Emergency Procedures

General guidelines for emergencies

Familiarize yourself with the emergency action plan for your area so you will know what to do in the event of an emergency.
Listen to and act on your intuition. It is better to be safe and risk a little embarrassment than to stay in an uncomfortable situation that may be unsafe.
When you leave your office or lab, you should always lock the door.
Never leave your personal property (purse, wallet, keys, briefcase, backpack, etc.) in an open area or unlocked cabinet, making it an easy target for theft.
If you work alone before or after normal business hours, keep the door locked.

Each building on campus has a designated evacuation plan in the event of an emergency that would require such action. These plans are posted on each building floor and can be accessed online. Other than fire alarms, ISU Police are responsible for determining if the emergency or dangerous situation is such that a building evacuation is necessary and, if so, notifying the occupants of the building or buildings of the decision to evacuate.

Fire and evacuation alarms are intended to alert building occupants of a fire or other life-threatening situation. Upon hearing the alarm, everyone should leave the building immediately. During evacuation, the following steps should be taken to ensure the safety of all building occupants:

Assist injured personnel or notify emergency responders of the medical emergency.
Exit the building following emergency maps.
Assist physically impaired individuals to a secure area and notify emergency responders.
Ensure all personnel are out of the building.
Do not use the elevators.
Assemble personnel at a remote location noted on evacuation maps.
Report hazardous conditions.
Stay low if confronted with smoke. Check closed doors for heat before opening.
Stay away from the building until it is safe to return.

Additional resources

Emergency Evacuation Guidelines for Persons Needing Assistance (PDF)

If you are a victim of an attack or threat, follow these guidelines:

Remain calm; avoid panicking or showing anger or fear.
Never get in a physical confrontation over your personal valuables or university equipment or valuables. Such things are not worth the risk of severe bodily harm.
Try to get a good description of your aggressor. When the aggressor leaves the area and you feel safe, write down their description.

Call the Department of Public Safety at (515) 294-4428 to initiate the appropriate response to an unsafe situation you have experienced or may be experiencing, regardless of how big or how small the concern is. This number is monitored 24 hours a day. A dispatcher will take down the information and relay it to an officer. An officer will then come to your location and take a report if necessary. You may also report crimes in person at the Armory, Room 55.

Please refer to the procedures outlined on our Spills, Leaks, and Releases page if an event occurs.

Emergency Procedures