Safety & Security
Should a University Emergency occur, the University will communicate via the web at www.mtu.edu/alert, email, and other methods as seen appropriate. For more information on what to do with in case of a crisis, please visit www.mtu.edu/safety.
Safety and security are important issues within the residence hall community. We work hard to provide a secure environment for residents while minimizing inconveniences. Each resident must be aware of and abide by safety and security regulations to protect him or herself and others.
All entrances into the residence halls are locked from 12:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. Residents may use their ID/access card to enter their hall at anytime. Phones are available at the main entrances to accommodate residents who forget their ID and for guests who arrive during the locked hours.
Although our campus is a generally safe place to live and go to school, there are some steps you should take to ensure your safety and the safety of the other people sharing your residence hall community.
They include:
- Keep your room door locked. This is important when you are asleep, when you are going down the hall for a couple minutes, or when you are going to class.
- Should an elevator become stuck between floors, do not open the doors and help people out. The elevator may begin working again at any time, potentially causing injury. Individuals need to remain in the elevator, while either Housing Facilities (during business hours) or the Management Assistant (MA) (after hours) are called. The appropriate person will turn off the power to the elevator so that there is no danger.
- Never prop open an outside door and/or let someone in behind you. Propping open doors allows people who aren't supposed to be in the hall access to your room and everyone else's in the hall.
- Residents are encouraged to engrave your Michigan Tech ID Number on possessions and lock room doors when absent for any period of time. It is also suggested to bring a personal lock box to store small valuable items. A Resident Assistant (RA) should be informed immediately of property loss or damage. Lost and found items are located at the reception desk of each hall, and donated to charity at the end of each semester if unclaimed. Expensive lost and found items will be given to Public Safety.
- Escort guests at all times. Report any suspicious persons or unescorted guests to the residence hall staff or Public Safety.
- Don't keep your ID with your keys. Those key chains with ID holders are a convenient way to carry your things, but if you lose your keys, you lose your ID. Whoever finds them knows where you live.
- Be cautious about personal information you are sharing on-line, as you know lots of people have access to this information.
- Report missing keys immediately. Facilities personnel will change the lock as soon as they can, which ensures you and your property remain safe.
- Lock your vehicle and keep valuable items out of sight.
- Follow campus polices. They are in place to protect you and your community.
- Leave immediately when a fire alarm sounds. Even though fire drills do occur in residence halls, don't assume the fire alarm is a false alarm. When you hear the fire alarm, leave the building. It's a good idea, and it's the law.
- Report anything suspicious or of concern to you and/or your community to your RA or to Public Safety (7-2216 or 911 emergency).
In all emergency situations, you can receive assistance from Public Safety by dialing 911 and from the residence hall staff.
The University has state certified Police Officers on patrol 24 hours a day, 7 nights a week.
All entrances into Residence Halls are locked from 12:00 AM to 7:00 AM daily. All exterior doors are opened via swipe access. Security cameras check all entrances when the exterior doors are locked. Security phones at main entrances are in place to accommodate residents who forgot their room key and for guests who arrive during the securied period.
Campus emergency phones are located on poles encased in a yellow box with a BLUE light overhead and other emergency phones have just a small BLUE light overhead. Push the red button on the panel inside and you will be connected to Public Safety. For locations of these phones, see here.
Fire Evacuation and Equipment
Fire fighting equipment and evacuation route postings are located throughout the residence hall.
Fire drills will acquaint residents with fire evacuation procedures. Residents will be given information regarding the fire alarm and evacuation procedures for the hall during their first house meeting. Failure to evacuate during fire alarms will result in disciplinary action.
Fire drills are held eight times per academic year. The first drill of each semester must be completed prior to the end of the first week of classes. DURING ALL FIRE DRILLS, ALL RESIDENTS AND STAFF OF EACH BUILDING MUST EVACUATE THE BUILDING.
Resident Evacuation Instructions
- Turn on Ceiling Light and Open Draperies.
Reason: This allows the Fire Department to check the rooms from the outside for smoke. Also, no lights in an area would indicate trouble in that area. - Close Windows.
Reason: By reducing drafts in the building the spread of smoke and fire will be slowed. - Touch inside of door to test for heat. If warm. Do not open.
Reason: If the air in the hall is hot enough to heat through the door, one breath of this air would kill you. - If you are trapped in your room by fire, keep your door and window closed tightly and stand in full view in the window until help arrives.
- Open door only if not warm. Brace yourself against the door and crack it slightly open to check the incoming air at the top of the door with your hand.
