Tidewater Community College Crisis and Emergency Management Plan Appendix F Emergency Operations Plan. Annex 8 Active Threat Response

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1 Tidewater Community College Crisis and Emergency Management Plan Appendix F Emergency Operations Plan A. Purpose Annex 8 Active Threat Response This Annex has been developed to direct actions in response to an active threat incident at any TCC location or in close proximity thereof. It provides the college s immediate actions as well as integrates response from locality resources. The Commonwealth of Virginia has developed Active Threat Response Plan Guidance for Institutions of Higher Education. That guidance, along with other resources was used to develop this Annex. B. Situation Active threats continue in our society as a whole. TCC has established policies and procedures, including this annex, to plan for, respond to, and recover from a variety of threats or hazards the college has identified which could impact the college community and its facilities. Violent incidents, including but not limited to: acts of terrorism, an active shooter, assaults, or other incidents of workplace violence can occur at any TCC location or in close proximity with little or no warning. An active shooter is considered to be a suspect or assailant whose activity is immediately causing serious injury or death and has not been contained. Active threat has been coined to more broadly incorporate the scope of threats to include the use of weapons such as firearms, cutting weapons, explosives, and vehicles used as weapons. All faculty, students and staff are reminded of their obligation to be familiar with Tidewater Community College Policies which are available at Two of the policies which closely pertain to this Annex are listed below. TCC Policy 1101 addresses possession of weapons. It is consistent with the Weapons Regulation adopted by the State Board for Community Colleges, the policy of the Virginia Community College System, and the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth of Virginia. In summary, students and employees are prohibited from possessing or carrying a weapon while on college property, in a college vehicle, attending or participating in a college-sponsored event, or engaged in college business. There are a few specific exemptions. This policy also provides procedures for faculty, students and staff to follow in reporting possible violations. TCC Policy 1301 provides policy and procedures for the prevention of campus and workplace violence. In summary, this policy establishes TCC s Threat Assessment Team (TAT) and the procedures to identify and report behavior which could be threatening to individual(s) or property. September 2012 Emergency Operations Plan F-8-1

2 C. General Guidance In the event of a violent incident, it is important to take quick and decisive actions to protect as many people as possible as the circumstances unfold. Therefore, upon receipt of an emergency notification of an active threat, instructors and staff will take immediate action to protect their lives and those of people around them. 1. Evacuate. If there is an accessible escape path, attempt to evacuate the premises, leading others who are willing to attempt to escape. Proceed to designated Emergency Assembly Areas or other locations as directed by police or TCC officials. 2. Shelter-in-Place. Lock classroom or office doors, if possible, use desks and other furnishings to barricade doors, direct people to a safe area within the classroom/office, turn off lights, and remain as quiet as possible to give the appearance that the room is unoccupied. Remain in the secured space until notified by authorities, such as police officers, the Campus Provost, TCC Security personnel, etc., what actions should be taken, evacuation routes from the building, or that the situation has been resolved. 3. Take Action Against the Active Threat. As a last resort and only when lives are in imminent danger, attempt to disrupt and/or incapacitate the threat. Attachment A provides instructions for faculty, staff, and students in the event of a violent incident. D. Procedures When a violent incident occurs or a hostile intruder is identified at a TCC location, the following procedures will be followed. 1. Any person witnessing a violent incident that threatens lives shall immediately take actions as delineated in Attachment A to protect as many people as possible. Once immediate protective measures have been taken, any person observing the incident should call 911 to report it. Then TCC Security should be contacted and the details of the incident reported. 2. In the event of a potential hostile intruder being identified at a TCC location before any violent incident occurs, TCC Security will be notified. 3. If TCC Security considers the potential hostile intruder to pose a threat of violence, the situation shall be reported to 911 immediately and lawenforcement assistance requested. 4. TCC Security will notify the Campus Provost (or Executive Vice President if the location is a District facility 5 ) of the incident. 5 Wherever appearing in this Annex, the term Campus Provost shall be understood to mean the Executive Vice President in the event the location is a District facility. In either case, the term shall be understood to include the designated successor should the Campus Provost or Executive Vice President not be available. September 2012 Emergency Operations Plan F-8-2

3 5. TCC Security will maintain visual contact with the intruder, from a safe distance, until law-enforcement authorities arrive. 6. If a report has not been made to 911 and the Campus Provost considers the situation presents a threat of violence, TCC Security will be directed to contact 911 and report the incident and request law-enforcement assistance. 7. If the Campus Provost considers the situation presents a threat of violence, s/he will immediately issue (or cause to be issued) an emergency notification message via TCC Alerts and any other available communications means. 8. The Campus Provost will direct TCC Security, Facilities Management & Services staff, and other available personnel to inform instructors and staff to implement the hostile intruder instructions in Attachment A and to secure affected buildings by locking exterior doors. 9. The Lead Security Officer will advise the Director of Safety and Security of the situation; the Director will advise the Virginia State Police of the situation, the actions taken, and any assistance required. 10. The Campus Provost will advise the TCC Emergency Management Coordinator (Executive Vice President or successor) of the situation. 11. The TCC Emergency Management Coordinator will use available communications means to notify the college community of the situation. a. TCC Alerts will be used to notify all subscribers of the nature of the incident and any necessary response actions. b. TCC_ALL will be used to notify all college employees of the situation and any necessary response actions. c. WTCC digital monitors in the affected TCC location can be used to notify faculty, staff, and students that an emergency situation exists and what immediate actions to take. 12. The Campus Provost will establish Campus Command, to coordinate all activities and await local law-enforcement and emergency responders arrival. Depending on the circumstances, it may not be safe to have personnel in exposed positions outside the building(s). Therefore, the location of the Campus Command should be coordinated with local emergency authorities to ensure prompt response and coordination once they arrive at the TCC location. An emergency kit should be available at the site. 13. Once local law-enforcement authorities arrive, the Campus Provost briefs them, transfers Incident Command, and continues to coordinate provision of information and assistance to them. 14. The Emergency Management Coordinator may activate the TCC EOC, partially or fully, to provide support to the Campus Command and to coordinate the college s reporting obligations and its Public Information function. September 2012 Emergency Operations Plan F-8-3

4 15. Once the situation has been stabilized and any hostile intruder neutralized, the local emergency services Incident Commander notifies the Campus Provost when normal operations can resume, identifies any areas that must remain secured for criminal investigation purposes, and transfers Incident Command back to the Campus Provost. 16. In coordination with the Emergency Management Coordinator, the Campus Provost re-opens the campus and allows students, faculty, and staff to resume normal operations in areas not under law-enforcement control for criminal investigation. 17. A prolonged situation or one with casualties or fatalities will require additional emergency management resources. In such circumstances, the TCC Emergency Management Coordinator will maintain the TCC EOC activated to the extent necessary to respond to media concerns, provide family assistance, and coordinate other resources necessary to respond and recover from the incident. 18. Outside counseling services will be made available, based on circumstances of the event, for students and employees as necessary. Local resources are available for Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) assistance. Coordination of these resources is done through the TCC EOC. 19. In the event that the incident results in criminal victims as defined by the Code of Virginia , the Emergency Management Coordinator will request assistance from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injury Compensation Fund. (Note: If activated, these offices will be contacted through the locality s EOC.) September 2012 Emergency Operations Plan F-8-4

5 Tidewater Community College Crisis and Emergency Management Plan Appendix F Emergency Operations Plan Annex 8 Active Threat Response Attachment A The origin of the next threat cannot be predicted; assailants in incidents across the nation have been students, employees, and non-students alike. In many cases there were no obvious specific targets and the victims were unaware that they were targets until attacked. Being aware of your surroundings, taking common sense precautions, and heeding any warning information can help protect you and other members of the community. The following information will enable you to take appropriate protective actions for yourself and those around you. Try to remain calm as your actions will influence others students and visitors are likely to follow the lead of faculty, managers, and other employees during an active threat situation. The following instructions are intended for incidents that are of an emergent nature (i.e., imminent or in progress). Immediate Action 1. Evacuate. Escape the threat area if it is safe to do so. If you intend to escape, have an escape route and plan in mind and make a mental note of the situation inside the building as you escape. This information will be valuable to first responders once you are safely outside the threat area. If you can escape the immediate threat area safely, you should do so and move to an Emergency Assembly Area for the building you are leaving. If you are in a position of responsibility, e.g., instructor with your class, office supervisor, sponsor with student group, etc., lead those who desire to escape to a designated Emergency Assembly Area. Account for those who have accompanied you and for those who remained in the building or area from which you escaped. Prevent individuals from entering an area where the active threat may be. Do not attempt to move wounded people. Leave personal belongings behind. Keep your hands visible and do not carry anything in your hands as you move from the threat area. This will provide an indication to first responders that you are not a threat. If directed to an alternate location by first responders or college staff, follow directions. September 2012 Emergency Operations Plan F-8-A-1

