Reporting and Communicating Emergencies

The person who becomes aware of the situation/incident should immediately report it to Campus Safety.

Campus Safety will respond to the report, assess the situation, and act to protect life and property.

If Campus Safety determines that there is no immediate danger or threat to others, they will notify the Vice President for Human Resources and Risk Management (VPHRRM) (who then tells the president) and the appropriate unit VP.

If Campus Safety determines that there is immediate danger or a threat to others, they will first notify the president and then the VPHRRM.

State of Emergency

Primary Communication: If the president declares a campus state of emergency, communication* to the campus community will occur in the following ways, initiated simultaneously by those designated below.

  1. Email to all users – sent by the president or by the VHRRM if the president is unavailable
  2. Phone message to the entire campus system (using speaker phone capability wherever feasible) – sent by Campus Safety
  3. Website message on the home page – posted by Director of Website Communications
  4. Door-to-door communication via notification of building coordinators and resident assistants – initiated by Campus Safety
  5. Optional Emergency Alert System - create a free account to the Omnilert Alert System

* The content of this message will be determined by the president in consultation with Campus Safety. The president will have several, pre-crafted messages on hand to consider in the determination of an appropriate emergency message. Once notified, the Vice President for Institutional Advancement and University Relations (VPIAUR) and Executive Director Marketing and Communications (EDMC) will assist with the creation of subsequent messages.

Secondary Communication: The president and members of the president’s staff will inform other important constituencies about the emergency via telephone, email or other methods, as necessary. These groups include the leadership of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, neighbors who live near or adjacent to the campus, and the Board of Trustees.

August, 2015