Safety & Security

Public Safety

Clarkson College adheres to the regulations of the Student Right-To-Know and Campus Security Act of 1990. The College provides security services for all areas of the College campus, including the Residence Hall.

Students, faculty and staff members are to report criminal actions and other emergencies occurring on campus to UNMC Public Safety. Public Safety notifies the state and local police agencies when appropriate and maintains records of all criminal offenses. Programs each year are presented for students, residents of the College Residence Hall, faculty, staff and employees on the topics of self-defense, contacting security and reporting crimes. Statistics concerning the occurrence of criminal offenses reported to security are published each year in September. Additional information, including crime statistics, safety tips and crime reporting procedures, can be found online at https://info.unmc.edu/safety/campus-security/index.html.

Clarkson College security is provided in cooperation with University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Public Safety department. Call Public Safety at any time for your security concerns, but also follow up by informing the Facilities Department about any security issue. Security’s phone number is 402.559.5111.

Classroom Lock-Down Instructions

  1. Lock classroom door
  2. Close shades
  3. Stay quiet and away from windows
  4. Call 911 and Security 402.559.5111 immediately
  5. If you hear a gunshot, keep down and shield behind furniture
  6. Do not leave until released by UNMC Public Safety or Omaha Police Department

Armed Intruder (Shooter on Campus)

Profile & Characteristics of an Armed Intruder: An armed intruder is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area, typically through the use of firearms.

  • Victims are selected at random. 
  • The event is unpredictable and evolves quickly.
  • Law enforcement is generally required to end the event.
What to do if an Armed Intruder is Announced in Your Vicinity

Run

  • Have an escape route and plan in mind. 
  • Leave your belongings behind (except for your cell phone).
  • Keep your hands visible.

Hide

  • Try to hide out of the shooter’s view.
  • Block entry to your hiding place, turn off lights and lock the doors.
  • Silence your cell phones and/or pagers.

Fight

  • As a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger.
  • Make a plan with others in the room about what you will do if the shooter enters.
  • Attempt to incapacitate the armed intruder and do whatever is necessary to survive the situation.
When Law Enforcement Arrives
  • The priority of the first responders will be to identify the shooter. Law enforcement will need to ensure that you are not the shooter.
  • Do not scream, yell, point or wave your arms.
  • Do not hold anything in your hands that could be mistaken for a weapon (including cell phones).
  • Be quiet, cooperate and follow directions.
  • Show the officers your empty hands and follow their instructions.
  • When it is safe to do so, you will be given instructions as to how to safely exit your location.
If You Are Outside when a Shooting Occurs
  • Drop to the ground immediately, face down as flat as possible. If within 15 to 20 feet of a safe place or cover, duck and run to it.
  • Move or crawl away from gunfire, trying to utilize any obstructions between you and the gunfire. Remember that many objects of cover may conceal you from sight, but may not be bulletproof.
  • When you reach a place of relative safety, stay down and do not move. Do not peek or raise your head in an effort to see what may be happening.
  • Wait and listen for directions from law enforcement personnel.
Educate Yourself in a Shooter Situation

Armed Intruder Training Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VcSwejU2D0

Other videos on the subject can be found on the UNMC intranet Campus Security
https://info.unmc.edu/safety/campus-security/tips-training/training-videos.html

Fire Safety

Students, faculty and staff should develop an awareness of fire hazards and should practice safety precautions. When the fire alarm sounds, everyone should evacuate the building using the stairways. The stairways at Clarkson College are located on the east side of the building and behind the elevators. The stairways can be approached by going down the hall on the north and south sides of the elevators. The elevators should not be used during a fire evacuation.

Fire/Smoke Evacuation:

  • R – Rescue people in immediate danger
  • A – Activate the fire alarm and call Security: 402.559.5111
  • C – Contain the fire by closing all doors
  • E – Evacuate or extinguish if you can safely and quickly

Do not run. Do not re-enter building until told by fire department or Security. Floor Leaders and Residential Assistants will assist in accounting for all individuals.

