The purpose of an emergency lockdown is protection from an armed intruder or hostage situation on campus. An emergency lockdown is necessary in situations where there is reason to believe that leaving a sheltered area will expose individuals to greater danger than remaining in place.

In the event of an armed intruder or hostage situation on campus, you should receive a Tiger Alert. All Chattanooga State employees and enrolled students automatically have a TigerAlert account. You can access your Tiger Alert account at https://www.getrave.com/login/chattanoogastate.

Remember the following:

• Gunfire may sound artificial. Assume that any popping sound is gunfire.
• Determine your course of action immediately. In the initial moments, decide what is occurring and which option listed below will provide the greatest degree of safety.

Avoid / Deny / Defend

Avoid

If there is considerable distance between you and the gunfire, avoid the area, quickly move away from the sound of the gunfire and find a secure place to hide or at least a place that will protect you from gunfire. Follow any instructions provided by the Tiger Alert notification system.

Deny

If the shooter is near your location, deny the shooter access to you by locking and barricading the door if possible. Silence your cell phone and remain very quiet. If there are two or more persons in the same place when an active shooting situation has occurred, you should spread out in the room to not be seen. Avoid sitting behind doors or in the line of sight of any windows.

Defend

If discovered or confronted by an active shooter, you will have to defend your position. An attempt to overpower the shooter may be your only option. Improvise weapons and attempt to incapacitate the shooter. Whatever you do, never attempt to purposefully seek out an active shooter to confront them.

• Report what is going on. DO NOT assume that someone else has reported the emergency. Call 911 immediately. The information that you can provide law enforcement officers may be critical, e.g. number of shooters, physical description, number and type(s) of weapons, and location of the shooter.
   
• Do not leave the lockdown until advised to do so. The first group of law enforcement officers will not stop to assist you as they go through the building. Their priority is to move toward the sound of gunfire to neutralize the shooter.
   
• DO NOT expect to hear an audible alarm and DO NOT activate the fire alarm system. There have been cases where active shooters have activated fire alarms to lure victims outside.
   
• The Chattanooga State Campus Police have critical and very specific duties to perform during a lockdown and may not be available to assist in announcing the lockdown or providing directions.
   
• Shelter-in-place directives will be given for hazards outside a building. Stay where you are within a building until further directed by law enforcement officers.

Important Things to Remember Immediately After an Active Shooter Event

After you are instructed to leave your place of shelter, please make your way to the location designated by law enforcement officers or via the Tiger Alert system. DO NOT attempt to drive off campus. It is important that you go to the designated location so that officials can verify that you are safe and help you to reconnect with your family and friends. You may be asked to board public transportation and leave the campus to go to a reunification site. Do not ask family or friends to attempt to drive onto campus to get you as they will be denied access. Your Tiger Alert notification should inform you of the location of the off-campus reunification site.