Evacuating & sheltering in place: What to know
By Christopher Goodson, Emergency Management Coordinator, Guest Writer
As Jaguars return to Governors State University (GovState) for the fall semester, it's important to know the evacuation and shelter in place procedures to be prepared in case of an emergency or severe weather.
Evacuation:
Evacuation is the process of leaving a place or area due to an emergency or dangerous situation. The goal of evacuation is to move people away from potential harm and into a safer location.
When to evacuate: An evacuation can occur during events of a power outage, gas leak, or a fire. In most instances, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Emergency Response Team (ERT) will facilitate and lead the evacuation.
Where to evacuate: During an evacuation, proceed calmly to the nearest exit. Anyone on the second or third floor must take the stairs. The elevator will not be accessible.
After evacuating: After evacuating, everyone will then be directed to a dedicated assembly area. While at the assembly area, when the time permits, everyone will then receive further instructions.
Sheltering in place:
Sheltering in place is the process of moving to or staying in a safe location. Sheltering in place ensure that a person is safe from an external threat.
When to shelter in place? A shelter in place on campus can be used during emergencies such as winter weather, a tornado or an active shooter situation.
Where to shelter in place? The location of a shelter in place will depend on the emergency. In emergencies such as a tornado, anyone on campus should shelter in place in a dedicated shelter area. Click here for tornado and severe weather shelter locations on campus.
In an emergency such as an active shooter, anyone on campus should shelter in place in the nearest room, lock and barricade the door.
Communication: In the instance of an evacuation or a shelter in place, stay informed through official University communication channels such as mobile Rave Alerts and updates on the GovState Website.
During an evacuation or a shelter in place everyone can help by:
- Staying calm & following the instructions given by Public Safety Professionals.
- Knowing where the closest exit is.
- Knowing where the closest tornado shelter is.
- Participating in regularly scheduled evacuation drills.
- Ensuring that personal emergency contact information is up to date.
For more information and resources see https://www.govst.edu/emergency/