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An active threat is an incident where there is an imminent or immediate threat to life, where an individual(s) is actively and deliberately harming or killing people, with or without weapons, usually in a populated area. Active threat situations are unpredictable, dynamic and usually evolve quickly as the individual(s) intends to injure or kill as many people as possible in a short time frame. Because active shooter situations are often over within 10 to 15 minutes, before law enforcement arrives on the scene, individuals must be prepared both mentally and physically to deal with an active shooter situation.

Your options - Get Out, Hide, or Fight

Get Out

• Have an escape route and plan in mind.
• Move quickly and quietly - leave your belongings behind.
• Don’t let others’ indecision slow you down.
• Help others escape if possible.
• Warn others intending to enter the building of the danger inside.
• Call 911 when you are safe.

Hide

• If you are unable to safely leave the building, move to the closest classroom or office and lock the door(s).
• If the door does not lock, barricade it with whatever heavy items you can find.
• Turn off lights, close blinds, silence cell phones (including vibrate mode).
• Stay away from windows and doors.
• Stay low and quiet.
• Do not open the door for anyone - the police will have keys.
• If you cannot get to a safe room, find an area which provides cover.

Fight

• Fight as a last resort and only when your life is in immediate danger.
• Act with as much physical aggression as possible.
• Commit to your actions. Your life may depend on it.
• Attempt to incapacitate by any means necessary, improvise weapons or throw items at the shooter.

What is Shelter in Place

• An alert will be issued telling you where the threat is occurring and directing you to initiate the Shelter In Place Protocol.
• If you are in the building where the Active Threat is occurring, follow the ‘Get Out, Hide, Fight’ actions.
• If you are outdoors, seek shelter.

Actions to Avoid

• Do not hide in washrooms
• Do not travel down long corridors
• Do not assemble in large open areas such as cafeterias
• Limit calling 911 while sheltering unless you have immediate concern for the safety of yourself or others, or if you feel you have critical information.

Seek and Share Shelter

• Shelter in rooms which can be locked from the inside and stay away from windows, doors and outside walls.
• Close all outside doors and every door inside the building.
• Close all windows.
• Do not use kitchen or bathroom vents.
• Stay secure until information is provided by emergency personnel.

Following the incident

• For their own safety, emergency personnel must initially consider all individuals as potential threats. It is important to follow instructions from police at all times to avoid harm and ensure the best possible response.
• Police may require you to remain available for questioning after the incident.

If you see a fire or smell smoke, pull the fire alarm.  When the fire alarm is activated:

• It must be treated as a real emergency - everyone must evacuate immediately even if there are no apparent signs of an emergency.
• Leave your belongings and move quickly and safely to the nearest exit.
• Secure hazardous materials and equipment before leaving if it is safe to do so.
• Close windows and door(s) on the way out if possible.
• Extinguish small fires only if you have been trained to do so - DO NOT put yourself at risk.
• Urge people to stay calm and evacuate in a quick and orderly manner.
• Use the stairs; DO NOT use elevators.
• Never open a closed door without checking it for heat first. If the door is hot, DO NOT open it. If it is not hot, open it slowly, standing to one side and be prepared to shut it quickly if fire is present.
• Proceed to the nearest assembly area.
• Report anyone who may still be in the building to the Emergency Wardens.
• DO NOT RE-ENTER THE BUILDING until emergency personnel have given the ‘All Clear’.

Evacuation Procedures:

If trapped by fire

• Block smoke from entering the room by closing the doors and placing damp cloth material around/under doors.
• Signal your location - call 911 and give the fire department your exact location (room number); if this is not possible, be prepared to signal from a window.
• DO NOT open the window or break glass unless absolutely necessary - this may draw smoke into the room from outside the building or provide oxygen/fuel to the first inside.

Caught in smoke

• Stay calm.
• Drop to your knees and crawl.
• Breathe shallowly through your nose, holding your breath as long as possible. Use a damp cloth over your mouth and nose to filter out the smoke.
• You may have to evacuate with limited visibility - know in advance how many doors you will have to pass along your evacuation route before you reach the nearest exit. In heavy smoke, crouch down low and crawl along the base of the hallway wall and count the number of doors you pass. You will then know when you have reached the exit door - even if you can’t see that it is an exit.

Clothing on fire

• Yours - STOP where you are, DROP to the floor, ROLL on the floor
• Someone else's - Grab a blanket, rug or coat and wrap them in it to smother the flames.

There are a number of situations that may require you to evacuate a building. The reason may not always be clear so follow the directions of Emergency Wardens. Security or other First Responders. If you live in Residence, Residence Advisors have been trained in fire safety and evacuation procedures and will be able to assist you during an emergency.

Evacuation Procedure:

• You must evacuate when alarms are sounding or when instructed to do so by emergency response personnel.
• Shut down any operations which may create additional hazards if left unattended and secure hazardous materials, only if it is safe to do so.
• Leave all belongings/backpacks and exit immediately.
• Calmly proceed to the nearest exit - walk, do not run. Do not use elevators.
• Do not rush or crowd. Use handrails and stairwells.
• If stairwells are obstructed or filled with fire or smoke, use an alternate escape route. You should be familiar with at least two different exit routes.
• Classes should remain as a group while exiting the building and remain as a group at the assembly area so all personnel may be accounted for.
• Move away from the building as quickly as possible to the designated assembly area and remain there for further instructions and accountability.
• Watch for falling glass and other hazards as you leave the building.
• If you know of anyone still in the building (due to injury, trapped, in area of refuge) provide this information to the nearest Emergency Warden.
• DO NO RE-ENTER the building for any reason, even if the alarm silences, until the ‘all-clear’ is given by emergency personnel.

Persons with Disabilities

• If you have a disability, it is important to anticipate and plan how you would evacuate in case of emergency. Review the exits and areas of refuge in advance.
• If you are assisting a person with a disability, always ask how you can help before attempting to assist. Ask whether there are any special considerations or items that need to accompany the person.

If you receive a bomb threat stay calm and get as much information as possible including:

• Where is the bomb?
• When is it set to go off?
• What kind of bomb is it?
• What does it look like? (the appearance of the container)
• Permit the caller to say as much as possible without interruption and take note of everything said.
• Record the caller’s phone number if possible.
• Be aware of background noise, special voice characteristics (stutter, accent, language, male, female), music, machinery etc.

Contact Security immediately and advise that a bomb threat has been received.

Suspicious Package

• Do not touch or attempt to move the object.
• Evacuate the area and call Security immediately.
• Do not use the fire alarm to achieve evacuation of the area - tell others as you leave.