February 28, 2018 – Active Shooter Resources and Preparation

To: Campus Community

From: President Gayle E. Hutchinson

Following the tragedy in Parkland, Florida two weeks ago, there has been a renewed interest in our campus preparation and resources for dealing with an active shooter. While the likelihood of being involved in a mass shooting incident is small, the risk is real and an unfortunate reality we must address.

Knowing how to respond during a shooting may save your life. The Chancellor’s Office has just released a new active shooter safety training video that I urge you to watch: https://youtu.be/hBYPdmyNeVU. Please share this video with your friends and colleagues.

The University is also planning an on campus active shooter drill in April to help our community understand and prepare for responding to such a situation. Look for details about this drill in the coming weeks.

Please know the University has a best practice Active Shooter Mitigation and Response Program already in place. Elements and resources include:

• Active shooter response information is laid out in the campus Emergency Response Plan (PDF).
• A state-of-the-art emergency alert system designed to provide immediate emergency notifications via email, text, and phone in the event of a life-threatening emergency. Sign up for Chico State Alerts or update your information.
• An in-person active shooter training is conducted each semester. The spring 2018 training will be held in March. Check the Training and Professional Development website for more information.
• University Police regularly train in active shooter response protocols and have all the equipment necessary for response to an active shooter incident.
• UPD has a written agreement with the City of Chico Police Department that ensures cooperative support for campus emergencies.

We also have a number of resources aimed at intervening with individuals in distress who are at risk of harming themselves or others.

The Campus Assessment Response and Education (CARE) Team is in place to proactively address situations where students are displaying behaviors that are disruptive, threatening, or concerning in nature and potentially impede their ability to function successfully or safely.

• The Counseling and Wellness Center provides crisis emergency counseling appointments for students who are at risk to themselves or others.
• The "Red Folder" is designed to provide immediate access to information that can help those serving persons in distress.

Your safety and well-being are always at the forefront of my mind, and it can be difficult to comprehend that the pursuit of higher education now comes with the risk of this terrifying reality. However, I believe that a well-informed campus is a safer one so I ask that you please familiarize yourself with these procedures and resources. If you ever have questions or concerns relating to campus safety, please contact University Police Department at 530-898-5555.