This fall, Cabrini University will be trying something that has not been practiced in the past: an Active Shooter Lockdown Drill. Even though the campus has gone on lockdowns in the past, it has been for events that have occurred off-campus such as the bubble wrap incident at Valley Forge Military Academy two years ago.
With the rise in gun violence, especially mass school shootings, it has become imperative that Cabrini take steps to protect its students, faculty and staff while on campus. This drill will help train students, faculty and staff on what to do during an active shooter situation, as well as help Cabrini prepare for any situation that could bring harm to the school.
The drill will take place on a random day this semester; the date undisclosed to help keep the drill as real as possible. Everyone on campus will know when the drill begins, as they will hear a siren coming from the PA system on Founder’s Hall and Holy Spirit Library. The siren will sound like a fire engine and occur for two minutes.
While the siren occurs, there will be a text and email alert sent to all registered accounts via E2Campus. At the same time, a notification will be sent to all 900 computers on the Cabrini Network with a “warning” flashing across the screen. This will alarm the user to lock down and take shelter.
E2Campus will be important during this drill as Public Safety will be using the notification system to communicate with everyone involved with the drill and parents who have signed up for E2Campus.
To prepare for this drill, sign up for E2Campus if you have not already, know your escape route for any space you may be in, know how to block the door, stay where you are and hide. Do not try to run or fight unless necessary.
Keep in mind that while in a lockdown you are not supposed to leave where you are until given the all clear through E2Campus. If a fire alarm starts to go off, remain in place unless otherwise notified as there is a possibility that it is an active shooter trying to lure out possible victims.
During a real active shooter situation, work with police but also stay out of their way. They are looking to take the shooter into custody before they help the victims and those inside the buildings.
During the drill, all faculty, students and visitors on campus should shield themselves in a safe location by turning off lights, silencing cell phones, locking and barricading doors, as well as listening to instructions from professors. Barricading doors is highly encouraged, unless it causes damage to the building. If you are in one of the 11 residences halls, do the same in barricading doors, staying away from windows and finding the safest spot in the room you are in to hide.
If you are outside when the siren sounds, find the nearest building and go into it to hide. The doors will lock, but students have access to certain buildings when locked via their ID cards. If you are unable to enter a building, look around you and ask yourself what you know. Make a decision based on what you know.
If you are able to get off campus before campus closes, try to get off campus (as this is only a drill, you do not need to leave). If you are in the shuttle on your way to or from campus, the shuttle will find a safe location to wait out the situation.
“Don’t come back [to campus],” Joe Fusco, Director of Public Safety, said. “[the shuttle would] take out kids somewhere safe.”
Elected Campus officials from the Public Safety Department, Safety Committee and the Radnor Police Department will be going through the buildings to guarantee the doors are locked and to see how the campus reacts to during the drill.
The Safety Committee consists of different departments on campus such as Human Resources, Residence Life and Public Safety that allows for people to help keep campus as safe as possible through reporting areas of concern.
Once the drill is over, there will be an email, text and desktop alert sent saying, “All Clear, Drill Complete.”
If you would like to receive more information, or ask Public Safety any questions there is another public meeting on Sept. 25 at 10am for Faculty and Staff in Widener Lecture Hall and one for students at 3pm in Grace Hall GHMR – A-B.
There will be NO gunfire or simulations of gunfire at all. First Responders from Radnor and Tredyffrin Police Departments will already be on the scene as observers.
