Tip 1: Personal Safety – General Safety Guidelines
- Stay alert and be aware of your surroundings
- Avoid isolated areas
- Try to avoid walking alone at night. Walk with friends when possible
- Call Public Safety 734-973-3411 or 3411 from one of college house phones for an escort if needed
- Notify Public Safety immediately of suspicious or criminal activity
- If an emergency arises – a serious health issue, a crime, or any situation in which you feel endangered, contact Public Safety. There are phones located in all buildings across campus, as well as in several key areas outside
If Walking Alone:
- Keep your mind on your surroundings, who’s in front of you and who’s behind you. Don’t get distracted.
- Walk purposefully, stand tall, and make eye contact with people around you
- TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS. If you feel uncomfortable in a situation, leave
Tip 2: Property Safety – Property Safety Guidelines
Vehicles:
- Never leave your vehicle running while it is unattended
- Roll up your windows completely and lock your doors
- Take your keys and never leave a spare in or on the vehicle
- Keep out of sight all valuables and packages that may tempt a thief
- When available, use auto theft deterrents such as car alarms and steering column devices
Electronics:
- Do not leave laptop, smart phones, or tablets unattended
- Record serial numbers of electronic devices
- Use anchor security devices to lock personal computers
Parking:
- For your safety and security, as well as a courtesy to your fellow students, faculty and staff, please park in designated parking spaces only
Tip 3: Tornado Safety – Tornado Warning
The Michigan State Police reports that most tornados occur in April, May, June, and July, most commonly during the hours between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
In the event that a Tornado Warning is issued at WCC, please take these measures.
- If you are in a classroom or office with exterior glass, leave the room as quickly as reasonably possible
- Seek out a Tornado Shelter room and enter it
- In the event there is no Tornado Shelter room in your immediate area stay in an interior hallway keeping distance between yourself any exterior windows or doors
- Do not use the elevators or stairwells with exterior glass
Read more about Tornado Preparedness.
Tip 4: Fire Safety – In Case of Fire
- Learn the location of emergency exits
- Activate the fire alarm if you detect fire in a building
- Always exit the building in the event of a fire alarm
- Exit by the nearest stairway. Do NOT use elevators
- Call Public Safety department (3411) from one of the college house phones to notify emergency personnel
- If close by, press the red button on one of the red emergency phones to be directly connected to Public Safety
- Smoke is toxic. If the only way out is through smoke, stay low, below the smoke
- If trapped, call 911 and tell them where you are. Seal doors with rags or clothing and try to signal from a window
Tip 5: If You See Something, Say Something
Suspicious activity is any observed behavior that could indicate terrorism or terrorism-related crime. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Unusual items or situations: A vehicle is parked in an odd location, a package/luggage is unattended, a window/door is open that is usually closed, or other out-of-the-ordinary situations occur.
- Observation/surveillance: Someone pays unusual attention to facilities or buildings beyond a casual or professional interest. This includes extended loitering without explanation (particularly in concealed locations); unusual, repeated, and/or prolonged observation of a building (e.g., with binoculars or video camera); taking notes or measurements; counting paces; sketching floor plans, etc.
- Eliciting information: A person questions individuals at a level beyond curiosity about a building’s purpose, operations, security procedures and/or personnel, shift changes, etc.
Some of these activities could be innocent—it’s up to law enforcement to determine whether the behavior warrants investigation. The activities above are not all-inclusive, but have been compiled based on studies of pre-operational aspects of both successful and thwarted terrorist events over several years.
For more info visit dhs.gov.
Tip 6: Run Hide Fight – In the event of an active shooter
How to respond when an active shooter is in your vicinity
- RUN
Have an escape route and plan in mind
Leave your belongings behind
Keep your hands visible - HIDE
Hide in an area out of the shooter’s view
Block entry to your hiding place and lock the doors
Silence your cell phone and/or pager - FIGHT
As a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger
Attempt to incapacitate the shooter
Act with physical aggression and throw items at the active shooter
How to respond when law enforcement arrives
- Remain calm and follow instructions
- Put down any items in your hands (i.e., bags, jackets)
- Raise hands and spread fingers
- Keep hands visible at all times
- Avoid quick movements toward officers such as holding on to them for safety
- Avoid pointing, screaming or yelling
- Do not stop to ask officers for help or direction when evacuating
Information you should provide to law enforcement or 911 operator
- Location of the active shooter
- Number of shooters
- Physical description of shooters
- Number and type of weapons held by shooters
- Number of potential victims at the location