Incident Reporting

If a student is involved in an accident, defined as a fall or incident requiring medical or non-medical attention, proper documentation of the incident must be made and a report must be filed with the proper authorities where the incident occurred.

  1. On-Campus Incident: If the incident occurs on campus, the incident should be reported to the Facilities Department.
  2. Clinical Incident: If the incident occurs at the clinical setting, the agency will provide medical care and/or will arrange transportation to receive medical care. An incident report should be completed, by the student and instructor, per the clinical agency policy.

Inclement Weather

If the weather is severe and threatens the safety of students coming to the College, a decision by administration may be made to close the College or delay a start time. In the event of such conditions, the following media stations will be notified:

  • All Clear Channel stations: Flagship station: KFAB (1110 AM)
  • All Waitt Radio Stations: Flagship station: KQKQ (98.5 FM)
  • All Journal Broadcasting Stations: Flagship station: KSRZ (Star 104.5)
  • KMTV Channel 3
  • KETV Channel 7
  • WOWT Channel 6
  • KPTM Fox 42

Many of these stations also have information posted on their website.

Other methods of communication include:

  1. Closures will also be posted on the Clarkson College website and any social media utilized by the College.
  2. A RAVE Alert notification will be sent to everyone who has registered to receive messages.

Students who are unable to attend classes because of bad weather when the College is not closed should notify their instructor. If assigned to a clinical rotation, students should also notify the personnel at the clinical site. If the faculty member is not present at the clinical site during bad weather but the students were able to get there, they should stay until College personnel contact them with instructions. Please check with your clinical faculty for other specific contact instructions under these scenarios.

Tornado Watch & Warning Plan

UNMC Public Safety will notify the College in the event of a tornado watch or warning. The Director of College Facilities will call the designated points of contact as messages are received from UNMC Public Safety and announce the warning over the PA system.

Tornado Watch

When a tornado watch is issued, it means conditions are right for the development of a tornado.

  1. Floor Leaders are called with an impending emergency notice and will alert all individuals on each floor of the tornado watch.
  2. Each individual is responsible for lowering their blinds, preparing to save work and turning off any computer equipment.
  3. Tornado Warning: When a tornado warning is issued, it means a tornado has been sighted or indicated on radar. Take shelter immediately.

Main Building & Clarkson Commons & Education Center

  1. Each individual is responsible for closing the doors upon leaving their office/room, if there is time.
  2. Do not use elevators. Use the stairwell marked “Tornado Exit” to avoid the first floor lobby area.
  3. First, third and fifth floors exit through the north-side stairwell, adjacent to the men’s restroom.
  4. Second, fourth & sixth floors exit through the south-side stairwell, adjacent to the women’s restroom.
  5. All Clarkson Commons individuals find shelter in the stairwell.

Residence Hall

  1. Each individual is responsible for closing the doors upon leaving their office/room, if there is time.
  2. Use the Stairs, and go immediately to the storm shelter in the lower level of the Residence Hall. An alternate shelter for individuals in the Student Center is the storage area in the Marketplace. 
  3. Have a tornado buddy. Make sure your “buddy” evacuates with you.
  4. If a tornado warning is issued, or if you hear a tornado siren, every person in the Student Center should immediately take the stairs and proceed to the storm shelter in the lower level of the Residence Hall. An alternate shelter for individuals in the Student Center is the storage area in the Marketplace. 

RAVE Alert Notification System

Clarkson College, in collaboration with UNMC security, provides notification through the RAVE Alert system. RAVE Alert is used to communicate information to the College community quickly.

The selective mass communications platform, which is aimed at improving safety on campus, enables the rapid delivery of messages via:

  1. Mobile phone (SMS text message)
  2. Email (personal or school account)

Clarkson College and campus security can issue an immediate notification to everyone who is registered. All students are automatically registered into the RAVE Alert system upon acceptance into Clarkson College.

College Information