Spencerian College

Emergency Preparedness Recommendations

• First, always report any suspicious individuals and/or actions to public safety or a University administrator.
• In the event of a fire alarm, all individuals, except those administrators and public safety personnel assigned to clear the building, should exit the building immediately and move as far away from the building as possible. Repopulation of the building should not take place until an administrator or fire department official advises the building is safe to repopulate.
• In the event of a tornado, all individuals are directed to the to any interior hallway that is away from windows. Certain interior classrooms and office spaces will be made available in the event of a tornado. Certain rooms are considered safer than others and are indicated on the map below.
  
  
  
  
• In the event of an earthquake, evacuation to a safe zone away from buildings, power lines, trees, etc., is indicated. For the Spencerian Campus, area near the flagpole in the front parking lot is considered a safe area to await the conclusion of aftershocks and emergency responders. At the Lexington campus, the parking lot is the designated safe area and individuals should attempt to gather as far away from light poles as possible. Persons should stay at least 75 to 100 feet away from the flag pole.
• In the event someone is known to have a firearm or other deadly weapon, public safety and/or an administrator should be notified immediately. Do not confront the individual yourself. If a firearm or other deadly weapon is pulled, remain calm; do what you can to notify a faculty member, an administrator or other employee. Talk in a controlled manner with the individual.
• In the event of a hostage situation, if you are not involved, quietly remove yourself from the area and notify public safety immediately. Employees should stay away from the scene but attempt to establish a wide perimeter to prevent others from wandering into the situation. If you are part of the situation, remain calm, avoid quick movements and cooperate with the hostage-taker. If you wish to talk with the hostage taker, ask permission to avoid further agitation of the individual. Stay alert and follow the instructions of the police and/or the hostage negotiator.
• In the event of an active shooter situation, all individuals should evacuate the building/area immediately to an area of safety and immediately notify public safety or the administration. There are five additional suggestions offered in the event of an active shooter:
  1. If you are in a room without a safe exit, shut the door, lock it and barricade it if possible. Once the door is secure, move away from it and lie on the floor. If the gunmen begin shooting through the door, lying on the floor will minimize your chances of being struck by a bullet.
  2. If you cannot get to a room with a lockable door, find concealment – that is, hide and lie as flat on the floor as possible to avoid being struck by random bullets that may be sprayed by a shooter.
  3. If you cannot find a lockable room and/or concealment and the shooter is immediately present, play dead.
  4. If all else fails, give in to whatever demands are made by the shooter.
  5. Also know that the College affirms your right to defend yourself against  imminent danger. While such is not generally recommended in an armed encounter, if you are certain you may or will be killed, fighting an attacker may be required and the right to self-defense is affirmed.