In the event of a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health and safety of students or employees occurring on the campus, WSU-Everett Security / EvCC Security and WSU Everett officials will determine and employ communication methods appropriate to the situation to notify the affected university community without delay. Confirmation of significant emergencies will require direct investigation by appropriate WSU-Everett Security personnel. For all campus law enforcement issues, WSU-Everett Security / EvCC Security will be primarily responsible for confirming a significant emergency or dangerous public safety situation on campus through victim, witness, or officer observations.
Taking into account the safety of the community, the officer-in-charge, or the above level, will assume the primary responsibility to determine the content, issue campus emergency notifications, and initiate the appropriate elements of the emergency notification system unless the notification will, in the professional judgment of responsible authorities, compromise efforts assist victims or to contain, respond to, or otherwise mitigate the emergency. Additional information about WSU Everett’s policies and procedures in place to respond to emergencies can be found at WSU Everett Campus Emergency Procedures. Other non-law enforcement emergencies such as hazardous materials releases, utility failures, computer systems/telecommunications failures, hazardous weather, infectious disease or public hazards, etc., may affect the WSU Everett campus. Whether the emergency is a law enforcement or non-law enforcement issue, those authorized to issue emergency notifications will be responsible for determining the appropriate segment or segments of the campus community to notify. Incident circumstances may require only a floor, building, facility, area, etc. to be notified as compared to the entire campus. Examples of situations that could require immediate emergency notifications could include:
- A dangerous assailant for aggravated assault, robbery, arson, rape, murder (even if a suspect is in custody), etc.
- An occurring or impending natural disaster, or an occurring or impending man-made disaster.
An emergency notification will include information that would enable members of the university community to take actions to protect themselves, including information about the type of incident, location and instructions on what actions to take, and other safety tips.
Dissemination of an Emergency Notification WSU
WSU has several methods to provide warning and notification of emergency situations affecting the campus. Notifications are distributed using any combination of the following:
- WSU alert system
- E-mail notifications to relevant students, faculty, and staff
- Posting on the university’s campus-specific WSU Alert webpage
- University social media platforms
- Notices on bulletin boards in prominent campus locations
- Public address systems in or outside campus buildings, if applicable
- Individual outreach to impacted individuals
- Host campus communication or alert systems.
Everett University Center faculty, staff, and students:
Please fill out the WSU Alert System Opt-In Form to opt in to receive emergency alerts through the WSU alert system.
The WSU Alert Notification System is another method for distributing emergency warnings, connecting directly to students, faculty, and staff using voice and text messaging by telephone and email (see UPPM 50.39). It includes basic directions on what steps to take in response. Receiving emergency warnings on personal cell phones, land lines, and email requires registration via a MyWSU account portal. All WSU students, staff, and faculty are subscribed into the system by default and have the option to opt out; they can update their information through their MyWSU account portal.
In addition to these primary notification methods, WSU OEM operates a campus-wide alert email listserv allowing email transmission of warnings and other messages to the campus population.
The complete WSU Alert system allows the university to disseminate official information via email, text messages, telephone, loudspeakers, the WSU Alert Page, social media, and other means to notify the campus population of emergencies or threatening situations. For example, during an active shooter situation, individuals would be made aware of the incident through the WSU Alert system and could assess their response based on their location and available resources.
Drills, Exercises and Training
At a minimum, testing and training exercises are conducted annually. The primary WSU campuses hold an emergency communications system test once a semester, including activation of the WSU Alert system, the Everett Clockwise warning system, and the WSU Alert Page; other emergency communication methods may also be activated. These tests may be scheduled and announced in advance or may be unannounced.
WSU holds drills or exercises for campus emergency responders and emergency management personnel at least once each semester, with follow-through activities to assess and evaluate existing emergency response plans, procedures, and capabilities. Whenever possible, emergency responders from local agencies participate alongside WSU responders. WSU publishes a summary of its emergency response and evacuation procedures in conjunction with at least one drill or exercise each calendar year, located at the WSU Office of Emergency Management under Emergency Procedures.
WSU Everett holds evacuation drills four (4) times annually per the International Fire Code. Students learn the locations of emergency exits and the direction to travel when exiting each facility for a short-term evacuation. WSU does not disclose designated long-term evacuation locations in advance, since those decisions depend on time of day, the building’s location, availability of designated gathering locations, and the nature of the threat. All other WSU units are encouraged to hold an evacuation drill at least once annually, or more frequently if required by the International Fire Code. Housing units at WSU Research and Extension sites conduct evacuation and fire extinguisher drills and offer additional training, such as that provided by local fire departments, when available.
The WSU Fire and Safety Compliance Officer will be responsible for maintaining records of each of these evacuation drills for seven years as required by the Clery Act. The Office of Emergency Management maintains records of all drills and exercises established for campus emergency responders as well as for emergency communications systems tests. The Office of Emergency Management annually publishes information on emergency response and evacuation procedures in conjunction with the test and maintains the records for seven years as required by the Clery Act. The records include, for each test, a description of the exercise, the date, the time, and whether it was announced or unannounced. WSU-Everett Security provides active shooter training, safety consultations, and can share information about online trainings and resources. Individuals interested in additional information should contact WSU-Everett Security at 425-405-1715.