Emergency Preparedness

Below are the university's guidelines relative to fire safety, severe weather, active shooter, and medical emergencies, along with additional emergency preparedness resources. Please review and become familiar with specific emergency preparedness and response practices and procedures within your unit as appropriate. Complete information about the university's emergency policies and procedures is here.

Fire Safety

Your top priority is your own safety. Take action to secure your own safety before you consider assisting others. Any decision to assist others is yours alone, and you are never required to do so. However, do not obstruct others as they evacuate the building. 

  • If you see or smell smoke or fire, activate the fire alarm, evacuate the building, and call 911 from a safe location.
  • Notify building administrator Jim Kennedy, 734-936-6803.
  • Familiarize yourself with locations of fire alarm pull stations, fire extinguishers, stairways and emergency exits in your building(s). Always identify two means of safe egress from your location.
  • If the building's fire alarm sounds, immediately evacuate via the nearest exit, encouraging those around you to evacuate as well.
  • Fire alarm activations require "full" evacuation of all affected buildings.
  • Evacuate through the nearest available exit. Please do NOT exit and congregate in front of the SPH buildings on Washington Heights. In the event of an emergency, fire and police vehicles and personnel will need full access via those entrances, and people congregating there will be in danger. Please move to one of the nearby parking lots, dorm courtyards, or another safe location. 
  • Use stairs, not elevators.
  • If you can do so safely, assist those with disabilities or special needs.
  • Stay clear of building exits and fire lanes.
  • Re-enter only when directed by authorities.

Tornado

Your top priority is your own safety. Take action to secure your own safety before you consider assisting others. Any decision to assist others is yours alone, and you are never required to do so. However, do not obstruct others as they seek shelter. 

  • Do NOT pull the fire alarm. You do not want people to exit the building!
  • Close all doors, including main corridors.
  • Move to the lowest interior space of the building (hallway, basement, restroom).
  • Stay away from windows and glass or objects that could become projectiles.
  • Crouch near the floor or under heavy, well-supported objects such as desks, and cover the back of your head.
  • Monitor local media outlets for updates and all-clear.

Active Shooter

Your top priority is your own safety. Take action to secure your own safety before you consider assisting others. Any decision to assist others is yours alone, and you are never required to do so. However, do not obstruct others as they seek safety. 

  • Call 911 if you can do so without being overheard by the shooter.
  • Run, if you can do so without encountering the shooter.  
    • Evacuate via a safe route to remove yourself from the threat.
    • Encourage others to leave, but don't slow down your escape.
    • Prevent others from walking into the danger zone.
  • Hide,  if not safe to run
    • Seek a safe location where you cannot be seen or heard
    • Secure the area by locking or barricading door
    • Turn off the lights
    • Silence phones and electronic devices
    • Remain quiet and still
  • Fight, as a last resort. If you cannot run or hide and you must confront the shooter, fight back. You may save your own life.
    • Use the element of surprise, if possible - for example, if you think the shooter may enter through a door that you cannot lock, hide behind the door with a heavy object, then strike fast and decisively, and keep at it until the shooter is incapacitated.
    • Distract, disorient, and disarm the shooter. 
    • Fight as a team if there are others with you. Gang up on the shooter, and attack until he is incapacitated.
    • Use improvised weapons - such as a fire extinguisher, laptop computer, tools (hammer, screwdriver), heavy coffee mug, a chair or small table, heavy desk phone, metal trash can with sharp edges. Do not worry about damaging equipment or furniture. You are trying to save your life! Choose items that can injure and incapacitate from the first blow, if possible. Your goal IS to incapacitate the shooter, which requires injuring him. To save your life, you must be decisive and aggressive, and not worry about the level of harm you inflict on the shooter. 
    • Fight to incapacitate the shooter. Fight to survive. 

To request an active shooter response training presentation, please contact the Division of Public Safety and Security Community Outreach at dpss-safety-security@umich.edu.

Medical  Emergencies

  • Call 911.
  • Notify building administrator Jim Kennedy, 734-936-6803.
  • If you are trained, administer first aid/CPR/automated external defibrillator (AED) as appropriate.
  • Keep people clear of the area where the emergency has occurred.
  • Meet the first responders and direct them to the incident location.
  • Remove yourself from the immediate area, so you will not be in the way as the emergency team works.

Building Incident Response Team (BIRT)

During fire or other emergencies, you will see SPH staff members wearing bright orange vests. These individuals have been trained to assist the SPH community in the event of an emergency. PLEASE follow the directions you receive from these individuals, even if they are not your supervisor or would not normally give you orders. It is very important to have orderly evacuation or sheltering in the case of a fire, weather, or other emergency. The best way you can assist the SPH community and the BIRT team is to follow their guidance.

Please DO NOT approach emergency responders or the building administrator or anyone who is assisting in managing the emergency. DO approach the BIRT team with any relevant information, questions, or concerns you may have, and the BIRT team members will relay your message appropriately.

Register for UM Emergency Alerts

https://dpss.umich.edu/emergency-management/alert/

Additional Resources

For more information on these and other emergency preparedness related topics, please visit the following websites and become familiar with the important role and responsibility you have during an emergency: