As part of our ongoing efforts to increase readiness for the potential of a hostile event on campus, The Office of Emergency Management and the University Police Department conduct numerous training exercises to test our response plans and develop best practices:
- During academic breaks, University Police conduct Reality Based Training on campus, inviting off-campus law enforcement agencies to participate in their scenario-based training in residence halls, academic buildings, support facilities, and on campus grounds.
- Throughout the academic year, Active Shooter Awareness and Prevention Training is offered to the campus community. Faculty, Staff, and Students are encouraged to attend.
- On a continual basis, the Office of Emergency Management facilitates Tabletop Exercises (TTX), drills, training, and exercises designed to test our existing Emergency Management Plan and identify areas of improvement.
How to respond if an Active Shooter or Hostile Event occurs:
Quickly determine the most reasonable way to protect your own life. Remember that students are likely to follow the lead of faculty or staff during an active shooter situation. In any hostile event incident you should react in any manner that may increase your likelihood of survival. As every residence hall, office, building, and facility on campus is different, there is no single way to respond to an active shooter or hostile event. The best approach for anyone involved is to assess the threat and react accordingly: either running, hiding, or fighting.
Good practices for increasing your situational awareness and improving your personal safety every day:
- Be aware of your environment and any possible dangers
- Take mental note of the two nearest exits
- If you are in an office, envision ways to stay hidden and secure the door
- If you are in a hallway, envision ways to get into a room and secure the door
- Ensure accurate information is provided to NPAlert for timely notifications
- Store the number for University Police in your cell phone as (845) 257-2222
- Report doors that do not close all the way or are propped open - if doors don't close on their own or are propped they will not prevent an intruder
Campus Emergency Response Plans for Faculty & Staff and for Students are available at http://www.newpaltz.edu/emergency/responseplan.html.
Any questions or concerns can be emailed to emergencymanagement@newpaltz.edu
Watch the SUNY New Paltz Active Shooter awareness/prevention video:
