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F. Emergency Procedures for Residence Halls & Fraternity Houses

Fire

1. As you leave the floor instruct residents to evacuate to the designated location.

2. Designated Locations:

  • Walker Hall - Watson Lounge, Basement of Chapel
  • Banning Hall – Activities Lawn
  • Methodist Hall – Activities Lawn
  • Draper Hall – South Side Parking lot of Draper
  • Kappa Sigma House – Courtyard south side of ELS
  • Lambda Chi Alpha House – Sidewalk on the north side of ELS
  • Cokesbury Court Apartments - Activities Lawn

3. All residents and staff should remain in designated locations until clearance is given by an authorized University official.

Evacuation Drills

  • Unannounced random evacuation drills will be conducted within 10 days of the beginning of classes in order to comply with federal and state laws and regulations.
  • The intent of the inspections is to increase the level of safety awareness of residents and identify health and safety issues.
  • Failure to cooperate with evacuation drills will result in minimum $50.00 fine per violation and referral to the Dean of Students Office.

Armed Person/Shooter

Quickly determine the most reasonable way to protect your own life. Remember that visitors are likely to follow the lead of students, faculty and staff during an active shooter situation.

1. RUN (Evacuate): If there is an accessible escape path, attempt to evacuate the premises. Be sure to:

  • Have an escape route and plan in mind
  • Evacuate regardless of whether others agree to follow
  • Leave your belongings behind
  • Help others escape, if possible
  • Prevent individuals from entering an area where the active shooter may be
  • Keep your hands visible to responding police
  • Follow the instructions of any police officer encountered during your escape
  • Notify police that you escaped and tell them what you saw and encountered while inside.
  • Do not attempt to move wounded people who cannot move on their own
  • Call 405-208-5911 or 911 when you are safe.

2. HIDE: If evacuation is not possible, find a place to hide where the active shooter is less likely to find you. Your hiding place should:

  • Be out of the active shooter’s view
  • Provide protection if shots are fired in your direction (i.e., an office with a closed and locked door, behind a concrete wall or heavy desk)
  • Not trap you or restrict your options for movement

To prevent an active shooter from entering your hiding place:

  • Lock the door
  • Blockade the door with heavy furniture

If the active shooter is nearby:

  • Silence your cell phone and/or pager
  • Turn off any source of noise (i.e., radios, televisions)
  • Hide behind large items (i.e., concrete walls and pillars, iron beams, file cabinets, heavy desks, solid table tops)
  • Remain quiet

If evacuation and hiding out are not possible:

  • Remain calm
  • Dial 405-208-5911 or 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
  • Take combative action against the active shooter, only as a last resort:

3. FIGHT: As a last resort, and only when your life is in imminent danger, attempt to disrupt and/or incapacitate the active shooter by:

  • Any means necessary using improvised weaponry.
  • Acting as aggressively and as violent as possible against the shooter if confronted. Coordinating together with others to incapacitate the shooter, by any means necessary.
  • Fight for your life.
  • Yelling loudly as you fight for your life.
  • Committing to your actions.
  • If you feel you are about to be shot, and the shooter is close, attack the shooter’s weapon to prevent it being used against you.

What to expect when Law Enforcement arrives:

Law enforcement’s immediate purpose is to locate and stop the active shooter as soon as possible. The first officers on scene will bypass the wounded and proceed directly to the area where the last shots were heard.

  • Officers may enter buildings in teams of four (4), or less. Officers will not wait for back up if the shooter is still shooting upon police arrival.
  • Officers may wear regular police uniforms or, external ballistic vests, Kevlar helmets, regular or modified goggles, and other tactical equipment. Officers may be armed with rifles, shotguns, handguns.
  • Some officers may be in plain clothes, but ALL law enforcement at the scene will be identified by a visibly worn badge and possible ballistic vest.
  • Officers may use pepper spray or, tear gas, Tasers, percussion grenades, or other less lethal means to control the situation.
  • Officers may shout commands, push individuals to the ground and handcuff victims for their safety.
  • Officers may bypass injured and wounded victims until the shooter’s deadly actions are stopped.
  • It is extremely important that you follow the instructions and directions of Police first responders.

How to react when Law Enforcement arrives:

  • Remain calm, and follow officers’ and all first responder’s instructions
  • Put down any items in your hands (i.e., bags, jackets), especially cell phones, flash lights, ink pens, and keys.
  • Immediately raise hands, above your shoulders, and spread fingers apart.
  • Keep hands visible at all times in the presence of police.
  • Avoid making quick movements toward officers such as attempting to hold on to them for safety.
  • Avoid pointing, screaming and/or yelling.
  • Do not ask questions of officers when evacuating, follow instructions and proceed to the designated exit.
  • Officers will provide answers when they are able to do so.

Information to provide to law enforcement or 405-208-5911(OCUPD) / 911(OCPD) operators:

  • Location of the active shooter.
  • Number of shooters, if more than one.
  • Physical description (approximate height, weight, race, sex, hair color, build) of shooter/s.
  • Clothing description of the shooter/s.
  • Number and type of weapons held by the shooter/s. Number of potential victims at the location.

