Public Safety and Emergency Policies & Procedures

Emergency Medical Care

To obtain emergency medical care services at the scene of a seriously injured or ill person:

Office of Public Safety 871-2108
Village of Alfred Ambulance Corps 911

Be prepared to give a brief description of the patient's condition and his/her exact location.

If the person does not appear to need hospitalization, call the Alfred University Rescue Squad, 871-2188 or the Wellness Center – Health Services, 871-2400, for evaluation. Report injuries and other incidents to a member of the University staff (Residence Life, Public Safety, Student Experience and/or Human Resources).

Transportation to and from scheduled medical visits is the responsibility of the individual student.



Most of our community members are familiar with the “lockdown” concept practiced throughout the nation’s K-12 schools whenever there is a potential for violence on school property. That practice works well in the strictly controlled environment that operates on a universal, common schedule and has clearly defined physical boundaries. The “lockdown” concept is impractical for most of the country’s college campuses for that same reason. Most colleges and universities are open to visitors and seldom feature gates, fences or checkpoints. The Office of Public Safety offers the following practical suggestions to our community members to adapt to the principle of “Shelter in Place” rather than “lockdown”.

If you are notified that an emergency is in progress and you receive the direction to “shelter in place,” please proceed as follows and wait for further instructions.

Notification of a hostile person on a campus may come from a pre-recorded message on the campus phones, a text message, by runner, by e-mail, or by public alert through loud speakers on campus. These guidelines apply to any building on or near campus, including residence halls, academic buildings, administrative buildings, etc.

  • Faculty/Staff should immediately close the doors to their classroom/office. Lock them if possible. If locks are unavailable, barricade doors unless there is an imminent need to be silent. Attempt to cover any door or classroom windows or openings that have a direct line of sight into the hallway.
  • If communication is available, call 911 or 871-2108.
  • Do not sound the fire alarm. A fire alarm would signal the occupants to evacuate the building and thus place them in potential harm as they attempted to exit
  • Lock the windows.
  • Stay away from the exterior and interior windows, if possible.
  • Turn off all audio equipment.
  • Try to remain as calm as possible.
  • Keep everyone together
  • Keep classrooms locked, insist that occupants remain until police arrive and give you directions.
  • If you are in an open area such as a hallway or vestibule, try to get to a classroom or an office and then follow above procedures. Do not go outside, unless you feel comfortable that you can make it without harm.
  • Stay out of open areas and be as quiet as possible.
  • If for some reason you are caught in an open area such as a hallway or lounge, you have several options:
  • You can try to hide, but make sure it is a well-hidden space or you may be found by the intruder as the intruder moves through the building looking for victims.
  • If you think you can safely make it out of the building by running, then do so. If you decide to run, do not run in a straight line. Attempt to keep objects such as, desks, cabinets, fixtures, etc. between you and the hostile subject. When away from the immediate area of danger, summon help in any way you can and warn others.
  • If the person(s) is/are causing death or serious physical injury to others and you are unable to run or hide, you may choose to play dead, if other victims are around you.
  • Your last option, if you are caught in an open area in a building, may be to fight back. This is dangerous but, depending on your situation, this could be your last option.
  • If you are caught by the intruder and are not going to fight back, obey all commands and don’t look the intruder in the eyes.
  • Once the police arrive, do not run toward them. Obey all police or emergency officer’s commands. This may involve your being handcuffed, or keeping your hands in the air. This is done for safety reasons. Once the police evaluate circumstances, they will give you further directions to follow.

When a hostile person(s) is actively causing death or serious physical injury or threatening imminent death or serious physical injury to person(s) on the University grounds, we recommend the following actions be taken:

Run away from the threat if you can, as fast as you can.

