First, and foremost, we would like to express and send our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of the victims at Virginia Tech. We are also very supportive and empathetic to the students, faculty, and administrators who are attempting to cope and respond to this tragedy, said Steven Butler, HSU Vice President for Student Affairs.
Of course, the nature of this event has already raised questions about Humboldt State’s safety, and campus preparedness should such an event ever occur at HSU.
Humboldt State students’ personal safety, well being, and success remain the main concerns of the university.
“The university constantly monitors students’ safety, and balances its ability to serve the public,” said Butler. “However, universities, by their very nature, are open to the public for educational purposes and cultural events. The possibility of a human-caused disaster is always a concern and no amount of preparation can prevent all crimes, especially such premeditated and calculated acts like the one at Virginia Tech.”
Humboldt State University Police Department Chief Tom Dewey said systems are already in place to help prevent a comparative disaster from occurring locally, including a multi-disciplinary University Crisis Consultation Team, and countywide network of law enforcement and school officials with specialized training in assessing potential threats.
These systems emphasize that the most effective police response is to intervene before a potential suspect ever acts out in violence.
“University staff and police treat any report of a potential safety threat very seriously, and thoroughly investigate it until the situation is resolved,” said Chief Dewey. “Humboldt State is committed to be as prepared as we can, not just to respond to this type of incident, but to prevent this from ever happening.”
In addition to threat assessment protocols, there are many proactive programs that the university provides to attempt to prevent human-caused disasters, including: a 24-hour 9-1-1 dispatch center; continuous presence of uniformed, armed California peace officers, electronic locks in the residence halls; professional and student staff in every residence facility; scheduled security walk-arounds; crime-prevention and educational programs; an active emergency response committee that trains and prepares the campus personnel and students; a highly visible and accessible police presence on campus; evacuation procedures posted in every room of every building; and, regular emergency evacuation scenarios both in the residence halls and on the general campus.
HSU also provides on-campus instruction, including scenario-based response to an active shooter training at Humboldt, and also brings neighboring law enforcement officers to the university on a regular basis.
As new technologies become available, the campus is continuing to refine its methods of emergency communication.
In the event of a shooting on campus, Dewey said a combination of methods — phone calls, Web sites, e-mail, posting flyers, pre-recorded information-line updates, or person-to-person messaging— would be used to notify students, depending on the situation and circumstances. Emphasis is always on ensuring that students receive accurate information about the situations soonest, and clear instructions as to what they should do.
In January, the campus conducted an extensive all-day emergency preparedness drill that included a campus evacuation, and simulated rescues with the helps of area emergency responders.
The drill helped educate and prepare the campus community about what to do in case of an emergency, and also familiarized area responders with the grounds and buildings of the campus.
The university was praised for the development and deployment of a new Campus Emergency Response Team and received many positive comments from area, state, and federal law enforcement, fire, and medical responders who participated in the drill.
“The university has undergone considerable emergency planning and preparation,” said Butler. “We believe that our well-prepared on-campus emergency response personnel, employees, area emergency responders and police, in conjunction with our relative small size will be valuable during a time when effective communications are crucial. It is also beneficial that the residence halls can be isolated from rest of the campus due to their proximity and the topography of the campus.”
For more information about the universitys emergency operations, visit http://studentaffairs.humboldt.edu/emergencyops/, or for emergency contact numbers, visit the University Police Web site at http://studentaffairs.humboldt.edu/police/index.php.
But as Dewey says, the best way to respond to a spree is to stop it before it happens.
For now, Humboldt State, like the rest of the nation, continues to share sympathies and anguish over Mondays terrible events.
Special counseling services are available the on-campus Counseling Center for students emotionally overwhelmed by the situation at Virginia Tech. Students can call (707) 826-3236 to make appointments, or visit http://studentaffairs.humboldt.edu/counseling/ for more information.
To view CSU Chancellor Charles Reed’s response, visit http://www.calstate.edu/pa/news/2007/virginia.shtml.
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EMERGENCY GUIDELINES FOR ACTIVE SHOOTER INCIDENTS:
When you observe an armed individual, hear gunshots, or see someone shooting,
- EXIT IF YOU CAN: If possible, get out of the building, away from the shots, and away from the shooter before you are targeted. In a dire situation this might mean going out a low-level window.
- DON’T LINGER IN THE AREA: This is not a time to wait around at a Rally Point or at an Emergency Assembly Point. Keep moving away from the dangerous area.
- CALL THE POLICE: Call 9-1-1 from any campus phone or 826-5023 from your cell phone to report whats happening. This is especially important if you can see or know exactly who the shooter is, where they are, or what they are doing at the time of your call. The police will ask you where you are, where the shooter is or their direction of travel, and the description of the shooter. Tell the police if you have any injuries and/or if anyone else needs medical attention.