Emergency preparedness
When you visited Messiah and then decided to enroll here, you probably didn't spend too much time thinking about how the University would handle an emergency, right? But, let's be realistic: bad or unexpected things can happen anywhere, at any time. So, take a few minutes and peruse this Emergency Response website. We want you to be prepared to respond calmly and responsibly to a campus emergency, and this is a great place to start.
There are some basic things you should know/do:
- Sign up for our Text Message Alert System. Then, in an emergency, you will be quickly notified and given instructions on how to respond. You'll also be among the first to know if we delay or cancel classes due to inclement weather.
- Program the dispatch phone number into your cell phone: 717-691-6005. This will connect you to campus safety personnel 24-7. On campus, dispatch can be reached at ext. 6005.
- Pay attention in residence hall meetings and classes when staff and faculty talk about things like how to safely evacuate a building, how to respond to fire alarms, what to do when the power goes out and so forth.
- Make a plan with your family in case of a campuswide evacuation. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of having a mutually agreed upon evacuation plan in place that determines where you will go in the unlikely event that we need to clear campus.
- Read the emails in your Messiah account that contain subject lines like: "emergency notification," "campus timely warning notice" and "emergency information." These are critically important messages containing specific information that will help you be safe.
- Be vigilant about your personal safety. Some of the basic things you can do to help protect yourself are to: 1) lock your car doors and residence doors; 2) familiarize yourself with the locations of the blue emergency phones around campus; 3) report suspicious behavior to Dispatch immediately; and 4) walk with friends after dark or use the Department of Safety's escort service. Read additional personal safety tips from the Department of Safety.
- Use discretion when you communicate via social media in an emergency or crisis situation. The University works to distribute accurate and verified information through its official social media channels as quickly as it can in an emergency situation. This can often be hindered by those on campus who are posting incomplete or unverified information simultaneously. It is helpful, however, to help disseminate official information from the University to others via your social networks in a crisis.
Your safety is a key priority for Messiah University. Please partner with us in making sure that you (and the rest of the Messiah University community) are equipped and prepared to respond well in times of crisis.