Ithaca College

As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen emergency preparedness and response, Ithaca College will hold a shelter-in-place drill on the morning of Thursday, Jan. 10, in the Campus Center, Gannett Center and Fitness Center. Those buildings will be completely closed to the public during the drill, but the rest of the campus will not be affected.

“This drill will provide an opportunity for both our officers and the employees who work in those buildings to practice responding to an active-shooter type situation,” said Bill Kerry, director and chief of the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management. “It won’t be a complete simulation—no weapons will be utilized, there will be no simulated gun fire, and we will not use the campus-wide Emergency Notification System or Outdoor Warning System, for example—but it will help give everyone involved a better sense of what could happen in those spaces should the college have a real shelter-in-place emergency. We will hold a de-briefing session with participants at the conclusion of the drill to talk about lessons learned.”

The drill is being held during the winter break in order to minimize its effect on users of the three facilities, all of which have card access. Supervisors in the respective areas have provided information and instructions to their employees, including student workers, about what actions to take during the drill.

While the drill itself will take place from about 8:30 a.m. to noon, all entry doors to the buildings will be locked from 6 a.m. until the drill is over. Signage will be placed at each building entrance in advance, and members of Public Safety will be located at each entrance during the drill. Members of the campus community not participating do not need to take any action, though they are requested to avoid the area.

What’s Closed on Thursday, Jan. 10, 6 a.m.–Noon
All three buildings will be completely closed during the drill, including the following spaces normally open with revised hours over the winter break:

Campus Center: Neapolitan and Food Court/IC Square; the Information Desk; CFCU Credit Union; Student Activity Center; all offices and event/meeting spaces. There will be no food service/café operations open on campus on the morning of the drill. The Phillips Hall Post Office, Bookstore and Mac’s General Store will remain open during the drill.

Gannett Center: The Library, Handwerker Gallery and all faculty offices. Library databases are available remotely 24/7, and printing is available in the Friends 110 lab.

Fitness Center: Exercise area, aerobics room, gyms and climbing wall.

If you have any questions about the drill, contact Bill Kerry at wkerry@ithaca.edu or 274-3353, or Dave Prunty at dgprunty@ithaca.edu or 274-3313.