Campus Safety and Emergency Guidelines

Number Emergency Service

911 Emergency – Use in Case of Fire, Medical Emergency, or Crimes in Progress
903-233-4444 LETU University Police (answered 24/7, 365 days a year)
903-237-1199 City of Longview Police, Fire, and EMS Communications
800-746-7661 East Texas Poison Control Center (have all necessary information ready)
903-233-4445 LETU Health Services – Non-Emergency (Available Mon-Fri: 8-12 and 1-3)
903-233-4441 LETU University Police Department – Chief of Police

REMEMBER: When reporting an emergency, information can be more important than speed in providing the proper response. Please:

• Take time to talk with the person on the phone
• Be prepared to respond to questions they will have
• Stay on the line until instructed to do otherwise
  

The City of Longview EMS ambulance service does not charge any fee for responding to a medical emergency or for treating injuries. Charges are only incurred when they transport an individual for further medical treatment.

IN AN EMERGENCY

When calling in an emergency to off- or on-campus emergency response teams, state:

• Your name
• The nature of the emergency
• The location
• Type of assistance required.
  

Stay on the phone until the operator dismisses you, then go to a location from which to direct emergency vehicles or services.
If 911 is dialed, next call University Police at 903-233-4444, or have someone else call if possible, and explain the emergency. Often, trained campus personnel can assist or provide immediate care as well as communicate directly with the emergency responders.

FIRE SAFETY

Soon after you check into your room, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the building. Find the two unlocked exits nearest your room. Exit routes for each floor are displayed on the back of the door in each room. Also, note the location of the nearest wall-mounted alarm and fire extinguisher.

IF YOU SEE A FIRE…

If the fire is contained (e.g. in a small trash can) or in a limited space, extinguish if possible. If you put out a fire, no matter how small, immediately call University Police at 903-233-4444 and report it. If the fire cannot be quickly contained, or if there is any doubt, do the following:

• Pull the fire alarm
• Get out of the building, and yell for everyone else to vacate the building as well
• Find the nearest phone from which you can safely call 911 and:
• Identify yourself clearly,
• Report that there is a fire at ___________,
• Give the full location of the fire (2100 S Mobberly Ave, Tyler Hall West, 2nd floor, room ____).
• Identify the type and extent of the fire and any known injuries, and
• Stay on the line until the emergency operator asks you to hang up.
• Notify University Police at 903-233-4444
  

IF YOU HEAR AN ALARM…

EVACUATION IS MANDATORY – YOU MAY NOT REMAIN IN A BUILDING WHEN THE FIRE ALARM IS SOUNDING!

• Awaken anyone sleeping and get out of the building as quickly as possible; any delay may endanger the life of a friend.
• Feel your door at eye level or above.
• If it feels HOT, do not open it! Seal the cracks with a wet towel or rug, and exit through or signal from the window.
• If it feels COOL, then make your way to the nearest exit, closing all doors behind you.
• In smoke, stay near the floor. Get away from the building and make your presence known to your resident assistant.
  

SEVERE WEATHER PROCEDURES

The East Texas area is susceptible to tornadoes. If a tornado is sighted, a tornado warning will be indicated by the City of Longview’s Early Weather Warning Siren System (EWWS) which will sound a 3-5 minute steady alarm. If you have registered for the LeTourneau University Electronic Campus Communication System (ECCS), you will receive a text message and email concerning warnings published by the National Weather Service. Regular updates will be sent out via text and email as the circumstances warrant.
If you hear this alarm, or if you are notified by University Police of an impending tornado threat:

• Locate and move quickly to the area in your building designated as a waiting area for severe weather. (You may not remain in any building with metal siding during a Tornado Warning.) These areas are noted on the exit routes posted in hallways and lounge areas. If unclear about the location of the waiting areas, then: (a) Move to the lowest level of your building, and (b) Find a central location away from windows and areas with wide spans, avoiding southwest exposures (in a residence hall, hallways on the first floor are best).
• Cover yourself with a mattress or other protection; in an apartment, the bathtub is a safe location, using the mattress as a shield against possible flying debris.
• If outside, get away from cars or loose objects and find a ditch, culvert, or other low area; be watchful of rising water. Do NOT watch the storm from overhangs or underneath an open bridge.
• If storm damage is heard or observed, stay indoors for an additional time until the storm has passed. Call 903-233-4444 to report damage or injury. Larger tornadoes may have a storm “eye” just as a hurricane does, and winds may recur after as long a minute or two.
  