Remember:

  • The first officers to arrive to the scene will not stop to help injured persons. Expect rescue teams comprised of additional officers and emergency medical personnel to follow the initial police response.
  • These rescue teams will treat and remove any injured persons. They may also call upon able-bodied individuals to assist in removing the wounded from the premises.
  • Once you have reached a safe location or an assembly point, you will likely be held in that area by law enforcement until the situation is under control, and all witnesses have been identified and questioned.
  • Please cooperate with police and ALL first responders after you safe.
  • Do not leave the safe location or assembly point until law enforcement authorities have instructed you to do so.
  • Remember, you are now a material witness to a crime.

Tornado

  1. All students should immediately take tornado safety precautions when a tornado warning is issued for your general area. A Tornado Warning indicates a tornado has been sighted and you should immediately take shelter.
  2. A severe weather siren may or may not be sounded. If sounded the siren will have a continuous steady tone lasting 3 minutes or longer.
  3. Do not wait to hear a tornado siren to seek shelter.
  4. Proceed to te nearest designated tornado shelter area or an interior room at the lowest level of the building and close the door. If at all possible have a phone, radio, flashlights and first aid kits available.
  5. Contact University Police at (405)208-5911/ or 911. If you call 911 from a cell phone, the call will go to the Oklahoma City Police Dispatch. Immediately identify your location at OCU and you will be transferred to OCUPD Dispatch. To reach the University Police Department directly from a cell phone, call 405-208-5911.
  6. Monitor the storm by listening to the local media on your cell phone or a nearby television.
  7. The OCU Main Campus shelter locations are as follows:
    • Walker Hall basement
    • Banning Hall basement
    • Draper Hall basement
    • Methodist Hall L1 & L2 stairwells
    • Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center Basement lower level east

    • Kappa Sigma basement

    • Lambda Chi Alpha basement.
    • OCU Law School basement & interior first floor area away from windows

Should a tornado actually affect campus, DO NOT LEAVE THE TORNADO SHELTER AREA UNTIL TOLD TO DO SO. University and/or Local Government Officials will be making rounds throughout campus determining damages and will contact you when it is safe to leave the building. This may take a while, so remain in the designated area until you are contacted to leave. Exit your location only in the event of a life-threatening interior flooding situation. There may be structure damage and downed powerlines that could cause extreme injury upon your building exit.

PLEASE NOTE, Tornadoes have been known to leave the ground and come back down again in a matter of minutes or even as long as half an hour. Remain in the designated area until notified by University and/or Local Government Officials that it is safe to leave

Earthquake

  1. Take cover under heavy furniture – a table, desk, or bench – or within a doorway.
  2. Keep away from glass and windows.
  3. Wait for quake or tremor to subside and all falling objects to come to rest.
  4. For small quakes and tremors with NO apparent damage, return to normal activities. Building Coordinators will survey the entire building for possible damage such as natural gas and water leaks, electrical hazards, falling objects, etc. All Coordinators will report damages to University Police and/or the Facilities department.
  5. Remain calm.
  6. If building damage appears heavy, evacuate ONLY when notified to do so by University/Local Government Officials.
  7. Proceed immediately to safe areas.
  8. Stay away from electrical power sources, fallen lines, buildings, or other tall objects.
  9. Do NOT smoke. Gas lines may have ruptured.

Medical Emergencies

  1. Remain calm. Call 911 and stay on the line until the dispatcher tells you to hang up.
  2. If calling 911 from a cell phone, the call will go to the Oklahoma City Police Dispatch. Immediately identify your location at OCU and you will be transferred to OCUPD Dispatch. To reach the University Police Department directly from a cell phone, call 405-208-5911.
  3. If possible, send an individual outside to meet the ambulance to assist them finding the patient.
  4. Do NOT move the victim or give first aid unless you are trained and certified to do so.
  5. Remain with the victim and try to keep the victim warm and alert by talking with them until emergency response personnel arrive.

Crime

Violent Crime

  • Contact the OCUPD (405-208-5911) immediately.
  • Have witnesses and/or victims remain until the proper authorities arrive.
  • Keep the suspect in sight and remain on the line with police dispatchers if you can safely do so.

Non-violent Crime (i.e. Theft, Property Damage, etc.)

  • Contact the OCU Police (405-208-5001).

Electrical Emergencies

  • Determine if anyone is injured.
  • Call OCUPD (405-208-5911) or 911 if there is a fire or injuries.
  • Contact OCU Facilities at (405-208-5382). After office hours contact the OCU Police (405-208-5911).
  • Do not use candles or any open flame as a source of light during the emergency.

Plumbing Emergencies

  • Determine if there is a flooding need to evacuate
  • Contact OCU Facilities at (405-208-5382).
  • After office hours, contact the OCU Police (405-208-5911).