  • Do not run in a straight line.
  • Keep vehicles, bushes, trees and anything that could possibly block your view between the hostile person(s) and you while you are running.
  • If you can get away from the immediate area of danger, summon help, call 911 or 871-2108, and warn others.
  • If you decide to hide, take into consideration the area in which you are hiding. Will I be found here? Is this really a good spot to remain hidden?
  • If the person(s) is/are causing death or serious physical injury to others, and you are unable to run or hide, you may choose to play dead, if other victims are around you.
  • The last option you have, if caught in an open area outside, may be to fight back. This is dangerous, but depending on your situation, this could be your last option
  • If you are caught by the intruder and you are not going to fight back, do not look the intruder in the eye and obey all commands.
  • Once the police arrive, do not run toward them. Obey all police or emergency officers’ commands. This may involve your being handcuffed or made to put your hands in the air. This is done for safety reasons. Once the police evaluate the circumstances, they will give you further directions to follow.

This action/procedure guide cannot cover every possible situation that might occur, but it is a tool that can reduce the number of injuries or deaths if put into action as soon as a situation develops. Time is the most important factor in the optimal management of these types of situations.



Every member of the University community should do his/her part to prevent fires from starting and to be prepared to take appropriate action in the event that a fire does occur.

Know where the closest stairwell and/or exit to your room/suite are located and have a back-up plan in case that path is blocked.

Have a designated place where you and your roommates or suitemates can meet in case you have to evacuate.

Never assume that the alarm is a false one. Get out of the building when you hear the alarm sound. Do not re-enter the building until emergency personnel have given permission to do so.

  • Leave the building if the alarm sounds, unless it is unsafe to do so.
  • Sound the alarm if conditions warrant.
  • Close all windows within your area to prevent cross drafts from entering the building.
  • Keep all interior and exterior fire doors closed to prevent cross drafts from entering the building; this will help retard the spread of fire.
  • If your door is closed, place your hand (outer, not palm side) against the door. If it is warm or if you smell smoke, do not open the door. Follow the directions under "what to do if trapped by smoke or fire."
  • Evacuate without unnecessary running. Avoid any action which might cause others to panic.
  • Do not use elevators for evacuation. Power failures can cause the elevator to stick between floors; smoke and fire can travel up through the elevator shaft.
  • Familiarize yourself with the locations of all available exits, including fire escapes. If an exit is blocked by smoke or fire, go to the next available exit. Give assistance and direction to those following after you, particularly the handicapped.
  • Use caution when approaching stairwell entrances; you may be merging with evacuees from other floors.
  • Travel downward on stairs, unless it is unsafe to do so.
  • After you have completely cleared your building, look back; someone may be signaling for assistance from a window. By alerting firefighters or residence hall staff, you will help to speed their rescue.
  • Do not re-enter the building until emergency personnel have given permission to do so.
  • If your door is closed and you suspect that a fire is located just outside, use any available material to seal the threshold to prevent smoke from entering the room. If you find that you are trapped in an area while the door is open, use a coat, shirt, skirt, or similar material to close it, protecting your hand against possible burns form the heated door or doorknob. Next, seal the threshold to prevent smoke from entering the room.
  • Partially open a window and stay near it, keeping low and breathing fresher air supplied from outside.
  • If no telephone is available, use a coat, shirt or similar item to signal your location by waving the item outside of the window. Those evacuating the building may see your signal and alert rescue teams.
  • Remain as calm as possible, breathing normally only the fresher air supplied by the open window. Once your location has been determined, rescue efforts will begin.

In the event of a fire, your primary responsibility is to follow the evacuation procedures for your building.

If it is necessary to put out a fire, the following information clarifies extinguisher type and use:

  • Pressurized water extinguisher is used for wood, paper, textiles, and ordinary combustible materials. Never use water on electrical fires.
  • Carbon dioxide (CO2) is used for flammable liquids, electrical wire or equipment.
  • ABC dry chemical may be used for any of the above.
  • Misuse of fire extinguisher and other fire safety equipment is a violation of University policy as well as state law. Individuals who misuse fire safety equipment are subject to University’s student conduct process.

Personal safety is an issue everyone must be aware of and take personal responsibility for. Remember when walking after dark to walk with someone else, utilize the residents escort service be calling the office of public safety 871-2108 for an escort.

The gates located on campus are locked daily at 3:30 pm be sure your car is not inside the gates.

If you have a guest that will be staying on campus and they have a car, contact the Office of Public Safety for a Guest Parking Permit 871-2108.