Individual preparedness

An active threat/shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. It is a deliberate action that creates an immediate threat or presents an imminent danger to the campus community.

How to prepare/respond

RUN: when an active threat/shooter is nearby

• Have an escape route and plan in mind. Leave your belongings behind. Keep your hands visible.

HIDE: if you are not in immediate danger or evacuation is not possible

• Hide in an area out of the threat’s view. Block your hiding place, lock the doors. Silence your cell phone.

FIGHT: as a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger

• Attempt to incapacitate the threat. Act with physical aggression and throw items at the threat. Call 911 when it is safe to do so.

Information to provide to dispatcher

• Your precise location
• Location of the threat
• Number of threats, if more than one
• Physical description of threat(s)
• Number and type of weapons held by the threat(s)

How to react when law enforcement arrives

• Remain calm and follow officers’ instructions
• Raise hands and spread fingers
• Keep hands visible at all times
• Avoid making quick movements toward officers
• Do not stop to ask officers for help

Learn more about what you can do in an active threat/shooter situation 

Nevada is the 3rd most seismically active state in the country, and there are a number of earthquake generating faults in the area.

How to prepare/respond:

• If you are inside when an earthquake starts, stay inside and follow the guidelines below. If you are outside, stay outside and move to a clear area if it is safe to do so. Avoid power lines, trees, signs, buildings, vehicles, and other hazards.
• Drop and duck under a sturdy desk or table if possible, or crouch near an inside wall.
• Stay away from overhead fixtures, windows, filing cabinets, and bookcases.
• Cover your head and eyes with your hands and arms and turn away from possible breaking glass or falling objects
• Hold onto the desk or table so that it doesn’t move away from you. Move with it, as it is your protection. Stay there until the shaking stops.
• After shaking stops, evacuate the building using the nearest exit unless unsafe to do so.
• Go to the designated assembly area outside of the building and wait for instructions from emergency personnel.
• Report any injured or trapped persons and safety hazards: fire, electrical, gas leaks, etc.
• Do NOT return inside the building until authorized by Facilities Services.
• Avoid using telephones except for emergencies.

Visit the Nevada Seismological Laboratory to sign up to receive earthquake notifications for the Reno area.

These services include electrical, gas, water, and wastewater management. Severe storms, technological failures, and natural disasters may cause disruptions to power and other utilities, such as heating, ventilation, or air conditioning. Other issues include problems with natural gas or plumbing, including water leaks, flooding, or lack of water pressure.

How to prepare/respond

• Notify Facilities Services by calling (775) 784-8020. If telephones are not operating properly, send a messenger to the Facilities Services.
• If evacuation is required, follow evacuation procedures and use the stairway.
• In a laboratory, ventilation hoods do not work during a power outage and vapors may reach hazardous concentrations. Personnel should secure experiments or activities that present a danger when the power is off, or if it is restored unexpectedly.
• In the event of a power outage:
• Remain calm.
• Carefully move to a lighted area. Exit signs will be lit and emergency lights should activate.
• For prolonged outages, await direction from Facilities Services.

In the event of an elevator failure:

If you are inside the elevator:

• Remain calm; elevators have mechanical brakes that operate in all situations.
• Use the emergency telephone in the elevator to call for help. Turn on the “Emergency” alarm to alert others and signal your need for help.

If you are outside the elevator:

• If there are passengers inside the elevator, tell them to remain calm.
• Call Facilities Services at (775) 784-8020 and report the building name, floor, which elevator, and if passengers are trapped.

In the case of some hazards, you could be asked to evacuate the building or area you occupy. You could have a day or two to prepare, while other situations might call for an immediate evacuation.

In the event you are asked to evacuate:

• Leave the building using the nearest available exit.
• Do NOT use elevators, use the stairwell.
• Take personal belongings
• Time permitting, secure hazardous materials or sensitive equipment
• Assist persons with disabilities or special needs
• Meet with building response coordinator or person in charge at designated area

Wildfires are common occurrences throughout the State of Nevada, especially during the summer months. The dry, hot, windy weather conditions, combined with millions of acres of dead or drying vegetation fuel fast-moving, high intensity wildfires. Wildfires could require evacuation. Structural fires can also occur on campus, and can be a result of cooking accidents, electrical or heating malfunctions or intentional fire setting.

How to prepare/respond

If you see any fire/smoke, smell smoke:

• Activate the alarm by pulling the fire alarm and/or call 911.
• Only properly trained employees should attempt to extinguish a fire.
• Walk quickly in an orderly fashion to the nearest building exit and promptly vacate the facility.
• Do NOT use elevators. Use the stairs.
• Try to assist anyone who is disabled or injured to evacuate.
• To reduce fire or smoke damage, close all doors and windows when leaving the room and the hallways if you have time.
• Report any hazardous conditions to the Reno Fire Department or call 911 dispatcher.
• Do not re-enter the building until instructed to do so by emergency responders.

