10 a.m. — UW Tacoma Alert will be sent announcing start of drill period

10:05 a.m. — Lockdown portion of drill begins. All interior and exterior doors to be locked.

Please spend five minutes simulating a quiet and still environment. Then, please spend five to ten minutes discussing the following resources:

10:30 a.m. — UW Tacoma Alert will be sent to END lockdown portion and conclude drill

Who will be conducting the drills?

Each functional area of campus will be responsible for conducing the drills. For example, instructors will be responsible for conducting the drill with their students. Departments will be responsible for conducting the drill with their staff.

When will the drills start, and how long will they last?

The drills start when a UW Tacoma Alert announcing the start is sent via email and SMS text message, with a target start time of 10 a.m. on both April 3 and April 6.

On April 3, the drill will occur during the 9:30-10:50 a.m. instructional session on the UW Tacoma undergraduate time matrix. On April 6, the drill will start at the conclusion of the 8 – 10 a.m. instructional session on the matrix, and extend through the beginning of the 10:10 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. session.

The drills will last 30 minutes or until a UW Tacoma Alert announcing the drill end is sent.

The lockdown portion of the drill will start at 10:05 a.m., or five minutes after the start announcement is sent. Unlocking is a phased process which will begin at about 10:20 a.m. and conclude at 10:30 a.m.

What is the purpose of this drill?

This emergency preparation drill focuses on our response to an active shooter on campus.

What should students, faculty and staff expect during the drill?

It is important for everyone to consider what they would do in their specific situations. What are the configurations of your various classrooms, work areas, office spaces, etc.? What are your escape options and hideout options?

Resources describing campus procedures for active shooter/lockdown situations, such as those listed above, should be shared and discussed.

What if I feel anxious, nervous or uncomfortable before, during or after the drill?

The drill scenario may cause some to feel uncomfortable. Psychological and Wellness Services is available to students, and UW CareLink and SafeCampus are available to employees. These resources are available before or after the drill.

What if I am walking through campus?

This is a campus-wide exercise meant to simulate an actual event. Persons walking through campus should, if close enough to a building, move inside and seek shelter in a classroom. Note that classrooms that are already locked, per our procedure, will not respond to knocks or requests for entry. If personnel are unable to find appropriate interior shelter, they should move to a location that hides them from view (Note that in an actual active shooter event, if you are in your vehicle, you should move away from the campus if you are able to safely do so.).

What if I am late for class or work?

As part of the drill scenario, classroom doors will be locked to simulate a campus lockdown. We kindly ask students, staff and faculty to plan accordingly when arriving to campus. If late to class, students will have to wait until the drill scenario ends to enter class.

Will Tacoma Police Department or other first responders be on campus?

No, for this drill Tacoma PD and other first responders will not be on campus. UW Tacoma Campus Safety & Security will be actively participating in the drill.

How will you be communicating with campus before, during and after the drill?

Notifications will be sent via email before the drill to remind the college community of the upcoming drill. On the day of the drill, we will send out a message via the UW Tacoma Alert system notifying the start of the drill at 10 a.m. Another UW Tacoma Alert will be sent at 10:30 a.m. to conclude the drill.

If I have more questions, who do I contact?

Questions or concerns from students, faculty and staff can be directed to Susan Wagsul-Golden, director of UW Tacoma Campus Safety & Security, 253-692-4425 or swg5@uw.edu.

All questions from news media should be directed to John Burkhardt, director of communications, 253-692-4536 or johnbjr@uw.edu.