Lockdown vs. Shelter-in-Place Plan

Policy Statement

In the case of some campus emergencies, you may be notified through Rave Alert to either lockdown or shelter in place. These are general guidelines that will help you to remember what to do in the event of a Lockdown or Shelter-in-Place event on campus, but each situation may present unique challenges. The key thing to remember is that both involve taking refuge in a pre-designated room until the emergency situation is resolved. The difference is in the types of emergency situation, and what kind of barrier is called for.

Reason for Policy

Adelphi wants all faculty, staff, and students to know how to respond in the event of a lockdown or shelter in place order. The Lockdown or Shelter-In-Place plan protects students, faculty, and staff in the event of imminent or immediate exposure to a dangerous situation.

Who Is Governed by this Policy

Faculty, Staff and Students

Policy

It is important to plan ahead and know your options. The actions taken in the initial minutes of an emergency are critical. If you become aware of an emergency before receiving an official alert, take action to make sure you are safe, and contact Public Safety by dialing 5 from any campus phone, or directly at 516.877.3511.

A lockdown or shelter-in-place notification will come from the Department of Public Safety via the RAVE university mass notification system and/or Emergency Public Address System announcement.

The Department of Public Safety installed three types of door hardware on all classroom doors in order to lock the doors in the event of a shelter-in-place or lockdown order. The lock types are a “Push-button” lock, “Latch” lock, and a “Push Bar” lock. To see how these locks work, please view the Adelphi Door Lock Instructional Video.

Shelter-in-Place Order

The purpose of a Shelter-in-Place order is to keep the community safe, avoid the hazard, and to keep campus arteries clear for emergency use.

A Shelter-in-Place is issued when there is a weather emergency [i.e. Hurricane, Tornado, Winter weather, etc.], environmental hazard [i.e. chemical, biological or radiological contamination], or Local Emergencies [i.e. Local Police Activity]. A Shelter-in-Place order can become a Lockdown order if a local emergency becomes an immediate physical threat on campus. In this case, the Department of Public Safety would inform the Community through a subsequent Rave alert to “Lockdown”.

In the event that a Shelter-in-Place order is issued, follow these steps:

• Use a structure to separate you from the hazard
• Take immediate shelter in closest building
• Close exterior doors

If an incident occurs and the building you are in is not damaged, stay inside in an interior room until you are told it is safe to come out. If your building is damaged, take your personal belongings (purse, wallet, etc.) and follow the evacuation procedures for your building (close and lock your door, proceed to the nearest exit, and use the stairs instead of the elevators). Once you have evacuated, seek shelter at the nearest university building quickly. If police or fire department personnel are on the scene, follow their directions.

When a Shelter-in-Place order is given remember these words:

“Get inside. Lock Outside Doors. Remain Calm”

If an incident occurs where sheltering-in-place is the best option, follow these steps, unless instructed otherwise by emergency personnel:

These steps should only be followed if safe to do so:

• When you are notified of an emergency, seek or remain in a location that is safe from the affected area.
• When the order is given, it is important that if you are teaching, to pause your class, hold in your classroom or area, and clear the halls. 
• When in a safe area, attempt to secure the space in whatever reasonable manner is applicable.
• Stay in the safe area and remain quiet, unless making noise would be beneficial to your safety (i.e. to increase the likelihood of rescue or recovery).
• Stay away from objects that may lead to higher risk of injury (i.e. windows during a storm).
• Do not leave the area of safety until you are notified that the emergency is no longer a threat to personal safety.

Do not leave until the ALL CLEAR is received. You will receive a Rave Alert from the Department of Public Safety giving you the all clear and that there is no further threat to the campus.

Lockdown Order

The purpose of a Lockdown order is to lock down campus and have community members in a secure place while law enforcement facilitates to clear the threat. 

A Lockdown is issued when there is an immediate physical threat on campus, such as the presence of a hostile or armed intruder. 

In the event a Lockdown order is issued, follow these steps:

• Move away from danger towards the nearest building. 
• If outside, seek cover in the nearest building
• Requires locking doors and barricading oneself to block entry to classroom, office, or interior room. Stay away from windows.

The Department of Public Safety provides a Hostile Intruder Video on our website and during training titled, “When Lightning Strikes”, which explains how to recognize and respond to extreme violent events. By viewing this video you will be equipped with the knowledge to make a lifesaving decision by running, hiding, or fighting.

The content of this video will not only provide lifesaving information at Adelphi but the same techniques can be utilized in a mall, theater, restaurant, or any other public environment.

In addition to the video, the University also has a Hostile Intruder Poster which is available online and posted on the back of each classroom door with information on what to do in the unlikely case of a Hostile Intruder. Please read the poster and familiarize yourself with it. 

