Disruptions don’t always come with warning, and they don’t all look the same. Preparedness happens at two levels: Individuals play an important role by staying informed and knowing what to do. At the same time, institutions work behind the scenes to plan for disruptions, support essential services and help the campus community recover more quickly.
Together, these efforts strengthen resilience across our institutions.
Staying informed and knowing what to do helps you play an important role in preparedness.
Taking a few steps ahead of time can make a big difference during an emergency. Creating a plan, packing a go bag, and using safety apps help you stay informed, communicate quickly and respond quickly if normal routines are disrupted.
Know two exits from your home and classroom
Share emergency contacts with roommates and friends
Sign up for campus alerts
Keep your go bag packed and ready
Have medications, ID and cash accessible
Your go-bag should include the following essentials:
Several campuses offer mobile safety apps:
These tools provide quick access to emergency guides, campus maps, contact information, and incident reporting features. With just a few taps, users can find clear instructions for responding to situations such as evacuations, shelter-in-place orders, or active threats.
In addition to campus-specific apps, the FEMA App is also recommended for broader preparedness. It provides nationwide alerts, emergency planning tools, and disaster resources to help users stay informed before, during, and after emergencies.
Each app is available for free download on the iOS App Store and Google Play.
Emergency alerts: Keep your personal information updated
Each institution offers an emergency messaging system, Emergency Alerts, to faculty, staff and students. The program sends a text and/or email message to all enrolled cell phones and email accounts in the event of an emergency. Student and employee contact information that is stored in MyNEVADA, MyTMCC, MyWNC or Workday is automatically added to the Emergency Alerts system.
This information is only for the use described above and is not made available to third parties.
Institutional-, departmental- and facility-level planning and training ensures that institutions can operate effectively during and after emergencies.
In an emergency, stay calm, follow the appropriate procedure below and call 911 if anyone is in immediate danger.
Run: If you can safely escape, leave the area immediately. Take others with you if they are ready to go, but do not delay to gather belongings.
Hide: If you cannot safely leave, hide out of sight. Lock or block doors, turn off lights, silence your phone and remain quiet.
Fight: As a last resort, and only when your life is in imminent danger, use physical actions and nearby objects to disrupt or incapacitate the assailant.
When it is safe to do so, call 911.
Do not touch: Do not attempt to clean up unknown spills or handle suspicious materials.
Isolate: Keep others away from the area and, if needed, evacuate nearby spaces.
Ventilation: If you smell fumes or see vapors, move to fresh air if it is safe to do so.
Report: Contact Environmental Health & Safety and call 911 if there is any immediate danger to life, health or the environment.
Alert: Activate the nearest fire alarm pull station if available and safe to do so.
Evacuate: Leave the building immediately using the nearest safe exit. Do not use elevators; use stairwells.
Assist: Help others evacuate if you can do so safely. Close doors behind you as you leave.
Report: Move away from the building and call 911. Do not re-enter the building until authorized.
Isolate: Encourage ill person(s) to stay away from others and seek medical advice.
Protect: Practice good hygiene — wash hands, cover coughs and avoid sharing food, drinks or equipment.
Clean: Disinfect frequently touched surfaces in the affected area as directed by health guidance.
Report: Follow campus guidance for reporting suspected contagious illness to the appropriate office.
Protect: If you can safely do so, move people, equipment and important records away from water and to higher locations.
Power: Do not touch electrical equipment if you are standing in water. Report hazards to Facilities immediately.
Avoid: Stay clear of standing water, slippery surfaces and any visible hazards.
Report: Notify Facilities and follow directions from campus officials and emergency responders.
Secure: Go to the nearest safe room. Lock or block doors and close windows and blinds.
Hide: Stay out of sight, away from doors and windows. Turn off lights and silence phones.
Wait: Remain in place until authorities give an official all-clear, even if the area seems quiet.
Monitor: Follow instructions from official campus alerts and emergency personnel.
Call 911: For serious injury or illness, call 911 and provide location and details.
Protect: Do not move the person unless they are in immediate danger. Use gloves or barriers if available.
Support: Stay with the person until help arrives and follow instructions from emergency responders.
Inform: If appropriate, notify a supervisor or designated campus contact.
Stay calm: Remain where you are if it is safe. Use flashlights, not open flames.
Protect: Shut down sensitive equipment if possible. Avoid using elevators.
Assist: Help others move carefully in dark areas or stairwells.
Report: Report the outage to Facilities and follow any instructions from campus officials.
Do not touch: Do not open, move or handle a suspicious package or envelope.
Isolate: Keep others away from the area and, if safe, gently close doors to the space.
Wash: If you have handled the item, wash your hands with soap and water.
Report: Call 911 or campus police and follow their instructions.
Observe: Do not confront the person. Note their appearance, behavior and direction of travel.
Stay safe: Move to a secure area if you feel threatened. Avoid drawing attention to yourself.
Report: Contact campus police or 911, providing as much detail as possible.
Follow-up: Follow any instructions from responders and avoid spreading unconfirmed information.