If you are trapped in a building during a fire:

• Stay close to the floor where the air is less toxic.
• Shout at regular intervals to alert emergency crews of your location.
• If smoke is entering the room through cracks in the door, stuff wet clothing in the cracks to slow the flow.
• If your clothes catch fire, drop to the floor and roll to smother the fire, or smother the fire with a blanket, rug, or heavy coat.

Visit Living with Fire or the University's wildfire and fire preparedness page for more information on how to prepare and respond to wildfires.

Flooding can be a result of excessive rainfall and/or rapid snow melt. Flooding on campus could also be caused by a water main failure or frozen pipes.

How to prepare/respond

• If you can safely do so in imminent or actual flooding:
• Secure vital equipment, records, and hazardous materials. Move items to higher floor in building, place on shelving/desks.
• Shut off non-essential electrical equipment.
• Move all personnel to a safe area away from the flood waters.

Hazardous materials are defined as any substance (biological, chemical, radiological, etc.) that causes or may cause adverse effects on health or safety of individuals, the general public, or the environment.

How to prepare/respond: Follow S.W.I.M.S.

Stop and think. Stop working. Stop the spill.

• Assess the situation:
• How big is the spill?
• Has it made contact with your skin or clothing?

Warn others

• Call 911 if there is a medical emergency or danger to life, health, or the environment.
• Alert people in the area.

Isolate the area

• Restrict access.
• Determine the extent of the spill.
• Keep doors closed.

Monitor yourself carefully and completely

• Check yourself for any contamination or signs/symptoms of exposure (wet clothing, skin or respiratory irritation).
• Remove contaminated clothing and place in a plastic bag.
• Perform decontamination procedures.

Stay near the area until help arrives

• Minimize your movements.
• Have person knowledgeable of incident assist responders.
• Notify your supervisor.

You can cleanup a spill if

• You are aware of the hazards and cleanup procedures.
• There is no potential for personal or environmental damage.
• The appropriate spill cleanup equipment is available.
• Two people can clean the spill thoroughly in an hour.

If you are unsure if you can cleanup a spill

• Call Environmental Health & Safety at 327-5040 (24 hours).

If it is a major spill or uncontrolled release

• Call 911.

Natural hazards

Natural hazards include phenomena such as winter storms, thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, viral epidemics, and extreme heat or cold. The natural hazards most likely to occur locally include floods, winter storms, and wildfires.

Technological hazards

Technological hazards are accidents or failures of the systems or structures in an area. Examples of technological hazards include dam failures, hazardous materials release, major traffic accidents and utility disruption.

Human-caused incidents

Human caused incidents manifest as a result of the intentional actions of an adversary. These incidents include active threats/active shooters, biological and chemical attacks, cyber attacks, and explosives attacks.

In the event of a hazard or emergency, members of the University community will be notified through the use of the campus wide emergency alert system. Alerts include the use of the outdoor notification system capable of signaling a loud audible tone or siren throughout campus in an emergency. Other emergency communication mechanisms include a text message notification; campus wide email; posting to University Police Services social media and the University website homepage; the department's AM information radio station 1670 KHz and a scrolling banner on campus computers.

A lockdown requires people to stay where they are, usually due to specific risks to themselves or others if they move about freely. A lockdown could be implemented in the event of an active threat/shooter.

• Remain calm and pass the word in your immediate area
• Close and lock all exterior and interior doors
• Turn off or minimize lights
• Cover windows
• Be quiet and silence cell phones
• Stay out of sight
• Plan what to do if a threat enters your immediate area
• Listen to directions of law enforcement when they arrive
• Do NOT run towards first responders

If you believe that someone is experiencing a medical emergency, immediately contact 911. Medical emergencies include broken bones, chest pain, excessive bleeding, head injury, stroke, seizure, cessation of breathing, and any other life-threatening situation. Be prepared to provide information about your location and the nature of the emergency. Answer all of the dispatcher’s questions and follow their directions. Keep the person comfortable and calm.

Assist the victim

These measures do not require training and cannot harm a person. Provide care by following these instructions, if it is safe and you are comfortable doing so.

Heart attack/cardiac arrest

• If the person is unconscious, attempt to wake them up by shaking them and speaking loudly to them.
• If there is no pulse, have someone trained in CPR provide compressions. If no one nearby is trained, provide CPR by placing your hands in the center of the person’s chest and repeatedly compressing hard and fast. Do not stop until the person regains consciousness or help arrives.
• If there is an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) present, open the AED and follow instructions.

Stroke

• Follow the F.A.S.T acronym to help identify the signs of a stroke.
  • F: Facial drooping. Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the smile lopsided or uneven?
  • A: Arm weakness. Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
  • S: Speech. Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.
  • T: Time to call 911. If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and get them to the hospital immediately.

