Emergency Response and Evacuations

Emergency Response and Evacuation Procedures

The Department of Campus Safety’s Office of Emergency Preparedness & Fire Safety develops, communicates, and trains on the DU’s emergency policies, strategies, plans and procedures. The Office of Emergency Preparedness works closely with departments and offices to design, train and exercise emergency response and continuity of operation plans. This office educates students, faculty and staff on mitigation, preparedness, and response/recovery strategies. The office assesses DU’s preparedness for natural, epidemic and human caused emergencies while working collaboratively with representatives from the City and County of Denver and other local, regional, state and federal agencies on emergency planning. More information on what to do in case of emergency is located on the Department of Campus Safety’s website: https://www.du.edu/campussafety/emergency-preparedness.

DU has an Emergency Operations Plan and Aftercare Guide, referred to as “The Guide,” that details immediate response and evacuation procedures, including the use of electronic and cellular communication. The Guide includes information about the Incident Management Team, incident priorities, shelter-in-place and evacuation guidelines, and command and control procedures. It also details the processes and functions for DU to prevent, plan for, and respond to events that become critical incidents. Critical incidents are defined as events that may impact the life, safety, financial condition, property, and reputation of DU. DU mission critical departments are responsible for developing their own emergency action plans and continuity of operations plans for their staff and areas of responsibility.

As a part of The Guide, DU has an Emergency Management Plan managed by the Department of Campus Safety and University Relations. The plan outlines the appropriate response strategy for a variety of critical incidents and the organizational hierarchy to be utilized by DU during response and recovery. The Department of Campus Safety then identifies Emergency Response Teams, which consists of a group of individuals in each building to augment Campus Safety’s response during a fire evacuation or shelter-in-place situation. Members of the Emergency Response Team are trained on DU’s Emergency Management Plan.

Emergency and Evacuation Procedures for Student Housing

Evacuation procedures for student housing are included in the Fire Safety Report portion of this document.

Emergency and Evacuation Procedures for Non-Residential Buildings

DU publicizes general emergency response and evacuation procedures to the broad campus community through emergency procedures posters. The Department of Campus Safety has site- specific emergency procedures information. The Department of Campus Safety’s Office of Emergency Preparedness website includes information on how to respond to several different hazards/threats. It includes general information about procedures for lockdown, lockout, shelter-in-place, evacuation, evacuation for persons with disabilities, and emergency planning. The website can be accessed at https://www.du.edu/campussafety/emergency-preparedness. 

Testing, Exercises and Evacuation Drills

Regularly scheduled tests, drills, exercises, and follow-through activities are conducted to assess DU’s emergency response and evacuation procedures. All tests are documented with description of exercise, date, time and whether announced or unannounced.

Each year, DU conducts at least one tabletop exercise with the Incident Management Team. In 2023, an unannounced tabletop exercise was held on February 8 with the Incident Management Team and Incident Command Team. The tabletop exercise was centered around a fictitious active shooter incident on campus. Members of the Incident Management Team and Incident Command Team were present.

DU also conducts an annual test of the DU Alert system by sending out a test message to the campus community.

Fire evacuation drills are conducted annually for non-housing buildings and three times a year for most student housing buildings. The Ricks Center and Fisher Early Learning Center undergo three drills per quarter (one type each month): an evacuation fire drill, a lockdown drill, and a tornado drill. Student housing evacuation drills are documented in the Fire Safety Report section of this document. The purpose of evacuation drills is to prepare building occupants for an organized evacuation in case of a fire or other emergency.

Following all tests, documentation is completed with the details and outcomes of the exercise to evaluate response plans, efficiency of implementation, and opportunities for improvement.

Shelter in Place

There may be emergencies that arise that do not afford individuals the opportunity to evacuate. During these types of emergency situations, sheltering in place may be necessary. Sheltering in place means to stay inside a known, safe area to avoid adverse conditions in an exterior environment. Examples of emergencies where the shelter in place option may be necessary and/or preferred include severe weather or a hazardous material situation. Shelter in place procedures can be found at: https://www.du.edu/campussafety/emergency-preparedness/shelter-place. 