When a Lockdown order is given remember these words:

“Locks, Lights, Out of Sight”

It is important to remain calm, mute cell phones, and remain quiet. When the lockdown is issued, and you can’t run from the incident location, follow the “Hide” in the Hostile Intruder Flyer.

Hostile Intruder

When a hostile person(s) is actively causing death or physical injury or the imminent threat of death or physical injury within a residence hall, recommend the following actions should be implemented:

• If you are in a residence hall: Lock yourself in your room and call the police by dialing 911.
• If you are in a classroom or office: Faculty and staff should immediately lock the students, staff and themselves in the classroom or office and call the police by dialing 911.
• If in-house telephones are available for communication to notify public safety, dial #5 or extension 3511 or call 516 877-3511.
• Call a personal contact and give your location.
• If away from your room, join others in a room that can be locked.
• Do not stay in the open hall.
• Do not sound the fire alarm. A fire alarm would signal the occupants in the rooms to evacuate the building and thus place them in potential harm as they attempt to exit.
• Barricade yourself in your room with desks, beds or anything you can push against the door.
• If in a classroom or office: If possible cover any windows or openings that have a direct line of sight into the hallway.
• Keep classrooms or offices secure until police arrive and give you directions.
• If you’re in a building other than a residence hall: If you are not in a classroom, try to get to a classroom or an office if you cannot safely escape from the building.
• When and where available lock your window(s) and open blinds or curtains.
• Stay away from the window (when possible).
• Turn all lights and audio equipment off.
• Turn off cell phones or place on vibrate.
• Stay out of open areas and try to stay calm and be as quiet as possible.
• If for some reason you are caught in the open such as hallways and lounge-type areas, you must decide what you are going to do. This is a very crucial time and can possibly mean life or death depending on what actions you take.
• You can try to hide, but make sure it is a well-hidden space or you may be found as the intruder moves through the residence hall looking for more victims.
• If you think you can safely make it out of the building by running, then do so.
• If you decide to run, do not run in a straight line. Keep any objects you can between you and the hostile person(s) while in the building.
• Once outside, do not run in a straight line. Use trees, vehicles or any type of object to block your view from the residence hall as you run. When away from the immediate area of danger, summon help any way you can and warn others.
• If the person(s) is causing death or serious physical injury to others and you are unable to run or hide, you may choose to feign being dead if other victims are around you.
• The last option you have if caught in an open area in the residence hall may be to fight back. This is dangerous, but depending on your situation, this could be your last option.
• If you are caught by the intruder and are not going to fight back, obey all commands and don’t look the intruder in the eyes.

Once the police arrive, obey all commands. This may involve you being handcuffed or made to put your hands in the air. This is done for safety reasons and once circumstances are evaluated by the police, they will give you further directions to follow. The police may not know who the shooter is or if there are multiple shooters.

Definitions

Lockdown: When people are instructed to lockdown, it is in response to an active shooter/hostile intruder. During an active shooter/hostile intruder emergency, people are asked to barricade themselves in a room with no windows, if possible.

If a room with no windows is not available in their building, people are asked to cover or stay away from any windows to avoid making themselves or others visible to any potential threat.

The idea of a lockdown is for people to remain properly secured and out of the line of vision of an active shooter/hostile intruder until they are told the area is secure. During a Lockdown, the university is closed to all visitors. 

Shelter in Place: Used to keep our community members safe from danger outside of the buildings including police activity, fire department activity, severe weather, environmental hazards, etc. and allows our students, staff, and faculty to continue with their learning and work [unless told to “pause”] with the outside doors locked.

Barrier: an obstacle that prevents movement or access.

Pause: to temporarily stop in action

Imminent threat: about to happen, occur, or take place very soon, especially of something which won’t last long. [Emergency Notification often required]

Immediate threat: Ongoing threat. Happening right away, instantly, with no delay. [Emergency Notification often required]

Procedures

Emergency Operations Plan Appendix Two and Appendix Three

Forms

This policy does not have forms associated with it at this time. Upon periodic policy review this area will be evaluated to determine if additional information is needed to supplement the policy.

Related Information

• Emergency Operations Plan
• Lockdown and Shelter in Place Infographic
• Hostile Intruder Video – “When Lightning Strikes”
• Hostile Intruder Flyer (PDF)
• Emergency Notification Policy
• Emergency Procedures Flyer (PDF)
• Nassau County Emergency Management

Document History

• Policy Origination Date: Not known
• Last Reviewed Date: July 30, 2024
• Policy Reviewed by: Policy Owner and Policy Experts
• Last Approval Date: July 30, 2024

Who Approved This Policy

John Siderakis, Vice President of Administration, and Executive Leadership