Campus Safety

We realize this topic may be uncomfortable but knowledge and preparation can be powerful if the following situation occurs.

In order to support safety at Snow College, it is important to understand what to do in the event of an active shooter or violent attack.

An active shooter is a person(s) who is actively engaged in killing (or attempting to kill) people in populated areas on campus. Active shooter and other violent events are dynamic and evolve rapidly. These types of situations demand immediate response by the College community and immediate deployment of law enforcement to minimize loss of life or injury to the College population.

If you hear shots fired, see someone brandishing a weapon, or encounter a dangerous person posing an immediate threat to themselves or others, get to a safe location and immediately call 9-1-1.

In the event of an active shooter situation, there are three things you can do to make a difference: Run, Hide, or Fight.

Run

If an active shooter or attacker is in your vicinity, your first plan of action may be to run, keeping the following in mind:

If there is an escape path, attempt to evacuate.
Evacuate whether others agree to or not.
Leave your belongings behind.
Help others escape, if possible.
Do what you can to prevent others from entering the area.

If you don’t know where the threat is coming from, you will want to hide (lockdown) and prepare to fight in case the attacker enters your area. You do not want to accidentally run into the danger when trying to escape.

Hide

If evacuation is not possible, find a place to hide.

Lock and/or barricade the door.
Silence your cell phone.
Turn out the lights.
Hide out of sight of the doorway.
If possible, hide behind large, solid objects.
Remain very quiet.
Your hiding place should be out of the shooter’s view, provide protection if shots are fired in your direction, and not trap or restrict your options for movement.

Fight

As a last resort or if your life is in danger, fight back. Often times, a shooter will give demands such as “gather in that corner”, “line up against the wall”, or “everybody kneel down”. While you want to comply with hostage takers, remember that if the individual(s) is actively shooting people, it is not a hostage situation. The difference between a hostage situation and an active shooter situation is that active shooters rarely spare lives. If you must fight:

Attempt to incapacitate the shooter.
Act with physical aggression.
Improvise weapons, such as using a chair or fire extinguisher to strike or disorient the shooter.
Commit to your actions.

When law enforcement arrives, remain calm and follow directions. Keep your hands visible at all times, avoid pointing or yelling, and know that help for the injured is on the way. The first responders on the scene are not there to evacuate or tend to the injured. They are well trained and are there to stop the shooter or attacker.

Snow College Emergency Alert System

Snow College has an emergency alert system that allows you to be notified via text message of any campus emergency that may happen. Signing up for the alert system is simple.

Go to BadgerWeb Links to an external site.and click <Login>.
Enter your Snow College Username and Password and click <Login> again.
Choose <Personal Information> and then choose <College Emergency Alert Notification>.
Complete the Area Code and Phone Number with your personal cell phone number and click on 'Accept'.

Please Note: You will generally receive a text message within 24 hours informing you that you have signed up for the alert system. You don’t have to do anything else. The College will send out a ‘Test’ alert each semester to let you know you are still on the alert notification system. When you transfer or graduate from Snow College, your number will be deleted from the system.

Learn more about campus safety here (Links to an external site.).