• Avoid walking alone or appearing distracted by wearing headphones or talking on your cell phone.
• Share your class schedule with family and friends, effectively creating a buddy system.  It is always a good idea to use the buddy system or travel in groups.
• When you go out, let someone know where you are going and when you plan to be back.
• Do not carry your passport, banking information or family details in your handbag, wallet, vehicle, mobile phone or laptop.
• Do not leave your belongings unattended, even for a few minutes.
• At night, try to walk or run in well-lit, regularly traveled pathways
• Report suspicious behavior, vehicles, or activities to the Campus Director, Housing Director or the police.
• Never take drinks from other people and don’t leave your drink unattended.
• Take your time getting to know your companion or ”date”.  Don’t spend time alone with someone who make you feel uneasy or uncomfortable.

• Always keep your doors locked, whether you will only be gone for a few minutes or you are sleeping.
• Ensure your window has a proper lock.  Notify your RA or housing director, if you have a broken lock.
• Never prop your door open.
• Don’t loan your access card or key to friends.
• Don’t let someone without an ID follow you into a locked building
• Smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, and carbon monoxide detectors must not be covered or blocked.  Don’t hang anything from sprinkler heads.
• Report any lights out or hazardous walking conditions to housing director.
• Observe all Housing Policies and Procedures.
• Report suspicious behaviors, vehicles or activities to Housing Director, RAs or 911, as appropriate.

• Ensure you have proper locks on both windows and doors.
• Review your exterior doors and consider installing a dead-bolt lock.
• Always keep your doors locked, whether you are at home or not.
• Illuminate the exterior of your home, especially at entrances.
• If you are going on vacation ask a neighbor to collect your mail or consider the post office holding it.
• Never leave a spare key in accessible locations.
• Never open the door to a stranger, ask to see their identification.
• Report any suspicious activity to the police.

• Park close to any building you will be entering and/or choose a well-lit area that is heavily travelled.
• Exercise caution when entering or leaving your car, especially in parking lots.
• Keep windows up and doors locked.
• Never leave your vehicle running when unattended.
• Keep spare keys in your wallet or purse, not inside the vehicle where they can be easily found.

Visit the State Fire Marshall page on fire safety.

Fire Safety

RUN:  Can you safely escape?
If you can get out, go and don’t stop
Trust your instincts
Leave your belongings behind
Call 911 and Campus Crisis Management Team
Don’t assume someone else is calling
Calmly tell them where you are and what’s happening

HIDE:  Is there a good place to hide?
Find a place that will keep you hidden from the shooter’s view and will provide some measure of protection should the shooter fire in your direction.
If possible avoid places that might trap you or restrict your options of movement. 
Hiding in a room that can be locked and that has plenty of things to hide behind is best, blockade the door with heavy furniture, even if the door can be locked. 
If the shooter is nearby, just lock the door and be totally silent. Turn off any radios or other noise producing objects in the room that might alert the shooter to your presence, and don’t forget to silence your cell phone or pager. 
As soon as you have an opportunity, and without attracting the shooter’s attention, call or text 911. 
If there are two or more of you in the same place, do not huddle together for mutual protection or moral support, spread out.

FIGHT:
If you can’t hide, and you have no other option
If there are two or more you, make a plan. 
Throw things, yell, use improved weapons and commit to disrupting or incapacitating the shooter.

HELP:
Keep others away from the danger area
Help the injured
Warn others
Help others stay calm
View Run. Hide. Fight. 

Run, Hide, Fight Video (Courtesy of the FBI)

Evacuation
The evacuation of all or part of the campus will be announced and depending on the circumstances directed by emergency personnel, Housing Directors, Facilities Services or administrators.  All persons may be asked to immediately vac ate the site in question and persons may be directed to relocate at a specific site.

Leave the building swiftly using the nearest safe exit. Do not use elevators, unless authorized to do so by police, fire, or other emergency personnel. Do not return to an evacuated building until you are informed by emergency personnel that you may enter the building.

If you are permanently or temporarily disabled or otherwise in need of assistance, please inform your campus Accessibility/Disability Service Coordinator to help determine an action plan based upon your specific needs. 

Shelter-In-Place
Remain sheltered until you are advised it is safe to leave by emergency personnel. If it is safe to do so got to —- alerts for the latest information.

Turn off lights and silence phones. Block entry to your hiding place and if possible lock the door. Hide. Call 911.

Lock downs are difficult to implement on campus.  Our facilities and their use by a larger variety of students, staff, and visitors make lock-down procedures challenging.  In situations where a high school may call for a lock-down procedure, our campus may call for a shelter in place.

Severe Weather
Tornado warning signal are a long, steady, high-pitched whine that sounds for about three minutes on a civil defense siren.  Sirens may sound multiple times if there is a new threat. Tornado warning announcement on campus will be broadcast to the Emergency Public Address System and/or Emergency Alert System. All persons should proceed to pre-designated tornado/severe weather shelter areas. Evacuate to the shelter areas – don’t be sightseers!

Tornado Warning Action:
React – you don’t need to see the tornado
– Remain calm.
– Seek indoor shelter in the lowest level possible, in an interior room or hallway. – Think “down and in”.
– Avoid elevators, windows, doors, and large free landing structures like auditoriums and cafeterias.
– Crouch near the floor or under heavy, wall-supported objects.
– Cover your head with your hands and arms. Watch out for flying debris.

