Emergency Management practitioners distinguish between “Shelter in Place” and “Secure in Place” (or “Lockdown”) notifications based on the pending threat to the community.   Both are instructions to put effective barriers between yourself and a threat. The difference is in the type of threat, and what kind of barrier is suggested.  Both are communicated to the community through our emergency notification system, Blackboard Connect.

Shelter in place

In certain situations – such as a weather emergency, environmental hazard (chemical release, air pollution), or local emergency (nearby police activity), College officials may direct you to SHELTER in place.  A shelter in place is the use of a structure and its indoor atmosphere to temporarily separate you from a hazardous outdoor atmosphere. This can be because of a hazardous material incident, or perhaps a weather related emergency.  It entails closing all doors, windows and vents and taking immediate shelter in a readily accessible location.   The purpose of a shelter in place is to direct the Bates community to safer locations to avoid the hazard, and to keep campus arteries clear for emergency use.

When it is necessary to shelter in place, you should:

• Remain calm
• If you are outside, seek cover in the nearest building. Do not wait until you see or smell the hazard to seek shelter. Resist the urge to go outside and “check it out”.
• Once inside, find an interior room or hallway and await further instructions. Stay away from exterior windows.
• Close and lock all exterior doors and windows (to avoid inadvertent opening).
• Turn off heating, cooling and ventilation systems.
• If you are inside, stay there, even if you do not normally work or reside in that building.
• Do not leave until an “all clear” is received.

 Lockdown (Secure in place)

In certain situations, likely involving an immediate physical threat on campus, College officials may direct you to LOCKDOWN or SECURE in place.

A lockdown may be instructed during situations such as the presence of a hostile or armed intruder on campus. A lockdown requires locking doors, windows, and barricading oneself to block entry to a campus facility, a classroom, or to an office suite.  The purpose of a secure in place is to create a secure physical location where a threat may be physically prevented to entering spaces – to lock down the campus and secure community members in place.  This also facilitates law enforcement activity.  When it is necessary to secure in place, you should:

• Remain calm
• If you are outside, seek cover in the nearest unlocked building. Do not wait until you see the danger to seek shelter. Resist the urge to go outside and “check it out”.
• If the buildings nearest to you have locked exterior doors, continue moving away from the danger and seek cover. Move to another building or leave campus if it is safe to do so.
• Once inside, find an interior room and lock or barricade the doors.
• Turn off lights, silence phones, close blinds, and move away from windows. This avoids creating indicators that the intruder may see or hear to detect people.
• Await further instructions.
• Do not leave until an “all clear” is received.

Once in a secure space, the space needs to remain secure. If there are individuals outside the secured door that seek to enter, they may endanger you and others. Use good judgement.

In an emergency, the Bates community will receive instructions through text messages and email.  The Bates website will also be used to explain what actions our community should take.  Remember, stay calm, always use good judgement, and do not take unnecessary risks.  Human safety is always the highest priority. There are exceptions to all guidance and prescribed directions.