Campus Safety may initiate an emergency lock down of one or more buildings when there is an imminent threat to the PLU community. Occupants may also initiate a lock down to protect themselves from perceived threat.

Entrance Door Locks

Campus Safety will remotely activate networked key card access locks on entrance doors. Occupants in some buildings can activate the key card locks on entrance doors by using the lock down pull station. In buildings without key card locks, designated occupants will lock the entrance doors during normal business hours. Know the lock down system and limitations in your building.

Lock Down

• Notify others, both inside and outside, to come in and lock down. Use judgement about the safety of doing so.
• If locked out, seek safety. Hide behind a bush, leave the campus, drive away in your car, go to another business.
• Move to a location in the building that can be locked or otherwise secured, such as with a door wedge or stacked furniture. Shut and lock windows.
• Hide. Get out of the line of sight and gunfire. Stay away from windows. Draw shades. Turn off lights.
• Avoid detection. Be quiet. keep low to the floor.
• Be ready to move, if current position is judged to be too dangerous.
• Do not use the telephone system to request information.
• Do communicate specific, known threats to Campus Safety by phone, 253-535-7911, or email, csin@plu.edu.
• Open doors only when a campus "all clear" is received via emergency notification channels or by recognized building authority.
• Be alert if the fire alarm is activated. It likely indicates there is a fire and you should evacuate. It may also be triggered by the perpertrator in order to push a crowd into a target area.

Learn what to do when unable to avoid threat.

Atmospheric (biological, chemical, radiological, volcanic) Threat

Close sources of fresh air, such as windows, fireplace dampers, and ventilation systems, when possible, and do not use the elevator. Do NOT move in and out of building. If the threat is severe, relocate within the building to an upper floor away from exterior doors and windows. Select a room(s) which is easy to seal and, if possible, has a water supply and access to restrooms. If you smell gas or vapor, hold a wet cloth loosely over your nose and mouth and breathe through it in as normal a fashion as possible.

Other Actions

If available, take a radio or television to the selected shelter room to track emergency status. Keep telephone lines free for emergency responders. For instance, do NOT call 911 to find out what is going on. Maintain secure position until notified by recognized emergency responders that it is safe to move.