Emergency Procedures
To report an emergency: Call 911 or 289-8911 (cell phone). Non-emergency: 289-8715(Download a PDF of the Emergency Procedures)
Getting Information
During an emergency, UR will distribute information to the campus community via:- Audio–Tornado siren and PA system
- Web–This Web site, alert.richmond.edu
- E-mail–Blast e-mail to “@richmond.edu” accounts
- Text/voice messages–UR Alert text messages and/or voice messages to registered users (cell and home). Faculty, staff and students register through BannerWeb.
- Campus phones–Telephone messages to campus telephones
- TV–UR TV channel 16 broadcasts
- People–Resident assistants and area coordinators
- Hotline–UR Emergency Hotline: (804) 289-8760 or toll free at (866) 386-0403
Emergency Terms
Shelter in Place: Choose an interior room or one with as few doors and windows as possible. Remain there until the danger has passed. Examples: Tornado or other severe weather, nuclear alert, hazardous materials spill.Seek Secure Shelter: Get into a lockable space, like an office or classroom, and remain there. Lock and barricade doors, turn off lights, and turn cell phones to silent or vibrate mode. Get under a desk or other surface to hide. Wait for further instruction from law enforcement. If the threat is in your building and you can safely flee, then do so. Examples: Active shooter or dangerous person immediately threatening the campus.
Evacuate: Immediately leave the building that you are in, exiting through the nearest and safest exit. If the fire alarm has not been activated, do so. Examples: Fire, smoke.
Avoid Area, Warn Others: In these types of incidents, the emergency is localized on campus. University officials do not want anyone near the area and want you to alert others of the emergency. Examples: Hazardous materials spill, flooded roads, aircraft accident, bomb threat, civil disturbance, fire, gas leak, or power lines down.
What to Do
Tornado
- Listen for the tornado siren. A single siren blast will sound continuously until the danger has passed.
- Seek shelter inside a building until notified by University officials that it is safe to leave.
- Stay away from electrical lines and devices.
- There is no “all-clear.” The danger has passed when the siren silences.
Fire
- Activate the nearest fire alarm and call 289-8911 if possible to report the location and cause of the fire.
- Everyone must leave immediately when a fire alarm is activated, even if there are no obvious signs of an emergency.
- Do not use the elevator.
- Remain calm and assist others in safely getting out.
- Confine the fire by closing all doors and windows if possible. Follow directions given by emergency personnel and go to the location designated by your building coordinator to await further instructions.
Earthquake
- Go outside to an open space until the danger has passed.
Active Shooter/Dangerous Person
- Remain calm, do not engage the intruder.
- A quick and quiet escape is suggested, if it can be done safely.
- If attempting to escape, keep your hands elevated with open palms visible, especially if encountering law enforcement officers. Follow all instructions officers may give you.
- If you cannot safely exit the building, seek secure shelter.
- Close and lock windows, lower blinds, remain out of sight, turn off lights.
- Once secured inside, take cover behind concrete walls, thick desks, and filing cabinets that are away from windows and doors.
- Remain quiet, turn off cell phone ringers.
- Only one person from the room should call police at 289-8911 and tell them where you are, where the dangerous person is, and the condition of others with you. Follow their instructions. If you cannot speak, leave the line open so the dispatcher can hear what is going on.
- Assist others if they are injured.
- Do not respond to any unfamiliar voice commands until you can be sure they are coming from a police officer.