NOTE: The City of Longview’s Early Weather Warning Siren System is tested the first Wednesday of each month at noon, unless severe storm conditions exist.
During electrical storms, athletic fields will close. If caught on a field or out in the open on campus during a storm, move quickly to a reinforced structure. Avoid taking shelter under trees. Thunderstorms can also produce large hail, so it is imperative to find a structure in which to wait out the storm. If someone has been struck by lightning, check to see if the individual is breathing. If the person is not breathing, begin CPR and notify persons as outlined in medical emergencies. A person struck by lightning holds no electrical charge and can be handled safely.

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION

From time to time, direct efforts are made by LeTourneau University to keep students informed of campus safety and security issues. This is done in a variety of ways including chapel assembly, residence hall staff training, emergency medical training for appropriate students and staff, campus emails, text messaging and other forms of communication. Students are encouraged to ask questions of university staff about any safety or security issues.
Students, faculty, and staff may opt to register for the Emergency Campus Communication System (ECCS) for notification via text message and email of specific warnings or circumstances as they develop. The ECCS will also be used to send timely updates informing subscribers of the progress or resolution of any such systems. The ECCS will NOT be used to publicize university events or programs. It is an emergency information distribution system only.

CRIME PREVENTION AND SUSPECT IDENTIFICATION

LeTourneau University is a private institution and therefore access to the campus, buildings, and grounds is limited to students, faculty, staff, and invited guests. Presence on the campus is not a right but a privilege, and university personnel—including University Police and local law enforcement agencies—have the right to remove people from campus upon request.
The University Police Department is our first line of protection; however, the University also has a cooperative relationship with the City of Longview Police Department, the Gregg County Sheriff’s Department, and Texas Highway Patrol. These law enforcement agencies are authorized to enforce the law in order to add to the safety of our campus. University Police is here to provide service to the students, faculty, and staff of LeTourneau University. It cannot function effectively without the concerned assistance of responsible students and employees; the department depends on students to call and report all suspicious persons or activities.
Call University Police IMMEDIATELY about suspicious persons or activities
Do not assume that someone else has already called and do not send an email assuming that someone will retrieve it immediately.

903-233-4444 LeTourneau University Police (answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
903-237-1199 City of Longview Police, Fire, and EMS Communication Center – Non-Emergency Line

THINGS TO LOOK FOR:

Anything that seems out of place could be criminal activity. Some things to watch for and report include:

• Any unknown person loitering in the residence halls, rooms or offices unoccupied by the regular residents, or a vehicle moving slowly through the same parking lot several times.
• A person exhibiting unusual mental or physical symptoms.
• Anyone trying to gain entrance to another person’s office or room.
• A stranger leaving an office, classroom, or residence hall with University property or carrying large, expensive items to a car.
• Anyone peering into parked cars or removing accessories, license plates, or gas from a car.
• Anyone cutting a lock or chain from a bicycle and/or loading a bicycle in a vehicle.
• Unknown person screaming or shouting.
  Statistics concerning criminal occurrences on campus are maintained by University Police, in their offices and online at www.letu.edu/upd.
  

FALSE REPORTS OR ALARMS

It is a Class A Misdemeanor for any person to make a false alarm or report that causes any emergency services agency or organization to create a response operation. If the report/alarm involves an institution of higher education, Texas Law prosecutes it as a State Jail Felony. A “Class A Misdemeanor” is punishable by a fine of up to $4,000 and/or up to one year in a county jail. If prosecuted as a “State Jail Felony,” the offense is punishable by 180 days – 2 years in a State Jail and/or a fine of up to $10,000. For more information, visit the University Police website at www.letu.edu/upd.

DISCIPLINE IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

Formal discipline and/or criminal prosecution will occur for students who:

• Tamper with fire alarm/smoke detector equipment,
• Intentionally activate fire alarms or create a situation causing an alarm to sound,
• Give false report of the existence of an emergency creating a response by University or local emergency service providing agencies, or
• Do not respond to University staff directing them during an emergency
  

OPERATION IDENTIFICATION

Operation ID is a citizen’s burglary prevention program that involves the marking of property with an identifying number for discouraging theft and facilitating recovery.

• Mark each item of your personal property with a portion of your Social Security or Driver’s License number. This number should be in an area that is not easily dismantled and which cannot be seen.
• List all the items identified and keep this list in a safe place, away from any valuables.
• Report stolen items immediately to the University Police Department at 903-233-4444. If the stolen items are valued at more than $500, University Police will notify LPD.
  

LOSS AND THEFT LIABILITY

The University accepts no responsibility for loss or damage to your personal possessions, whether by theft, fire, or other disasters, or by technological or electrical interruptions. You are encouraged to obtain your own insurance for personal belongings. Check with your parents concerning coverage on their Homeowner’s Policy, or consider purchasing your own college student dormitory or renter’s insurance policy.