Weather Closing
Notification of campus closures will be placed on the Minnesota North website and email notices sent to students and staff.        

In extreme emergency conditions, the campus may be closed and all functions cease with the exception of those functions considered essential to the well-being of students and those functions deemed essential to the protection of life and property

Students and employees are encouraged to use the 511 statewide travel and road condition information website to assess conditions prior to driving. This website provides traveler with weather-related road closures and is available as a mobile app.

Minnesota 511 (Road Conditions)

Should you see or smell smoke, immediately pull the nearest fire alarm, leave the building, and call 911 from a safe area. Be prepared to give the following information:
– Location of fire
– Building and room number (if known)
– Your name and telephone number
– Stay on the line until the dispatcher releases you
– The person reporting the fire should remain in the vicinity outside the building to supply information, upon request, to responding emergency personnel.
– Always take fire alarms seriously. When a fire alarm has been activated, everyone is to evacuate the building immediately.

NOTE: Persons who do not leave the building when a fire alarm is sounding may be subject to disciplinary action and/or possible criminal charges.

Evacuate all rooms, closing all doors to confine the fire. Do not lock doors. Check doors for heat before opening. Open doors slowly and check for smoke.
Fire doors leading into the stairwell landing should be closed.

Do not attempt to put out a fire if you are endangering your own safety or the safety of others. Do not use elevators. Power may fail causing the elevator to stop between floors or elevator doors may open onto the fire floor.
Disabled persons who are unable to move down the stairwells should move to a stairwell. Caution should be used as to not block traffic.

Immediately notify emergency personnel of any person left in the building along with their locations.

When should you use a fire extinguisher?
Only if you are trained and confident in fire extinguisher use.
Only if the fire is small in size (no larger than a small trash can).
If you do fight the fire, use only ONE (1) extinguisher, then evacuate the building.
As a reminder: you are NOT obligated to fight fires of any size. If you have any doubt, do not attempt to fight the fire.

If caught in smoke:
– Stay low; smoke will rise to ceiling level first.
– Drop to hands and knees and crawl toward the nearest exit.
– Hold your breath as much as possible; breathe through your nose and use a filter such as a shirt, towel, or handkerchief.
– Be aware of your surroundings; take note of and follow EXIT signs.
If trapped in a room due to fire or smoke:
– Call 911 to report your location and conditions.
– Close as many doors as possible between you and the fire.
– Wet and place cloth material around or under the door to help prevent smoke from entering the room.
– If the room has an outside window, be prepared to signal to someone outside.

Clothing on fire (Stop, Drop and Roll):
– Direct or assist a person to roll around on the floor to smother the flames.
– Drench with water if immediately available.
– Obtain medical attention. Call 911 for EMS help.
– Report incident to supervisor and campus director

CAUTION: Building fire alarms may stop ringing. It they stop, do not return to the building unless notified by responding emergency personnel.

Know the location of fire alarm pull stations, fire extinguishers, and exits.

Assess the situation.  Do not enter an unsafe scene.  Do not move the patient unless an immediate emergency situation dictates the evacuation.

Alert help.  Call 911 if life or limb is in question, but do not leave the victim unattended unless necessary.  Contact a staff or faculty for assistance.

Attend to the patient to the best of your ability.  Ask if any bystanders have first aid qualifications. 

Check for medical alert bracelet or necklace

Direct someone (staff or student) to guide first responders to the area

Clear onlookers and isolate the patient, if possible

Provide information to first responders

Utility failures include: electrical power outage, disrupted cable service, interrupted telephone service, unavailable water or heat. In the event of a major utility failure, follow these guidelines:

• Call 911 immediately if there is potential danger to occupants of the affected buildings and/or risk or serious damage to the building.
• Evacuate the building if an emergency exists.

During Business Hours

Notify Facility Service Supervisor immediately. If no answer, please contact supervisor or campus director.

1B.3 Sexual Violence Policy

1B.3.1 Procedure: Sexual Violence

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, please report to:

Complaints of acts of discrimination or harassment by employees
Charlotte Peterson, Vice President of Human Resources

Complaints of acts of discrimination or harassment by students
Rick Kangas, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs

Human Resources

Minnesota North College Counselors

Minnesota North College Basic Needs

Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault

Minnesota Department of Health Sexual Violence Prevention Program

National Sexual Violence Resource Center

Victim Rights Law Center

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Sexual violence is an intolerable intrusion into the most personal and private rights of an individual, and is prohibited at Minnesota North College. Minnesota North College. is committed to eliminating sexual violence in all forms. Learn more about preventing sexual violence (If you are a student, please log into D2L Brightspace to view these videos):

Module 1: What you should know = 10 minutes
Module 2: The Culture of Sexual Violence = 15 minutes
Module 3: Risk Reduction for Everyone = 10 minutes

Minnesota North College will take appropriate remedial action against any individual found responsible for acts in violation of this policy. Please use the contact information below to file a report or request additional information.
Reports can be made by a victim, witness, or by someone who may have knowledge of an incident. Complaints can also be submitted in confidence.

|Always call 911 in an emergency.