As part of Bates’ commitment to emergency preparedness, we will be conducting a campuswide Shelter in Place Exercise on Tuesday October 6, from 10:40 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. This exercise is intended to familiarize our community with the communications used in such a situation and to consider procedures for immediately seeking shelter to avoid a threat or hazard occurring outdoors.
What Does “Shelter in Place” Mean?
A Shelter in Place order is used for a range of emergency scenarios where keeping our community members behind closed doors is the safest option. This includes local physical threats where Bates is not the target as well as weather-related emergencies and hazardous material releases. When a threat or event is deemed credible, Bates will issue this order via our emergency notification system. Please see the attached contact you may add to your mobile device to assist you in recognizing the Bates Campus alerts.
For a threat identified as a hazardous material, such as a chemical release, do not wait until you see or smell the hazard to seek shelter. Once you are indoors, close all exterior windows and doors and stay away from them to the extent possible. If possible, turn off the heating, cooling, and ventilation systems.
How does this compare to “Secure in Place”?
For a threat involving an active threat to the Bates Community, such as an armed intruder, the instruction would be to Secure In Place. In this case, close and lock all exterior doors and windows. Barricade doors, especially if the door cannot be locked. Turn off all lights and silence your cell phones. Do not turn off your phone as that will be the primary way in which the College will communicate with you. For more on the difference between a Shelter In Place and Secure In Place, please see the Campus Safety Website.
The Shelter in Place Exercise: What to Expect
The exercise will begin with a Bates emergency text message that reads, “Bates EXERCISE; Shelter in Place. See Emergency.Bates.edu for instructions and information.”
No live simulation will be included in this exercise. There will be no other alerts issued beyond what is outlined in this email. The goal is simply to practice sheltering in place and to encourage discussions on emergency preparedness and response throughout our community.
During the exercise, we ask you to consider where you are and who you are with, and what you would need to do in the case of an actual emergency.
You need not actually perform these actions during the exercise, simply review where you are and your ability to secure the space. If you are not in a secure space, consider where you would find one.
Once the exercise is complete, a second emergency message will be sent: “ALL CLEAR: THE EXERCISE HAS ENDED”. In an actual emergency:
Do not leave until an “all clear” message is received.
If you are off campus, follow the directions of local authorities. Do not return to campus, or to the area under a shelter in place order, until an “all clear” message has been received.
What Happens if Those Around Me Do Not Follow The College’s Instruction?
In an actual emergency, your first responsibility is for your own safety. Bates’ instructions are our guidance based on the best available information, which may change over time. We communicate with our community based on what we learn from credible sources – including local law enforcement. We cannot endorse nor condone behavior that is contrary to our instruction; however we cannot prevent adults from making their own risk-based decisions. In the event that one person’s behavior could jeopardize the safety of others, particularly in a shelter in place situation, bystanders may attempt to prevent such behavior.
What Happens if I Don’t Receive the Text Alert?
If you do not receive a message during the drill, please immediately review and update your emergency contact information in the Garnet Gateway. If others around you receive the text and discuss their possible response to a threat requiring a shelter-in-place, please join their conversation.
Related Opportunities to Discuss Active Threat Response
Please review the Campus Safety Website and the Bates Run-Hide-Fight video. Additional opportunities include:
Wednesday October 14th, 12 – 1 p.m. in Commons 201 (lunch will be provided to attendees)
Thursday October 15th, 12 – 1 p.m. in Commons 201 (lunch will be provided to attendees)
In these sessions attendees will watch the Bates Run-Hide-Fight video, followed by a Q&A session with a Lewiston Police Department officer.
Tuesday October 20th, 10 – 11 a.m. on Zoom
Thursday October 22nd, 2 – 3 p.m. in Muskie 201
In these sessions we will be led through a run-hide-fight presentation and training led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Note that for those in DCCE and Facility Services we will work to have dedicated sessions in an all-staff meeting later this academic year.
For more information about our emergency response procedures: go to the Campus Safety Website. If you have any questions or feedback on the exercise, please contact serg@bates.edu; all comments will be reviewed and discussed by the SERG Core team.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation