Spring 2022: Classroom Emergency Procedures

Posted in Faculty Communications

January 31, 2022

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

In consultation with The Office of Emergency Management, I write with a special note concerning emergency procedures. 

Please understand your responsibilities in case of an emergency that would require either sheltering-in-place or a building evacuation response.  

During an emergency requiring you and your class to shelter-in-place:

  • Remain in your classroom or if it has exterior doors or windows follow directions to move your class to an interior room away from exterior doors or windows. 
  • Remain alert for further instructions and updates from HOYAlert. 
  • Remain with your class until relieved by a campus police officer or, if available, a volunteer Building Emergency Coordinator (BEC), or an “All Clear” is given via HOYAlert. 
  • Close and lock all doors and windows to the outside if possible.
    • Many of our main campus classrooms have been upgraded with special safety intrusion locks.  In the case of a shelter-in-place response for an active threat situation, the red button on these door locks can be used to secure you and your class and can only be unlocked from the inside by turning the door handle or with a key issued to GUPD and emergency personnel. 

During an emergency requiring a building evacuation:

  • Direct your class to leave the building immediately through the nearest EXIT.
  • Lead your students to a designated assembly area.  
  • After reaching an assembly area, take attendance and report any issues to a campus police officer or, if available, a volunteer Building Emergency Coordinator (BEC) before you leave the area.
  • Do not re-enter the building under any circumstance until an “All Clear” is given. 

Things you can do now:

  • Review the Instructor/Occupant Emergency Reference Guide which is (or will be) posted in each classroom.
  • Review posted floor evacuation exit routes that are (or will be) posted in all classroom building hallways. 
  • Discuss shelter in place and evacuation plans with your students, including reviewing the location of your assembly area for evacuation emergencies.
  • Refer to this short video on how to operate the safety intrusion locks by clicking on the following link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmXU1F6RtGI
  • Download the LiveSafe App, and recommend others do so as well.
  • Ensure your contact information is up to date in HOYAlert, and urge others to do the same.
  • Visit the Office of Emergency Management website for more information.

A version of these procedures and reference guide particular to each location should be posted in each room. 
If you don’t find one in your classroom, please contact the Office of Design and Construction at 202-687-6271 or CETS at cohenm@georgetown.edu. 

If you have questions about the emergency response procedures for building evacuations, shelter-in-place, active threat situations, or other types of emergencies, or want information about the Building Emergency Coordinator program, contact the Office of Emergency Management at 202-687-8234 or emergencymanagement@georgetown.edu or Georgetown University Police Department (GUPD) at 202-687-4343 or police@georgetown.edu. 

Thank you for your attention to this notification on emergency procedures.

Sincerely,
Annamarie Bianco
Associate Vice President and University Registrar