Campus Security
Emergency Procedures

Lockdown

The following types of events may necessitate a campus area being locked down.

  • Active shooter / Mass shooting.
  • Hostage situation.
  • Riot / Large uprising.
  • Nearby bank robbery.
  • Other situations where evacuation may pose a greater risk than staying where you are.

Active Shooter on campus

If you are in a building or nearby area when a shooting occurs please use your own discretion and decision making abilities to enhance your chances of survival.

The following procedures are only guidelines that may help you survive an active shooter incident.

  • If safe to do so, leave the building or area as quickly and safely as possible; do not run in a straight line - use a zigzag pattern.
  • If you are unable to leave, go to an area that can be locked or secured.
  • DO NOT PULL FIRE ALARM. (Students will evacuate the building possibly being exposed to the shooter.) (The noise will possibly impede Police responders who are trying to identify the threat and effectively communicate with their co-hort.)
  • When safe to do so, call 911; never assume that someone else has called or will call 911.
  • Lock all doors leading to your area, if doors are unable to be locked; place heavy objects or furniture in front of doors to create a barricade. If doors open outwardly use any means necessary to keep them from being opened from the outside (belts or ropes tied to door handles, etc).
  • Close room curtains to help conceal your presence, turn off lights and put cell phones on vibrate. Only use text to communicate while in lockdown mode.
  • Move to the furthest point from the locked or secured doors; SPREAD OUT AND DO NOT HUDDLE UP.
  • Keep out of sight; stay low / behind heavy object if available.
  • Do not attempt to rescue anyone if it will endanger the persons within the secured area.
  • If possible, quietly call 911 to provide your location. Report any injuries and provide a description of the assailant(s) (e.g., name, number of suspects, gender, race, clothing, physical features, type of weapon(s)).
  • If a shooter gains access to your location and you cannot flee; consider these options depending upon the situation and your best judgment for survival.
    1. If the shooter is not being aggressive or firing shots. (Do not provoke the shooter, do exactly as they say and remain as calm as possible, negotiations may work at this point.)
    2. If the shooter becomes aggressive and begins firing shots. (Stay still in the hopes that the shooter will not shoot in your direction.) Or (Begin throwing objects at the shooter to disrupt or slow the shooter down, this may create an opening for escape.)
  • Police officers responding to an active shooter are trained to proceed immediately to the area in which shots were last heard in order to stop the shooting as quickly as possible.
  • If you encounter Police Officers, raise your hands and follow their commands immediately and completely. They may not know who the shooter is.
  • The first officers to arrive will not stop to aid injured people. The first responding officers will focus on stopping the shooter and creating a safe environment for medical assistance to be brought in to aid the injured.
  • Please remain in lockdown mode until you are notified by either Campus Safety and Security, or local Law Enforcement, that the shooter has been contained or has been neutralized.
  • After the shooter has been neutralized, use text to notify family and friends that you are safe. Please leave cell phone lines open and available for emergency first responders.
  • Remember, every emergency situation is different, use your own best judgment and instincts to enhance your chances of survival. Ultimately you have the greatest control and responsibility for your own safety and well being during an active shooter incident.

Depending upon the circumstances, one or more of the following methods of communication may be used to alert our campus community of an active shooter.

Emergency E-Mail & Text Messaging: Seattle Central Community College has the ability to send emergency campus alerts via e-mail and text messaging; cell phones must be equipped with a text messaging feature in order to receive emergency text alerts. If you have not already signed up for this important safety warning feature please do so now by clicking on the following link. https://alert.seattlecolleges.edu/LogIn.aspx.

Word of Mouth: If the situation safely permits, Campus Safety and Security along with other staff may provide word of mouth notification to individuals present on campus that an active shooter emergency has been issued.

Seattle Central Community College Public Announcement System: When safe to do so; Seattle Central Community College will utilize its PA system to announce that an active shooter emergency has been issued. Seattle Central Community College will also use its PA system to announce the all clear from an active shooter incident.