Reason: The pressure from superheated air is usually strong enough to force open the door. The door may not have had time to become heated. - Exit Immediately. Wear shoes; take your coat, room key, and Michigan Tech ID. Close and lock the door and walk away from the building by your assigned route. Do not talk. Listen for directions. Do not use elevators as an emergency exit. Stay low to the ground.
- When you leave the building, move to your assigned meeting area which will be at least 100 feet away from the building.
Reason: This will allow fire-fighting equipment and personnel to move freely in this area. Move further away from the building if instructed by Housing and Residential Life Staff, the Fire Department, or Emergency personnel. - Do not return to your room or re-enter the building. Wait for instructions. You may re-enter the building when the alarm is silenced OR after the all clear has been given by the Fire Department.
It is against state law to use fire equipment for a purpose other than it's intended use. Individuals tampering with life support, fire alarms, smoke detectors or fire-fighting equipment are subject to immediate dismissal from the University.
Nothing is permitted to obstruct or be hung on the Residence Hall fire sprinkler system or plumbing at any time. This includes piping, sprinkler head, and valves. Also, nothing can block the resident's windows at any time.
Tornado Procedures
Michigan law states that there must be (2) tornado drills per academic year in the residence halls. These drills will be initiated by Residential Life.
Procedure for Residence Halls
When a tornado warning is issued, Public Safety will contact the Residence Life Office during office hours, who will then initiate the phone tree. If after office hours, Public Safety will contact the Community Coordinator (CC) On-Duty who will initiate the phone tree. Residence Life will also initiate all drills using the same procedure.
The MAs will contact Dining Halls and evacuate public spaces and elevators.
The RAs will go door to door in their house and/or other assigned areas informing the residents of the tornado warning and instructing them to:
- Leave any room with a window.
- Shut room door.
- Do not use the elevators. Do not use hall fire alarm.
- Move as quickly as possible to an evacuation location listed below.
- Sit quietly and wait for the all clear to be announced.
- Once the all clear has been announced students may return to their room if no damage has been sustained. If there has been damage to the hall, wait for further instructions.
East McNair
- Ground, 1, 2 – Remain in hallway with the doors shut.
- Floor 3 evacuate to ground floor hallway
- Floor 4 evacuate to first floor hallway
- Floor 5 evacuate to second floor hallway
West McNair
- 1 & 2 - Go to first floor interior hallways.
East and North Wads
- Ground, 1, 2 – Remain in hallway, away from lounges, shut doors
- Floor 3 – Evacuate to ground floor hallway away from lounges.
- Floor 4 – Evacuate to first floor hallway away from lounges.
- Floor 5 – Evacuate to second floor hallway away from lounges.
West Wads
- Ground, 1,2 – Remain in hallway away from lounges and windows, shut doors.
- Floors 3 & 4 – Evacuate to first floor near guest rooms.
- Floor 5 – Evacuate to second floor away from lounges.
DHH
- Floor 1- Remain in hallway with doors shut.
- Floors 2 & 3 – Evacuate to ground floor laundry and game room.
Procedure for Apartments
- When severe weather occurs, listen to the radio or watch TV for important weather alerts and warnings.
- If you are:
- In an Upper Heights second floor apartment: Go into the downstairs hallway and move into the corner nearest apartment 'C'.
- In an Upper Heights downstairs apartment: Go into the bathroom and shut the door.
- In an Lower Heights apartment: Go into the mechanical/storage room and shut the door, or into a windowless room (i.e. most bathrooms).
- If caught outdoors: Go to a low ditch or ravine and crouch or lie flat in the lowest part of the ditch or ravine.
- Stay away from glass as much as possible. Crouch with your knees on the floor, cover your head with your hands, and bend forward until your chin touches your knees.
- Remain in shelter until the warning has been cancelled or the tornado has passed.
Relief Services
In any emergency, there may be persons who have been hurt or otherwise victimized by the circumstances. Our first priority is to provide a safe environment where we can care for the needs of people, and assure that no others are hurt.
Provisions with local agencies to provide relief services, including food, shelter and clothing, to the victims of disastrous emergencies will be made. Should any resident be left homeless as the result of fire, tornado, or similar situation the Director of Housing and Residential Life or designee will make necessary arrangements.
Hostile Intruder(s) in a Residence Hall or Apartments
If a hostile person(s) is actively causing deadly harm or the imminent threat of deadly harm within the residence hall or apartments, here are recommend procedures be followed link.
For more information, please visit the Public Safety site.
For professional staff use only click here.
For residence hall student staff only click here.