Evacuations

Evacuations are emergencies in which people must immediately leave a building and/or campus. A common example of an evacuation emergency is when a fire alarm goes off in a building and everyone must leave the building immediately. In an evacuation:

• Do not pause to gather your belongings.
• Proceed quickly but calmly to the nearest exit.
• Assist people with disabilities or mobility issues if you can safely do so.
• Follow directions from building safety stewards, Campus Safety, and emergency personnel.
• Do not re-enter the building or campus until you get the “all clear” from TCC Alerts or from emergency personnel.

Lockdowns

The college may institute a lockdown occur during an emergency when an immediate external threat is present. For example, during an active shooter situation, building safety stewards may lock the door to a building and refuse to admit anyone.

• A Lockdown situation does NOT mean that you must remain where you are if there is an imminent threat – for instance, if you are in a building with an active shooter. A lockdown is a college response to keep the college community safe. Run-Hide-Fight is an individual response to keep yourself safe. 
• If you are outdoors when a lockdown occurs and cannot get into a building, leave campus or seek shelter outdoors.
• If you are off campus when you receive a lockdown alert, you should remain off campus until the lockdown is lifted.

A lockdown is a college response to keep the college community safe. Run-Hide-Fight is an individual repsonse to keep yourself safe. 

Shelter in Place

Shelter in Place situations occur when there is an extreme weather event or other emergency which could make it unsafe to go outdoors, such as an earthquake or a severe thunderstorm. During shelter-in-place situations, doors should remain open so that people who are outdoors can come indoors and take shelter.

• Shelter under a desk or other solid structure if the building’s structural integrity may be in jeopardy, as during an earthquake.
• Stay away from windows that could break and scatter glass.
• Create an earthquake kit with emergency food and water, basic first aid supplies, and a flashlight.