Evacuation Procedures
Emergency Response and Evacuation Procedures
The purpose of this policy is to comply with the Department of Education requirements regarding timely notice of certain events as described 20 U.S.C. s. 1092(f), known as the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy, along with the Campus Crimes Statistics Act (1998). These acts along with the Higher Education Reauthorization Act (2008) require any acts which have occurred on or near campus, require campus police officers to keep the institution informed on a timely basis of crimes and other imminent threats that may require a timely warning.
It is the policy of the Fisher College Police Department to fully comply with the provisions and intent of the “Clery Act,” in regards to the timely notification of our campus community, of any continuing threats to their safety, in order to aid in the prevention of similar occurrences. A crisis can erupt at any time and in any form. A fire, explosion, medical epidemic, water leak, power outage, hurricane or bomb threat – the possibilities are infinite and unpredictable. Nonetheless, planning for the unpredictable does help.
College departments are responsible for developing contingency plans and continuity of operation plans for their own staff and areas of responsibility.
Campus police have received training in incident command and responding to critical incidents on campus. When a serious incident occurs that causes an immediate threat to campus, the first responders to the scene are usually College Police, BPD (Boston Police) and BFD (Boston Fire) who typically respond and work together to manage the incident. Depending on the nature of the incident, other Fisher College departments and other local or federal agencies could also be involved in responding to the incident.
All members of the College community are informed on an annual basis that they are required to notify Campus Police of any situation or incident on campus that involves a significant emergency or dangerous situation that may involve an immediate or ongoing threat to the health and safety of students and/or employees on campus. The Campus Police Department has the responsibility of responding to, and summoning the necessary resources to mitigate, investigate and document any situation that may cause a significant emergency or dangerous situation. In addition, we have the responsibility to respond to such incidents to determine if the situation does in fact, pose a threat to the community. If that is the case, Federal Law requires that the institution immediately notify the campus community or the appropriate segments of the community that may be affected by the situation.
Shelter-In-Place
Shelter-in-place is designed to keep you safe while indoors if dangerous environmental conditions exist, such as extreme weather or a hazardous materials release. An imminent threat of violence may also be the cause for a shelter-in-place order for all or part of campus. The goal is to limit exposure of students, faculty, staff, and others to danger or hazard.