You are here:
Emergency Response Reference Page
In an extreme emergency, the campus emergency alert siren will be activated. The siren will sound for approximately 90 seconds. Upon confirmation of an event, the siren will be activated in the following situations:
Campus-wide Emergencies – Siren Activation
- Active Shooter — Run, Hide, Fight
- Hostage Situation — Run, Hide, Fight
- *Hazardous Material Accident — Shelter in Place
- *City-wide Hostile Event — Shelter in Place
- *Weather Emergency (i.e., tornado) — Shelter in Place
*In the event of an emergency of this nature it is likely that the College will learn of the event through the County Department of Public Safety (911). If the city sirens are activated, the College siren may be activated to ensure the campus community is aware of the event.
**Shelter suggests that people who are outside when the siren sounds should, using reasonable judgment as to which building to enter, go inside and stay put.
Responding to the Siren
Run, Hide, Fight – If presented with the opportunity to escape, do so – Run. If escape is not a viable option – Hide and Barricade. If escape and shelter are not possible and your life is in danger, Fight.
Shelter in place - If in imminent danger, and escape is not possible, seek shelter, stay put, turn off all lights, and suggest all occupants seek cover, if possible.
Activate a cell phone to check for a text message (if subscribed to the College’s text message alert system), go to the nearest (and safest) computer to check for an e-mail, or to a campus phone and call the College Switchboard for a message from the College’s emergency message system. If in danger, remain as calm and as quiet as possible and attempt to contact the Public Safety Office (ext.4911 or (570) 321-4064) or the Williamsport Police Department (911) to advise them of your location and the number of people in the room. To help conceal your location, occupants’ cell phones should be on “vibrate.”
The police will assume control of the incident upon arrival and proceed with appropriate actions including removing individuals from buildings when safe to do so. Staff, faculty and students should remain in their location until either police or Public Safety arrives to escort them out of the room. Follow all instructions given by police officers or Public Safety explicitly.
As with any emergency event, awareness of your surroundings and the events happening around you are the biggest potential deterrent to preventing a hostage taking, criminal or terrorist act from occurring.
Alert Messages
At the activation of the siren, an alert message will be sent indicating the nature of the event, if known. The message will be brief. Information and messages following the initial communication will be based on the best available information at the time and the timing of additional messages will be dictated by the severity and duration of the event and their approval by the agency in charge.