Shelter in Place/Lock Down
- Lockdown - Quickly secure all staff, students, and visitors in rooms away from immediate danger.
- Lockout - Exterior doors are locked. Used in a potentially dangerous situation outside of building. "Lockout" is a term that may be used in combination with "lockdown."
- Shelter in Place - Take immediate shelter where you are and isolate your inside environment from the outside environment.
Response:
Emergency: Fire / Medical - Call 9-1-1, all other emergencies: Call OSU Department of Public Safety (737-7000 (emergency), 737-3010 (non-emergency)
When you receive the notice to seek shelter inside a building, or you decide to shelter due to a nearby outside danger (e.g. severe weather, outside environmental danger, or violent intruder):
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Seek shelter inside a building and remain there.
- If possible, seek shelter in areas without hazards (e.g. chemicals, fume hoods, water tanks, loose material, etc.)
- If possible, warn anyone outside the building to immediately enter
- Determine if a threat of violence is present and the building/occupants should lock internal and access doors.
- If a weather incident, go to the lowest level of the building, stay in interior hallways, away from glass doors and windows.
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If an outside chemical or hazardous material causes the sheltering, move everyone to the 2nd or 3rd floors of the building.
- Close exterior doors and windows
- Shut down the building’s air handling system
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If a lock down situation:
- If safe to do so, lock the exterior doors
- Seek shelter inside a room that the door can be locked and barricaded
- Lock the door and barricade it
- Stay away from windows so no one can see you
- Seek cover behind/under solid objects
- Silence cell phones or other devices that make noise and could draw the intruder’s attention
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If safe to do so, contact the following and report your situation:
- 9-1-1
- [College/School/Department name]leadership
- Monitor TV or website news, if possible.
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Wait for official notice to resume normal activities.
- By OSUAlert notification
- By person in hallway announcing all clear (it is acceptable to ask for official identification prior to unlocking the door)
- Telephonic notification from the University
- University website
- Conduct accountability for personnel under your supervision.
- Be prepared to conduct immediate evacuation if told to do so.
- Report problems or concerns to [College/School/Department name] leadership.
Recovery:
- Check in with [College/School/Department name] leadership to determine response status
- Do not exit the building until allowed to do so
Mitigation:
- Install locks or devices on doors that allow the door to be locked from the inside
- Obtain keys to lock exterior doors
Preparedness:
- Pre-identify interior locations that can be used for sheltering when stormy weather or violence strikes
- Identify how to isolate or turn off the air handling system OR select shelter locations that are not part of the air system
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Review with employees how to respond to acts of violence
- Familiarize employees with any “safe” word that is used to communicate the situation to Public Safety
- Identify who has the capability and responsibility to lock exterior building doors