2024-2025 Student Handbook

a. To prevent an active assailant from entering your hiding place: i. Lock the door. ii. Blockade the door with heavy furniture.

4. If the active assailant is nearby: a. Lock the door.

b. Silence your cell phone or any other electronic devices. c. Turn off any source of noise (i.e. radios, television, etc.) d. Hide behind large items (i.e. cabinets, desks) e. Remain quiet.

5. If evacuation and hiding out are not possible: a. Remain calm

b. Dial 911, if possible, to alert police to the active assailant’s location. c. If you cannot speak, leave the line open and allow the dispatcher to listen.

Fight: as a last resort, and only when your life is in imminent danger, attempt to disrupt and/or incapacitate the active assailant by: 1. Acting as aggressively as possible against them. 2. Throwing items and improvising weapons. 3. Yelling.

4. Move as much as possible. 5. Committing to your actions.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION

Important fire safety information and evacuation procedures are provided to all students at the beginning of each semester. Since the procedures that must be followed vary slightly for each University building, students are required to familiarize themselves with the evacuation procedures for each building that they have classes in or occupy. Evacuation plans and means of egress are posted in all classrooms and most elevator lobby areas. All building occupants are responsible for becoming familiar with and adhering to the emergency evacuation procedures and for evacuating the building when an evacuation tone is sounded on their floor. Follow the instructions of the Suffolk University Police Department personnel or other emergency officials at all times.

FIRE ALARM PROCEDURES

If an emergency situation results in the fire alarm system being activated, occupants of the building will hear the following:

1. An initial alert (pre-signal) tone will sound. 2. Following the pre-signal round, the system will come on with a pre-recorded message that will state:

"Attention please, the signal tone you have just heard indicates a report of an emergency in this building. If your floor evacuation signal sounds after this message, walk to the nearest stairway and leave the floor. While the report is being verified, occupants on other floors should await further instructions." 3. This message will be repeated twice. If an evacuation signal follows the message, it will sound like a "slow whoop" tone. All individuals hearing this "whoop" on the floor where they are located must evacuate the area/building immediately. 4. Use the closest available exit stairwell to evacuate the building. Do NOT use elevators. 5. When exiting the building, use sidewalks and walk away from the building to allow for access by the Boston Fire Department and emergency personnel. 6. Go to the designated assembly area located for the Suffolk University building in which you are located. The designated assembly area for Sargent Hall is on Bosworth St, at the corner with Chapman Place (this is the area between the Beantown Pub and the Nine-Zero Hotel. 7. Do not re-enter the building until the Boston Fire Department, Suffolk University Police Department, or other emergency personnel have given the all clear. Assembly Areas: Information on assembly areas for all Suffolk University buildings can be found here.

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