6 Make sure you and any others for whom you are responsible are accounted for. Remain on campus in a location of safety determined by first responders or college staff until released. 2. Shelter-in-Place. If evacuation is not feasible, secure the immediate area. Whether a classroom, laboratory, office, restroom, or other space: Lock and/or barricade the door, if able. Block the door using whatever is available desks, tables, file cabinets, other furniture, books, etc. After securing the door, stay behind solid objects away from the door as much as possible. If the assailant enters your room and leaves, lock or barricade the door behind him/her. If safe to do so, allow others to seek refuge with you. Take appropriate protective actions to reduce your vulnerability: Close blinds. Block windows. Turn off radios/televisions. Silence cell phones. Place signs in interior doors and windows, but remember the assailant can see these as well. Place signs in exterior windows to identify your location and the location of injured persons. Keep people calm and quiet. After securing the room, people should be positioned out of sight and behind items that might offer additional protection walls, desks, file cabinets, bookshelves, etc. Unsecured Areas. If you find yourself in an open area, immediately seek protection: Put something between you and the assailant. Consider trying to escape, if you know where the assailant is and there appears to be an escape route immediately available to you. If in doubt, find the safest area available and secure it the best way that you can. 3. Take Action Against the Active Threat. As a last resort, and only when your life or those of people in your immediate vicinity are in imminent danger, attempt to disrupt and/or incapacitate the active threat by: Acting as aggressively as possible against him/her. September 2012 Emergency Operations Plan F-8-A-2

7 Throwing items and improvising weapons. Yelling. Committing to your actions. 4. Call 911. Emergency situations should be reported to law enforcement by dialing 911. You may hear multiple rings stay on the line until it is answered do not hang up. Be prepared to provide the 911 operator with as much information as possible, such as the following: What is happening? Where you are located, including building name and room number. Number of people at your specific location. Injuries, if any, including the number of injured and types of injuries. Your name and other information as requested. Try to provide information in a calm, clear manner so that the 911 operator can relay your information quickly to responding law-enforcement and emergency personnel. 5. What to Report. Try to note as much as possible about the assailant, including: Specific location and direction of the assailant. Number of assailants. Gender, race/ethnicity, and age of the assailant. Language or commands used by the assailant. Clothing color and style. Physical features e.g., height, weight, facial hair, glasses. Type of weapons e.g., handgun, rifle, shotgun, explosives. Description of any backpack or bag. Do you recognize the assailant? Do you know his/her name? What exactly did you hear e.g., explosions, gunshots, etc. 6. Treat the Injured. The 911 operator will notify law-enforcement and other emergency service (EMS) agencies fire and rescue. EMS will respond to the site, but will not be able to enter the area until it is secured by law enforcement. You may have to treat the injured as best you can until the area is secure. Remember basic first aid: September 2012 Emergency Operations Plan F-8-A-3

8 For bleeding apply pressure and elevate. Many items can be used for this purpose e.g., clothing, paper towels, feminine hygiene products, newspapers, etc. Reassure those in the area that help will arrive try to stay quiet and calm. 7. Account for People. Instructors verify the names of individuals in their classrooms/laboratories when the event occurs and provide a copy to campus authorities or emergency responders as necessary for accountability purposes. Managers verify the names of individuals in their spaces when the event occurs and provide a copy to campus authorities or emergency responders as necessary for accountability purposes. 8. Un-securing the Area. The assailant may not stop until his objectives have been met or until engaged and neutralized by law enforcement. Always consider the risk of exposure posed by opening the door of a secured area for any reason. Attempts to rescue people should be made only if they can be done without further endangering the persons inside a secured area. Be aware that an assailant may bang on the door, yell for help, or otherwise attempt to entice you to open the door of a secured area. If unsure of the identity of a person requesting access to a secured area, request that some form of identification (e.g., police badge, identification card, etc.) be shown. If there is any doubt about the safety of the individuals inside the room, the area needs to remain secured. Law-Enforcement Response The local police departments and Virginia State Police have adopted nationally accepted law enforcement response procedures to contain and terminate threats posed by hostile intruders, as quickly as possible. In an emergency situation, local police will immediately respond to the area, assisted by other state and local law-enforcement agencies, if necessary. Keep in mind: 1. Help is on the way. It is important for you to remember: Remain inside the secure area. Law enforcement will locate, contain, and stop the assailant. The safest place for you to be is inside a secure room. September 2012 Emergency Operations Plan F-8-A-4

9 The assailant may not flee when law enforcement enters the building, but instead may target arriving officers. 2. Injured Persons. Initial responding officers will not treat the injured or begin evacuation until the threat is neutralized and the area is secure. You may need to explain this to others in order to calm them. Once the threat is neutralized, officers will begin treatment and evacuation. 3. Evacuation. Responding officers will establish safe corridors for persons to evacuate. This may be time consuming. Remain in a secure area until instructed otherwise. You may be instructed to keep your hands on your head. You may be searched. You may be required to leave any personal belongings, e.g., backpacks, handbags, etc. to be searched and inventoried by law-enforcement authorities. You may be escorted out of the building by law-enforcement personnel follow their directions. After evacuation you may be taken to a staging or holding area for medical care, interviewing, counseling, etc. Once you have been evacuated you will not be permitted to retrieve items or access the area until law-enforcement authorities release the crime scene. September 2012 Emergency Operations Plan F-8-A-5

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