Additional symptoms of stroke include sudden confusion, sudden trouble seeing, sudden trouble walking, and sudden severe headache.

Seizure

If a person appears to be having a seizure, do not restrain them or place anything in or near their mouth. Move objects away from them to prevent injury and attempt to protect their head.

• Protect the airway. If the person is vomiting or has fluid in their mouth, roll them onto their side to clear their airway.
• Control bleeding. If the person is bleeding, apply direct pressure to the bleeding and do not stop until help arrives.
• Protect the spine. If the person fell or hit their head, do not move them or allow them to move unless they are in immediate danger.

Mental health emergencies

If you are concerned that someone is at risk of harming themselves or others, or is experiencing some type of psychological or mental health emergency:

• If the person might represent an immediate danger to themselves or others, contact 911.
• For students, contact Counseling Services at (775) 784-4648 or the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. Other resources include the Hope Line Network which can be reached at (800) 784-2433, and the Crisis Call Center which can be reached for crisis situations including sexual assault at (775) 784-8090 or (800) 992-5757.
• If you believe that your safety is threatened for any reason, leave the person and wait for help to arrive.
• Do not allow this person to be alone or have access to potential weapons, if it is safe for you to do so.
• If the person is injured, provide medical care, if it is safe for you to do so.

Severe weather encompasses thunderstorms, blizzards or extreme cold, hail, and extreme heat. In Nevada, there is the potential to experience all of these hazards, so it is important to be prepared in the event that one occurs.

How to prepare/respond to thunderstorms

Thunderstorms are dangerous. Some thunderstorms can be seen approaching while others hit without warning. It is important to learn and recognize danger signs and plan ahead. The danger signs of a thunderstorm include dark, towering or threatening clouds and/or distant lightning and thunder.

A severe thunderstorm watch is issued by the National Weather Service when the weather conditions are such that a severe thunderstorm (damaging winds 58mph or more, or hail ¾” in diameter or greater) is likely to develop. Pay attention to alerts and broadcasts and prepare to take action.

A severe thunderstorm warning is issued when a severe thunderstorm has been sighted or indicated by weather radar.

During a thunderstorm warning

• Go inside for protection immediately.
• When inside, stay away from windows, water faucets, sinks, and bathtubs.
• If you are caught outside, stay away from tall trees, open fields or open water, or small, isolated sheds.
• Don’t use the telephone.
• Unplug the television. In the event of a power failure, unplug other electrical devices and appliances.
• Be aware of the dangers of flooding, hail, and high winds.
• Never go outside during a thunderstorm, and never approach downed power lines during or after a storm.
• Alerts will be disseminated through the campus wide system. Learn more about campus emergency alerts/ You can also sign up for additional severe weather alerts or emergency notifications from Washoe County. Emergency alerts for weather are automatically sent to wireless emergency alert capable phones during an emergency through the National Weather Service.

A shelter in place order could be issued when the conditions in the outside environment are determined to be dangerous, requiring you to seek protection inside your home, classroom, or workplace. You will need to remain in the building you occupy until the order is lifted. A shelter-in-place order could be short, or could last for several days/weeks, which is why it’s important to be prepared.

• Do NOT exit the building
• Help pass the word in your immediate area
• Close windows, exterior/interior doors to prevent outside air from entering
• Meet with building emergency response coordinator or person in charge
• Advise building emergency response coordinator of immediate medical needs
• Keep hands away from face
• Do NOT eat or drink anything
• If outside: seek shelter in the nearest building

 A suspicious package or object may contain dangerous items or substances. Some things to take into consideration when deciding if a package could be suspicious are:

• Protruding wires or aluminum foil, strange odors, or stains.
• Unusual weight given their size, are lopsided or oddly shaped.
• Marked with threatening language.
• Has excess postage or packing material, like tape or string.
• Witnessing a person place a bag or package somewhere and leave the area

How to prepare/respond

• Call 911
• Do NOT handle!
• Keep others away and evacuate if necessary. Do not use cell phones or two-way radios.
• Once outside, move to a clear area 300 feet from the building.

A suspicious person is one who is exhibiting suspicious behavior, or who is in an area and doing something that is not normal. No one knows your workplace, classroom, or residence hall better than you, so it is incumbent upon you to identify anything out of the ordinary. Examples of suspicious behavior could include nervousness, nervous glancing or other signs of mental discomfort/being ill-at-ease, inappropriate, oversize loose-fitting clothes (e.g., a heavy overcoat on a warm day), or reluctance to show their face or hiding in shadows or behind objects to avoid being seen.

How to prepare/respond

• Report immediately. Call University Police at (775) 334-COPS (2677) or 911.
• Provide a detailed description of the suspicious person and why their presence or behavior is suspicious.
• Avoid engaging the suspicious person if possible.
• Stay in the area for as long as it is safe to do so.