Missing Student Notification Policy

  • Introduction
    • The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1998, 20 U.S.C. § 1092(j) (“Clery Act”), is a federal law requiring institutions of higher education that maintain on-campus student housing to establish a missing student notification policy and related procedures.
    • When a residential Student at the University of Denver is reported missing, the University will follow this Missing Student Notification Policy and related procedures.
  • Policy Overview
    • As part of the Housing & Residential Education (“HRE”) housing application process and through a communication to all students from the Office of the Registrar, the University informs students of the opportunity to provide the name of, and contact information for, an individual whom the University should contact in case the Student is reported missing.
    • The University will inform Student(s) through its Annual Security and Fire Safety Report and this Policy that the University will:
      • register their missing Student notification contact information confidentially;
      • limit access to such contact information to authorized University officials; and
      • only disclose such contact information to law enforcement personnel in furtherance of an investigation into a reported missing Student.
    • If the Student is under 18 years of age and not emancipated, the University will notify a custodial parent or guardian of the Student within twenty-four (24) hours of the determination that the Student is missing, in addition to notifying any additional contact person designated by the Student on the Missing Student Notification form.
    • The University will notify the local law enforcement agency within twenty-four (24) hours of the determination that the Student is missing, unless the local law enforcement agency was the entity that made the determination that the Student is missing.
    • If the University cannot reach the contact person designated by the Student on the Missing Student Notification form within a reasonable time frame, the University may contact the Student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) if they were not listed as the designated contact.
  • Process Overview
    • Reports to Housing & Residential Education
      • If a family member and/or friend informs HRE staff that they have not been able to make contact with a Student, the HRE staff member must immediately notify the HRE Administrator on Call. Under the guidance of the HRE Administrator on Call, HRE staff members will (a) attempt to make contact with the Student by phone, room check, social networks known to HRE staff members, and/or with assistance from the Student’s roommate(s), friend(s), parent(s), and/or guardian(s); and (b) inform the HRE Administrator on Call of the results of HRE’s attempts to contact the Student.
      • The HRE Administrator on Call will inform the Department of Campus Safety (“Campus Safety”) of the inquiry regarding the Student. In consultation with HRE, Campus Safety will begin their investigation to determine whether the Student is missing and engage with law enforcement as appropriate.
    • Reports to Campus Safety
      • Members of the University community and other individuals who are concerned because they have been unable to make contact with a Student residing in University owned or operated housing may contact Campus Safety’s 24-hour dispatch center at (303) 871-2334 (1-2334). Once Campus Safety is notified, Campus Safety will initiate an investigation to determine whether the Student is missing. When University officials other than HRE staff are contacted under these circumstances, those officials must immediately notify Campus Safety so that Campus Safety may begin their investigation to determine whether the Student is missing.
      • To determine if a Student is missing, Campus Safety may, as applicable:
        • Attempt to contact the Student using phone and email contact information the Student has provided to the University;
        • Retrieve the Student’s photo, check the Student’s class schedule, and attempt to contact the Student in class;
        • Contact individuals on campus who may know the Student, such as their roommate(s), floor mates, other friends, acquaintances, professors, coaches, team members, club advisors, and fellow club members;
        • Determine where and when the Student used their DU ID to enter campus facilities;
        • Check the Student’s social media accounts for recent activity;
        • If the Student has a University parking permit for a vehicle, attempt to locate the vehicle;
        • Contact individuals off-campus who may know where the Student is located, such as employers and associates, parents, guardians, other family members; and
        • Use other investigative measures Campus Safety deems appropriate.
      • Should Campus Safety’s investigation determine that the Student has been missing for twenty-four (24) hours, Campus Safety will notify the following individuals and entities within twenty-four (24) hours of making that determination:
        • the Denver Police Department and other law enforcement agencies, as appropriate, unless the local law enforcement agency was the entity that made the determination that the student is missing; and
        • the contact person the Student designated on the Missing Student Notification form; for Students who are under the age of 18 and not emancipated, in addition to contacting the individual designated by the Student above, University officials must contact a custodial parent or guardian to inform them that the University has determined that the Student is missing.
  • Definitions
    • “Student” is defined in the University’s Honor Code as any persons registered for or auditing classes at the University; admitted to or enrolled in any University program; or on University Premises for any purpose related to the same regardless if the class, program, or other education activity is credit earning or part of a degree or non-degree program. For the purpose of this Honor Code, a person is also considered a Student if they have completed the immediately preceding term and are enrolled for a subsequent term or program; if they are representing the University between terms or programs; or, if they have been previously enrolled but are on a leave of absence or otherwise have a continuing relationship with the University.

Next Section: Fire Safety Report and Fire Statistics

Back to homepage and table of contents