Emergency Procedures

Pull the fire alarm located at the end of each hallway. Note: Residents should acquaint themselves with the locations of these alarm boxes.

1. Call 911 and communicate the exact location of the fire.
2. Call Public Safety at ext. 6400

Alarms will be sounded and the building is to be evacuated totally. If weather conditions or time warrant, occupants will be sent to another building.

• If you are in a room close the window
• If there is smoke use a wet towel to breathe
• Leave the room and close the door
• Use stairwells, do not use the elevator
• If the fire is outside the door remain in the room near the window so that firemen can locate you

Each building has a fire panel that indicates the location of the alarm or detector that has been triggered. Public Safety will go to the indicated location to verify that there is indeed a fire and if a dangerous situation is present the fire department will be notified.

No one will be allowed to reenter the building until the fire department gives the all clear sign to Public Safety.

Public Safety and emergency responders will notify occupants if a tornado warning has been received from the National Weather service.

• Occupants will be directed by Public Safety, resident assistants or staff members to the lowest and centermost floor of a building.
• Keep persons away from windows and do not let anyone exit the building until the danger has passed and the all clear has been given by Public Safety

If an ambulance is needed dial 911 and identify yourself and your specific location on campus.

• Call Public Safety and inform them that you have called an ambulance so that they can assist in directing the response team.
• If it is a student that has suffered an injury, the resident assistant on call should be informed.
• If it is a staff or faculty member, the Director of Human Resources should be notified.

If an earthquake should occur, individuals should follow these instructions:

• Stay calm and assess your situation; if you are inside, stay inside; if you are outside, stay outside.
• If indoors, take cover under a heavy desk, table, in a supported doorway, or along an inside wall. Do not exit the room, hall or building until after the shaking has stopped.
• If outside, stay away from buildings and utility wires.
• Do not use candles or open flames.
• If in a moving vehicle, stop as quickly as possible and stay in the vehicle until the shaking stops.

After the shaking has subsided, persons should exit the building/vehicle and seek medical care if necessary. Please be aware that additional tremors are likely.

Call 911

• Notify Public Safety immediately of the specific location of the armed individual.
• Do not approach the person and keep yourself and others away from the area until you receive instructions from Public Safety or law enforcement officials.

Officials of the College in consultation with Public Safety and local law enforcement will determine the need to lock down a facility or evacuate the building.

• If a building is locked down and secured, Public Safety and designated College personnel will give directives to those in the building in question.
• A text alert and email marked urgent will be sent informing the community of the necessary steps to take to prevent interaction with the intruder and/or law enforcement.

In the event that a bomb threat has been received the fire alarm in the targeted building(s) will be activated:

• Occupants will be directed to evacuate the building
• Law enforcement will be contacted
• Occupants may be directed to another building for shelter until the threat has been neutralized

If you are the victim of a sexual assault, protect yourself using whatever means necessary.

• Upon escaping Call 911
• Report the attack to Public Safety or a resident assistant and give as much information as possible about the attacker. Law enforcement will be contacted.
• Public Safety will see that the victim is safe and if necessary will contact medical services.
• Notify a Title IX Coordinator, BJ Riley or Jennifer Ramsey, if you witness or receive information that a sexual assault has occurred.

Harassment Free Environment Policy (includes information on how to file a complaint when you have been sexually assaulted or harassed)

Notify Public Safety and the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs if a student has been missing from campus for 24 hours and no one has been able to make contact with the person.

• If a death occurs on campus, notify Public Safety immediately.
• If notification of a death is received from an external source the following persons are to be contacted: Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Vice President for Academic Affairs and the President.

If you receive information from a family member, you are to notify the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs or the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Often the family member wants a staff person to inform the student of the news or at least wants someone to be with the student when they receive the news. The Campus Life staff including the RA and the RCA (cover-call staff) will follow-up for support.

To report a crime, contact the SMWC Public Safety Department by calling 812-535-6400. When using a campus phone, use 6400 to reach Public Safety. For medical emergencies or in the case of a fire, dial 9-1-1 before contacting Public Safety. Any suspicious activity or person seen in the parking lots or loitering around vehicles, inside buildings, or around the residence hall should be reported to Public Safety. In addition, you may report a crime to the following areas:

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College encourages anyone with knowledge of a crime on or off campus to report it. In order to maximize safety on campus and to aid in prompt investigations, please report to the Public Safety Department any incident that may qualify as homicide (murder, non-negligent and negligent manslaughter); sex offenses (forcible, non-forcible); robbery; aggravated assault; burglary; motor vehicle theft; arson; and any hate crime for inclusion in the Annual Campus Security Report. Reporting does not mean you must take legal action. It may, however, help Public Safety officers to stop further incidents as well as keep the community informed about criminal activity.

To make a report in person, go to the Public Safety office or the Campus Life office. The Public Safety office is located on the ground floor of Le Fer Hall, room 032 across from the Campus Life office, located in room 027. To make a report by phone, call 812-535-6400 and describe the situation to the officer. In emergency situations, including fires and medical emergencies, call 911. If another person is available, ask them to call Public Safety at 812-535-6400 to alert them to the 911 emergency and to give them as many details about the emergency as possible.

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College students requiring non-emergency medical care may contact the Health Services Clinic at 812-535-5200 (ext. 5200 on campus) to receive medical care or a referral to an outside provider. Students seeking counseling services may contact the Counseling office at 812-535-5102 (ext. 5102 on campus).

If you are the victim of a crime and do not want to pursue action with the College system or the criminal justice system, you may still want to consider making a confidential report. With your permission, Public Safety can file a report on the details of the incident on your behalf. The purpose of a confidential report is to comply with your wish to keep the matter confidential, while taking steps to ensure the future safety of yourself and others. With such information, the College can keep an accurate record of the number of incidents involving students, determine where there is a pattern of crime with regard to a particular location, method or assailant, and alert the campus community to potential danger. Reports filed in this manner are counted and disclosed in the annual crime statistics for the institution.

When you report a crime to the Public Safety Office, an officer will meet with you, listen to what happened, and, if necessary, make a preliminary report. They may also ask that you speak with a member of the Campus Life staff or a member of law enforcement. They will advise you if there is anything further that you need to do. In the case where charges are pressed with the local police or sheriff, you may be asked to sign an arrest warrant.

You are encouraged to report any criminal activity even if you don’t want to take legal action in order to help us maintain accurate statistical records. Campus Life is responsible for preparing the College’s Annual Campus Security Report and for obtaining the compiled crime statistics that are included in this report from Public Safety. The information you report may require the College to issue a Crime Alert if it is determined by the Vice President of Operations that the circumstances warrant such action.

Victims or witnesses to criminal activity occurring off campus should contact the agency that has jurisdiction:

• Vigo County Sheriff’s Department at 812-232-3801
• Indiana State Police at 812-299-1151
• Illinois State Police at 217-265-0050

Public Safety officers can assist in notifying law enforcement agencies.