Responding to an Emergency

The University of Southern Mississippi has detailed plans in place to deal with emergencies and crisis that may occur on campus.

In the event that the campus community must be notified of an emergency or crises on campus, the following mechanisms could be used:

• E-mail alerts to all faculty, staff, and students
• USM web page
• Phone messaging system
• Text Messages
• Media alerts to local TV and radio outlets
• Weather Alert Siren

If you are notified of or involved in an emergency or crisis, stay calm, assess the situation, and be prepared to take safety precautions based on your personal situation.

• Stay away from the area of the emergency or crisis.
• Find a safe place and stay there until you are notified that the emergency is over.
• If you are directly affected by the emergency, call 911 or UPD 601.266.4986 as soon as it is safe to do so. Provide as much information as you can and stay on the phone until told to hang up.
• Alert others if you can without endangering yourself.
• Evacuate the area by a safe route if possible.
• If the emergency is an active threat and you are unable to evacuate the area, attempt to seek an area of safe refuge.
• If you must seek refuge, secure doors and windows as quickly as possible and barricade as many items between you and the threat.
• Do not attempt to make contact with the individual(s) responsible for the threat unless no other option is available.
• Once in a secure location, do not open the door for anyone but the police.

The University of Southern Mississippi Police Department is a fully recognized law enforcement agency by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Officers are highly trained and capable of responding to all types of emergencies that would include threats such as an active shooter.

Officers train for specific types of situations and participate in regular training exercises, such as firearms, driving, CPR/First Aid, year round in order to maintain proficiency. Should an emergency, crisis or calls for additional assistance be warranted, UPD will work with area public safety agencies as is needed.

While we hope that our emergency plans will not have to be put into action, UPD is prepared to handle any situation that may arise.