Hobart and William Smith Colleges

ACTIVE SHOOTER/HOSTILE INTRUDER ON CAMPUS

If you witness (or are otherwise directly involved in) an active shooter/hostile intruder incident on campus and your life is in imminent danger, take the following actions:

1. RUN, HIDE, FIGHT

• Run. Evacuate the premises only if there is an accessible escape route.
  
  • Have an escape route and plan in mind.
  • Attempt to run away from the threat if you can, as fast as you can.
  • Evacuate whether or not others agree to follow.
  • Never run in a straight line.
  • Do not stop to gather your personal belongings.
  • Warn others and help them if it is safe to do so.
  • Warn others to prevent them from entering an area where the shooter(s) may be.
  • Keep your hands visible when you encounter a police officer.
  • Follow the instructions of a police officer.
  • Notify Campus Safety (on campus dial ext. 3333, cell phone on campus dial (315) 781-3333, off campus dial 911) when it is safe to do so and convey any known information about shooter/intruder:
    
    • Name
    • Description
    • Location
    • Type of weapon (pistol or rifle)
• Hide. If evacuation is not possible, find a place to hide where the active shooter is much less likely to find you. Optimal hiding locations include areas protected by thick walls made of steel, cinder block or brick and mortar; solid doors with locks; areas where there is furniture that can be used to barricade the door; and areas with minimal glass and interior windows.
  
  • Hide in an area out of the shooter’s view.
  • Lock door(s) or block entries to your hiding area. If the door cannot be locked, blockade the door with whatever is available (heavy furniture, door wedges, file cabinets, etc.).
  • Hide behind large items (e.g., cabinets, desks, etc.).
  • If possible, cover any windows or openings which have a direct line of sight into the hallway.
  • Remain quiet and silence all cell phones, turn off any source of noise (e.g.., radios, televisions, etc.).
  • Turn off all lights.
  • Do not activate the fire alarm. An alarm would signal building occupants to evacuate and thus place them in potential harm as they attempt to escape.
  • Notify Campus Safety (on campus dial ext. 3333, cell phone on campus dial (315) 781-3333, off campus dial 911) when it is safe to do so and convey any known information about shooter/intruder:
    
    • Name
    • Description
    • Location
    • Type of weapon (pistol or rifle)

If evacuation and hiding are not possible:

• Remain calm.
• Dial 911 if possible to alert police to the active shooter’s location.
• If you cannot speak, leave the line open and allow the dispatcher to listen.

• Fight. This is a last resort to save your life. Use any available means within reach that can be used as a weapon and position yourself for attack if your door is breached.
  
  • Act as aggressively as possible against him or her.
  • Attempt to disrupt and/or incapacitate the active shooter.
  • Improvise weapons and throw items at the active shooter.
  • Yell.
  • Commit to your actions…your life may depend on it.

If you are notified that an active shooter/hostile intruder is on campus via any method of emergency communication (verbal, Everbridge Emergency Notification System [text message, phone, email, twitter, HWS website, etc.]) and a “lockdown” command is given, take the following actions:

2. LOCKDOWN

• If the active shooter is not near your location, stay inside the building you are in, even if you do not normally work or reside in that building. If you are outdoors, proceed to the nearest accessible building.
• If you are in your residence hall or office, lock yourself in your room, close any blinds or curtains and eliminate sources of sound (including cell phones).

If you are in a more public location (classroom, athletic venue, dining hall, social/study area), persons in positions of authority should take the lead and initiate the following actions:

• Terminate any ongoing activities (teaching, research, etc…).
• Close, lock, block or obstruct any and all windows or doors to the building to minimize accessibility, and close any blinds or curtains to obscure direct lines of sight.
• Move personnel to smaller interior rooms within the building (if available), and secure those spaces to the maximum extent possible.
• If there are campus visitors or other members of the public around you, invite them to follow your lead.
• Do not arbitrarily activate a building alarm to evacuate the building unless directed to do so by Campus Safety or another authority as this may alert the intruder(s) of pending response activities.

3. LAW ENFORCEMENT ARRIVAL

Once the police arrive, obey all of their commands. This may involve your being handcuffed or made to put your hands in the air. This is done for safety reasons, and once circumstances are evaluated by the police, they will give you further directions to follow.

4. EVACUATION

During building evacuations, assist special needs individuals in exiting the building and proceed to the building’s evacuation meeting point. This location is listed on the evacuation floor plans posted near each building exit.

• Remember that elevators are reserved for handicapped and special needs persons during evacuations.
• Remain calm and do not panic.
• If the emergency is impacting your building’s evacuation meeting point, or if you are instructed to do so by college authorities or first responders, proceed to the alternate primary or secondary assembly area and await further directions from officials.

Note: The exact locations of the alternate or secondary sites may differ based upon the nature of the emergency. You will be instructed where these are located by officials during the evacuation process.

IMPORTANT—DO NOT RETURN TO AN EVACUATED BUILDING until and unless told to do so by authorized HWS officials.

Active Shooter Training Video

To view an instructional video on what to do in the event of an active shooter situation, please watch the video below. Addional resources can be found on FBI.gov.